Search Results (250)

This study examines the safety and cost-effectiveness of implementing shoulder rumble strips (SRS) and road lighting on Saudi Arabian freeways, providing insights into their roles in fostering sustainable transport systems. By leveraging the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) framework, this research develops localized Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) for these interventions, ensuring evidence-based and context-specific evaluations. Data were collected for two periods—pre-pandemic (2017–2019) and post-pandemic (2021–2022). For each period, we obtained traffic crash records from the Saudi Highway Patrol database, traffic volume data from the Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services’ automated count stations, and roadway characteristics and pavement-condition metrics from the National Road Safety Center. The findings reveal that SRS reduces fatal and injury run-off-road crashes by 52.7% (CMF = 0.473) with a benefit–cost ratio of 14.12, highlighting their high cost-effectiveness. Road lighting, focused on nighttime crash reduction, decreases such crashes by 24% (CMF = 0.760), with a benefit–cost ratio of 1.25, although the adoption of solar-powered lighting systems offers potential for greater sustainability gains and a higher benefit–cost ratio. These interventions align with global sustainability goals by enhancing road safety, reducing the socio-economic burden of crashes, and promoting the integration of green technologies. This study not only provides actionable insights for achieving KSA Vision 2030’s target of improved road safety but also demonstrates how engineering solutions can be harmonized with sustainability objectives to advance equitable, efficient, and environmentally responsible transportation systems. Full article

Fruit size is an important agronomic trait affecting the yield and commercial value of melon and a key trait selected for during domestication. In this study, two respective melon accessions (large-fruited M202008 and small-fruited M202009) were crossed, and developed biparental mapping populations of the F₂ generation (160 and 382 plants) were checked across two subsequent experimental years (2023 and 2024). The phenotypic characterization and genetic inheritance analysis showed that melon fruit size is modulated by quantitative genetics. Bulked segregant sequencing analysis (BSA-seq) identified a stable and effective quantitative trait locus (QTL, named Cmfs) controlling fruit size, localized to a 3.75 Mb region on chromosome 9. To better delineate the main-effect Cmfs locus, co-dominant polymorphic molecular markers were developed in this genetic interval, and genotyping was performed within the F₂ mapping populations grown across two years. QTL analysis of the phenotypic and genotypic datasets delimited the major-effect Cmfs locus interval for fruit length [2023: logarithm of odds (LOD) value = 6.16, 16.20% phenotypic variation explained (PVE); 2024: LOD = 5.44, 6.35% PVE] and fruit diameter (2023: LOD value = 5.48, 14.59% PVE; 2024: LOD = 6.22, 7.22% PVE) to 1.88 and 2.20 Mb intervals, respectively. The annotation analysis across the melon genome and comparison of resequencing data from the two parental lines led to the preliminary identification of MELO3C021600.1 (annotated as cytochrome P450 724B1) as a candidate gene related to melon fruit size. These results provide a better understanding for further fine mapping and functional gene analysis related to melon fruit size. Full article

An efficient optimization method for designing defected ground structure (DGS)-based common-mode filters (CMFs) is proposed, utilizing equation-based transmission line models integrated with a genetic algorithm (GA). Designing an optimal DGS-based CMF using full-wave simulation tools is time-consuming due to its process-intensive nature. The proposed optimization method implements transmission line theory to allow for direct S-parameter calculation, enabling integration with an optimization algorithm to identify optimal parameters within a confined 5 mm × 10 mm design space. This work demonstrates a compact asymmetric DGS design to illustrate the method’s capability. The resulting compact asymmetric DGS-based CMF achieves wideband common-mode suppression with a –10 dB bandwidth from 3.18 GHz to 12.89 GHz. The optimization method significantly reduces design time by minimizing the need for lengthy and repetitive full-wave simulations. The measured S-parameters of the fabricated CMF closely match the simulated results, validating the model’s accuracy. Compared with traditional methods for designing DGS-based CMFs, the proposed method utilizes transmission line theory to optimize the design efficiently, providing a practical and efficient solution. Full article

Photoperiod sensitivity significantly affects the reproductive process of plants. The CONSTANS, CONSTANS-LIKE, and TOC1 (CCT) genes play pivotal roles in photoperiod sensitivity and regulating flowering time. However, the function of the CCT gene in regulating flowering varies among different species. Further research is needed to determine whether it promotes or delays flowering under long-day (LD) or short-day (SD) conditions. CCT MOTIF FAMILY (CMF) belongs to one of the three subfamilies of the CCT gene and has been proven to be involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms and flowering time in cereal crops. In this study, 60 CCT genes in Chinese cabbage were genome-wide identified, and chromosomal localization, gene duplication events, gene structure, conserved domains, co-expression networks, and phylogenetic tree were analyzed by bioinformatics methods. The specific expression patterns of the BrCMF gene in different tissues, as well as the transcriptome and RT-qPCR results under different photoperiodic conditions, were further analyzed. The results showed that BrCMF11 was significantly upregulated in ebm5 under LD conditions, suggesting that BrCMF11 promoted flowering under LD conditions in Chinese cabbage. These findings revealed the function of the BrCCT gene family in photoperiod flowering regulation and provided a prominent theoretical foundation for molecular breeding in Chinese cabbage. Full article

Common-mode analysis (CMA) is a qualitative analytical method used to support the evaluation of independence in the system safety assessment of civil aircraft. In traditional CMA, independence requirements are usually identified by evaluating the combination of events using the fault tree AND-gates. This approach is cumbersome and highly dependent on the skills and experiences of system safety engineers. An Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL)-based methodology is proposed to derive independence requirements for CMA. Error propagation data in AADL is extracted to develop a fault propagation model. Subsequently, potential factors contributing to common-mode failures (CMFs) are identified using the fault propagation model. A Primary Flight Computer (PFC) of an aircraft is used as a case study to illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed method. Full article

Multidrug resistance (MDR) represents a major obstacle to successful chemotherapy and, due to overlapping defense mechanisms, such as enhanced DNA repair and the evasion of apoptosis, can also be associated with radioresistance. In this study, we investigated whether MDR breast cancer cells (MCF-7/CMF) exhibit reduced susceptibility to radiation-induced DNA fragmentation compared to their non-resistant parental counterpart (MCF-7). Using a nucleosome-based ELISA, we quantified the chromatin fragmentation in MCF-7 and MCF-7/CMF cells following their exposure to four radiopharmaceuticals: [^99mTc]pertechnetate, [¹³¹I]NaI (sodium iodide), [¹²⁵I]NaI, and the DNA-incorporating compound [¹²⁵I]iododeoxyuridine ([¹²⁵I]IdU). Each radioactive preparation was assessed across a range of activity concentrations, using a two-way ANOVA. For [^99mTc]pertechnetate and [¹³¹I]NaI, significantly higher DNA fragmentation was observed in the sensitive cell line, whereas [¹²⁵I]NaI showed no significant difference between the two phenotypes. In contrast to the other radiopharmaceuticals, [¹²⁵I]IdU induced greater fragmentation in resistant cells. This finding was supported by the statistical analysis (a 63.7% increase) and visualized in the corresponding dose–response plots. These results highlight the critical role of the intranuclear enrichment of Auger emitters and support further development of radiopharmaceuticals in accordance with this principle. Our data suggest that radiotoxicity is governed not by linear energy transfer (LET) alone, but, fundamentally, by the spatial proximity of the radionuclide to the DNA. Targeting tumor cell DNA with precision radiotherapeutics may, therefore, offer a rational strategy to overcome MDR in breast cancer. Full article

Over the past 20 years, the use of the global positioning system (GPS) in football has become widespread. This technology has facilitated the tracking of external load both during training sessions and matches. Creating an external load profile for each playing position within specific formations can assist the coaching staff in shaping the training load of the microcycle according to the demands of each position. The purpose of this study was to create the running performance profile for high-level young football players based on their playing position in the 1-4-2-3-1 formation and to investigate potential differences between positions. Additionally, the study aimed to compare the players’ running performance across the two halves of the match. The study involved 22 Under-19 players from the academy of a professional football team. Only matches where the team used the 1-4-2-3-1 formation were analyzed (10 matches). The playing positions were categorized as: Central Defensive Fielders (CDFs), Central Midfielders (CMFs), Forwards (FWDs), Wide Defensive Fielders (WDFs), and Wide Midfielders (WMFs). Player movement was tracked using GPS devices and categorized into four velocity zones: (Zone 1: 3.6–10.8 km/h, Zone 2: 10.9–18.0 km/h, Zone 3: 18.1–25.2 km/h, Zone 4: >25.2 km/h). Depending on whether normality was present in our data, either a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or a Kruskal–Wallis test was conducted. A subsequent analysis was performed to compare the performance between the first and second halves of the match, using either the independent samples t-test or the Mann–Whitney U test. The results showed that CMF players covered the greatest total distance and had the highest movement velocity (distance/min) compared to all other positions (p = 0.001). In high-speed running (>18 km/h), CMF again covered the greatest distance, followed by WDF. In sprinting, CDF covered the shortest distance and reached the lowest maximum speed (p = 0.001). CMF performed the most accelerations and decelerations across all positions (p = 0.001). As for the entire team, total distance, movement rate, and the number of accelerations and decelerations decreased in the second half. All players except the WDF also showed a decrease in total distance, while midfielders experienced a notable drop in sprint distance. In conclusion, this study underscores the positional specificity of physical demands in elite football and the systematic decline in physical output as matches progress. While all positions demonstrated some level of second-half performance deterioration, midfielders experienced the most significant decreases in both volume and intensity-related metrics. These insights offer valuable implications for position-specific physical condition, recovery planning, and substitution strategies, helping to optimize performance and manage player load in elite football environments. It should be reiterated that the results of the present study apply exclusively to the 1-4-2-3-1 formation. Full article

The mesocarp, a by-product of coconut production, consists of a fibrous outer layer and a medullary tissue. These fibers can be utilized as an alternative source for producing activated carbon (AC). This study presents a method for producing activated carbon from coconut mesocarp fibers (CMFs) using a phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) solution as the activating agent. The chemical activation process involves two stages: (1) carbonization of the CMFs, and (2) activation with H₃PO₄ at elevated temperatures. AC was characterized by its structural, thermal, surface morphological, and elemental properties. The resulting AC developed a lamellar structure with a porous network. Notably, the AC treated with a 60% v/v H₃PO₄ solution demonstrated a BET adsorption surface area of 1508 m²/g, a total pore volume of 0.871 cm³/g, and an average pore diameter of 2.20 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of aromatic rings in the AC, while thermogravimetric analysis showed that the AC decomposed at 428 °C, compared to 418 °C for the non-activated carbon. Elemental analysis revealed a 9.04% increase in carbon content in the AC. Producing activated carbon from coconut mesocarp fibers offers a cost-effective method to generate high-surface-area activated carbon from agro-industrial waste. Full article

Background/Objectives: Using chemical disinfectants to clean the base of heat-cured acrylic dentures has several negative effects, including toxicity. On the other hand, therapeutic herbs have fewer adverse effects. This study intended to determine how the antibacterial efficacy and the surface roughness of the heat-cured acrylic material used to fabricate dentures were affected by the use of Cordia myxa fruit (CMF) extract as a disinfection solution for dentures using the immersion technique. Methods: Heat-cured acrylic specimens were prepared (N = 110; 55 specimens) for each test; each group contained five specimens. Three CMF extract concentrations (50, 100, and 150 mg/mL) were made and examined for three immersion times (5, 10, and 15 min). The results were compared to the first control group, which used distilled water, and the second group, which used 2% glutaraldehyde for ten minutes, in accordance with the guidelines. One way analysis of variance ANOVA and Games–Howell post hoc test were employed in SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) program for statistical analysis. Results: The results for the antibacterial test revealed that CMF solutions had a statistically significant difference in all test groups in comparison with the first control group and non-significant differences with (H p = 0.92; J p = 0.278; K p = 0.303) groups in comparison with the second control group (Glutaraldehyde 2%). For the surface roughness test, the effect was not statistically significant for all groups compared to the first and second control groups. Conclusions: It can be concluded that immersing the heat-cure acrylic samples in a solution of 100 mg/mL CMF extract for 15 min, and 150 mg/mL for 10 and 15 min, has an antibacterial effect similar to that of the Glutaraldehyde 2% antiseptic and no negative effect on surface roughness. Full article

To bridge the modality gap between camera images and LiDAR point clouds in autonomous driving systems—a critical challenge exacerbated by current fusion methods’ inability to effectively integrate cross-modal features—we propose the Cross-Modal Fusion (CMF) framework. This attention-driven architecture enables hierarchical multi-sensor data fusion, achieving state-of-the-art performance in semantic segmentation tasks.The CMF framework first projects point clouds onto the camera coordinates through the use of perspective projection to provide spatio-depth information for RGB images. Then, a two-stream feature extraction network is proposed to extract features from the two modalities separately, and multilevel fusion of the two modalities is realized by a residual fusion module (RCF) with cross-modal attention. Finally, we design a perceptual alignment loss that integrates cross-entropy with feature matching terms, effectively minimizing the semantic discrepancy between camera and LiDAR representations during fusion. The experimental results based on the SemanticKITTI and nuScenes benchmark datasets demonstrate that the CMF method achieves mean intersection over union (mIoU) scores of 64.2% and 79.3%, respectively, outperforming existing state-of-the-art methods in regard to accuracy and exhibiting enhanced robustness in regard to complex scenarios. The results of the ablation studies further validate that enhancing the feature interaction and fusion capabilities in semantic segmentation models through cross-modal attention and perceptually guided cross-entropy loss (Pgce) is effective in regard to improving segmentation accuracy and robustness. Full article

Background: antimicrobial resistance represents a critical issue leading to delayed wound healing; hence, it is necessary to develop novel strategies to address this phenomenon. Objectives: this study aimed to explore the antimicrobial/anti-virulence action of Methylglyoxal-MGO alone or combined with novel technologies such as Light-Emitting Diodes-LED and Complex Magnetic Fields-CMFs against resistant clinical strains isolated from chronic wounds. Methods: characterized planktonic Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans isolates were used. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by measuring optical density, Colony Forming Units-CFU, and synergy between MGO/LED or CMFs. Cellular membrane permeability by propidium iodide fluorescence and fluidity by Laurdan generalized polarization measurements were performed. P. aeruginosa motility was tested using the soft agar method. A docking study was performed to evaluate the possible interaction between MGO and urease in P. aeruginosa. Results: single/combined treatments showed significant antimicrobial activity. Major CFU reduction was detected after CMFs/MGO+CMFs application on C. albicans. Treatments exhibited significant changes in membrane permeability and fluidity. The treatments decreased P. aeruginosa motility with a major reduction after LED application. Docking analysis showed that MGO could bind with P. aeruginosa urease leading to defective folding and functional alterations. Conclusions: the results suggest that these treatments could represent promising and green therapeutic solutions against resistant isolates from chronic wounds. Full article

The extension direction of welding defects is random and uncontrollable, while magneto-optical imaging detection has a good imaging effect on defects perpendicular to the magnetic field direction. At present, magneto-optical detection methods may fail to detect small weld defects parallel to the direction of the magnetic field. To overcome this problem, a non-destructive testing method based on magneto-optical imaging under a vertical combined magnetic field (VCMF) is proposed. The paper first establishes a simulation model to compare and analyze the magnetic leakage characteristics of cross grooves under a constant magnetic field (CMF), an alternating magnetic field (AMF), a rotating magnetic field (RMF), a parallel combined magnetic field (PCMF), and VCMF excitation, proving that detection does not easily fail under VCMF. Secondly, by changing the size of the CMF in the VCMF simulation model, it was found that, as the CMF intensity increases, a new maximum value will appear on the side of the defect contour close to the sample area. This maximum value increases with the increase of the CMF intensity, which can lead to misjudgment of the defect contour, that is, false contours. Finally, magneto-optical imaging was used to verify the imaging effect of weld defects under VCMFs. The results indicate that more comprehensive defect information can be detected under VCMFs. When the maximum value of the excitation current of the AMF is at least 12 times the excitation current of the CMF, there will be no false contour defects. Full article

As inspired by nature, wettability of bio-based material surfaces can be controlled by combining appropriate surface chemistries and topographies mimicking the structure of plant leaves or animals. The need for bio-based nanocellulose coatings with enhanced hydrophobic properties becomes technically relevant for extending their applications in the technological domain with better protection and lifetime of the coatings. In this work, the water repellence of spray-coated nanocellulose coatings with hydrophobically modified cellulose microfiber (mCMF coatings), or hydrophobically modified cellulose nanofiber (mCNF coatings) was enhanced after femtosecond laser patterning. In particular, the influences of different island-like pattern geometries and pattern sizes were systematically studied. The island-like patterns were experimentally created with single posts that have variable sizes of the valleys (B = 30 to 15 µm) and top surface area (T = 120 to 15 µm), resulting in good resolution of the patterns down to the size of the laser beam diameter (15 µm). Depending on the intrinsic homogeneity and porosity of sprayed mCMF and mCNF coatings, the quality and resolution of the island-like patterns is better for the mCNF coatings with thinner and more homogeneous sizes of the cellulose nanofibrils. The increase in apparent water contact angle on patterned nanocellulose coatings can be estimated from the theoretical Cassie–Baxter state of wetting and shows maximum values up to θ_s = 128° (mCMF coatings), or θ_s = 140° (mCNF coatings), for the smallest pattern sizes in parallel with minimum contact angle hysteresis of Δθ = 14° (mCMF coatings), or Δθ < 9° (mCNF coatings). The study demonstrated that femtosecond laser patterning technology provides high flexibility and adaptivity to create surface patterns in appropriate dimensions with enhanced hydrophobicity of nanocellulose coatings. Full article

Equation of state (EoS) parameters of hexagonal close-packed iron (hcp-Fe), the dominant core component in large terrestrial planets, is crucial for studying interior structures of super-Earths. However, EoS parameters at interior conditions of super-Earths remain poorly constrained, and extrapolating from Earth’s core conditions introduces significant uncertainties at TPa pressures. Here, we compiled experimental static and dynamic compression data and theoretical data up to 1374 GPa and 12,000 K from the literature to refine the EoS of hcp-Fe. Using the third-order Birch–Murnaghan and Mie–Grüneisen–Debye equations, we obtained V₀ (unit-cell volume) = 6.756 (10) cm³/mol, K_T0 (isothermal bulk modulus) = 174.7 (17) GPa, $K_{T0}^{\prime }$ (pressure derivative of K_T0) = 4.790 (14), θ₀ (Debye temperature) = 1209 (73) K, γ₀ (Grüneisen parameters) = 2.86 (10), and q (volume-independent constant) = 0.84 (5) at ambient conditions. These parameters were then incorporated into an interior model of CoRoT-7b and Kepler-10b, which includes four solid compositional layers (forsterite, MgSiO₃ perovskite, post-perovskite, and hcp-Fe). The model yields the core mass fractions (CMF) of 0.1709 in CoRoT-7b and 0.2216 in Kepler-10b, suggesting a Mars-like interior structure. Extrapolation uncertainties (±10–20% in density) can change CMF by −12.6 to 21.2%, highlighting the necessity of precise EoS constraints at the super-Earth interior conditions. Full article

The vascular system is primarily responsible for orchestrating the underlying healing processes to achieve tissue regeneration, thus the promotion of angiogenic events could be a useful strategy to repair injured tissues. Among several approaches to stimulate tissue regeneration, non-invasive devices are currently widely diffused. Complex Magnetic Fields (CMFs) are innovative pulsed multifrequency electromagnetic fields used for their promising results in clinical applications, such as diabetic foot treatment or edema resorption. Nevertheless, few papers are available demonstrating the biological mechanisms involved. In this paper, in order to understand CMFs’ capability to promote angiogenic events, Regenerative Tissue Program (RTP) was applied to an in vitro Endothelial Cells (ECs) model. ECs were stimulated with (I) 2 RTP consecutive cycles, (II) with an interval of 8 h (T0 + T8), or (III) 24 h (T0 + T24) from one cycle to another. Results demonstrate that (I) extracellular matrix degradation is promoted through matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 modulation, leading to an increased cell migratory capability; (II) CMFs support EC growth, activating Integrin β1-Erk-Cdk2 pathway and sustaining G1/S transition; (III) vessel morphogenesis is promoted when CMFs are applied. In conclusion, the promising clinical results are supported by in vitro analyses which evidence that main angiogenic events are stimulated by CMFs. Full article