Search Results (2,538)

Marine diesel engines generate high concentrations of sub-micron particulate matter (PM) that requires effective exhaust aftertreatment. While conventional wire-in-tube electrostatic precipitators (ESP) offer a low-drag solution, their practical efficiency is limited by particle re-entrainment at elevated flow velocities. This study investigates a novel application of corrugated cylindrical ducts—standard vibration-compensating couplings—as electrostatic collectors. A fully coupled two-dimensional axisymmetric COMSOL Multiphysics 6.4 model was developed, integrating turbulent flow (k–ε), electrostatics, ion charge transport, and particle tracing. Numerical results demonstrate that while smooth and corrugated geometries yield identical theoretical Deutsch–Anderson efficiency (61.1% at Uin = 0.5 m/s, the corrugated profile significantly suppresses re-entrainment. The corrugations reduce wall shear stress by a factor of 7.7 to 13.5 at flow velocities of 0.3–0.8 m/s, maintaining aerodynamic conditions below critical particle detachment thresholds. With a pressure drop penalty representing less than 6% of the localized corona power, these findings show that existing marine exhaust infrastructure can be repurposed as high-efficiency, low-re-entrainment particle collectors through the integration of cold plasma electrodes. Full article

This study portrays macroalgal assemblage structure in the transitional water system Mar Piccolo of Taranto (eLTER site) from 2012 to 2023, assessing the impact of the establishment of non-indigenous species (NIS). Seasonal sampling at three sites evaluated diversity and biomass variation through PERMANOVA, PCoA, PERMDISP and Indicator Value (IndVal) analyses. Results reveal significant spatio-temporal heterogeneity: Site 1 remains dominated by native species (>70% biomass) and summer peaks of NIS (>70% biomass) were recorded at Site 3, whereas Site 4 experienced a substantial NIS expansion, reaching 97% of the total biomass by 2021. Statistical clustering identified distinct indicator species for each inlet of the basin, such as Amphiroa beauvoisii (IndVal = 100) in the First Inlet and the NIS Hypnea corona (IndVal = 65.6) in the Second. Water temperature emerged as a primary driver of community shifts. Most species, including both native (Chondracanthus acicularis; r_s = 0.50, p ≤ 0.05) and several NIS (Polysiphonia morrowii r_s = 0.65, p ≤ 0.5; Osmundea oederi r_s = 0.70, p ≤ 0.5), exhibited negative correlations with mean thermal values, while Ulva laetevirens (r_s = −0.50, p ≤ 0.05) showed greater tolerance. These findings highlight the importance of LTER monitoring in demonstrating that the Mar Piccolo’s resistance to NIS pressure is non-uniform across the basin. Under a global warming scenario, thermal forcing is actively reshaping macroalgal assemblages. Full article

Black-hole accretion systems exhibit a characteristic coexistence of activities: broad-band X-ray variability, hot coronae, wide-angle winds, and both steady and discrete jets. This coexistence suggests a persistently time-dependent magnetic background in which noisy fluctuations and explosive release are both essential. In this paper, we connect them all to the storage, organization, and intermittent reconnection-mediated release of magnetic energy, and we propose a Synchronized Spin Model (SSM) in which multiple local dynamos in a rotating accretion flow are represented as interacting macro-spins. Their synchronization, partial synchronization, excursion, and reversal define a compact set of collective variables that organize both timing statistics and large-scale morphology. In this picture, multiscale magnetic reconnection converts stored magnetic energy into coronal heating, flares, intermittent outflows, and discrete jet activity, while the same synchronization dynamics produce amplitude modulation and demodulation, providing a route to $1/f$-like variability, rms–flux/Taylor-like scaling, and approximately log-normal statistics of the demodulated envelope. We further argue that, although the continuous flux distribution in black-hole systems is more naturally discussed in multiplicative or log-normal terms, broader event-catalog statistics remain useful for describing suitably defined burst hierarchies, particularly by analogy with solar and stellar flare systems. The hard/soft cycle of X-ray binaries is then interpreted as motion through magnetic state space. Full article

This review offers an in-depth look at the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of MNPs as superparamagnetic and high-surface-area-to-volume entities, considering their applications in MRI, magnetic hyperthermia, and targeted drug delivery. Based on an integrative approach, which includes systematic searches in 3 main bibliographic databases, 870 articles, semantic network analysis, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and gap classification (Miles’ taxonomy), our analysis identifies a constant gap between lab performances and in vivo applications, described through eight critical challenges. The development of MNP-based biotechnologies is largely hindered by open issues in terms of safety, standardization, and control of the nanobio interface, mainly incomplete physicochemical characterization and poor methodological harmonization, because the high sensitivity of MNPs to synthesis routes and scale is a major bottleneck for GMP-compatible translation. Moreover, the analysis of in vivo data suggests that, on average, less than 1% of the injected dose accumulates in solid tumors, whereas a substantial fraction is diverted to non-target organs, particularly those associated with the mononuclear phagocyte system, reinforcing concerns regarding off-target sequestration, incomplete clearance, and long-term safety. Other critical challenges include complex interactions with biofluids, lack of unifying conceptual frameworks, limited experimental validation, underexploited methodological integration, and geographical and biological biases. Consequently, successfully overcoming these challenges will require the early and deliberate integration of rigorous materials engineering, mechanistic biological insight, and application-oriented validation for robust, reproducible, and translatable magnetic nanoplatforms. Full article

The solar corona has an extremely low density, and its brightness is only about one millionth of that of the photosphere. High-dynamic-range imaging of its faint structure is therefore essential for studying coronal heating, coronal mass ejections, and space weather. Quantitative coronagraph imaging requires flat-field measurement and calibration, which underpin intensity calibration, small-scale feature detection, and long-term cyclic analysis. This paper analyzes the coronagraph imaging chain (baffle–optical system–detector) and the origins of flat-field errors, including optical aberrations, stray light, and pixel-response non-uniformity, and summarizes the resulting calibration requirements of next-generation coronagraphs. On this basis, ground-based and space-based flat-fielding methods are systematically reviewed: the ground-based methods include integrating-sphere uniform light sources, opal glass/diffuser plates, clear-sky and thin-cloud backgrounds, and solar disk scanning, while the space-based methods include internal light sources and diffuser plates, attitude-roll and off-corona offset observations, and multi-phase statistical self-consistent flat-fielding. Their accuracy, resource cost, and applicability are compared. The review shows that no single method is simultaneously high-precision, easy to update, and engineer-friendly; a hierarchical, multi-method calibration framework is therefore recommended. Finally, a new method is proposed in which lithographically generated structured light fields, combined with Fourier optics and machine learning inversion, are used to estimate the pixel-response function. Preliminary experiments show that this method achieves a lower residual error than the integrating-sphere and opal glass methods, providing a high-precision reference for future wide-band, high-resolution coronagraph calibration. Full article

The biological effects of nanoparticles (NPs) form the basis of their safety assessments and biomedical applications. However, most related studies have focused on exposing biological systems such as cells and animals to individual NPs. This is far removed from real-world environmental exposure and biomedical application scenarios involving NPs. In practice, NPs often coexist with other types of NPs or the same type of NPs of different sizes. Interactions between mixed NPs can alter their dispersion states and biological behaviors, thereby influencing their cellular internalization, distribution, and ultimately determining their toxicity outcomes. In this review, we summarize the research progress and current understanding of the biological effects of mixed NPs. We focus on how co-exposure influences the uptake/absorption, fate, and toxicity of NPs in cells and animals. Co-exposure results in an increased, decreased, or unaffected cellular uptake of NPs by altering their dispersion states and protein corona in biological media, and thus their uptake routes. Cytotoxicity of mixed NPs exhibits patterns of synergistic, antagonistic, or additive effects, and is not always positively correlated with the intracellular contents of the NPs, highlighting the complexity of the response of biological systems to NP co-exposure. In vivo evidence further indicates that co-exposure to NPs can result in alterations in the absorption efficiency, tissue distribution, and clearance of the NPs, and thus their overall toxicity. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the current research on the biological response to mixed NPs, and propose key challenges and future directions towards a more standardized, mechanism-based assessment of NP mixtures. Full article

The release kinetics of functional compounds from active packaging systems plays a crucial role in determining their efficiency, as it directly affects the availability of the incorporated agents and the extension of the product’s shelf life. Therefore, controlled release behaviour is essential for optimizing the functionality of such materials. In the present study, corona treatment was used as a surface modification technique to tailor the release behaviour of polyphenols—curcumin, quercetin, and rutin—from polylactic acid (PLA) films. Polyphenol release was performed in a model medium (3% acetic acid), and the experimental data were fitted using commonly applied kinetic models to elucidate the release mechanism. The results indicate that corona-treated films exhibit significantly accelerated release kinetics and higher cumulative release compared to untreated samples. To interpret the observed behaviour, different surface characterization techniques were applied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed only minor changes in the morphology of the uncharged and charged samples, which are unlikely to account for the observed differences in the release behaviour. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed that corona treatment has led to formation of new peaks in PLA spectrum and change in the shape and intensity in PLA–polyphenol loaded films. Contact angle measurements demonstrated increased surface wettability after treatment. These changes are associated with enhanced polymer–medium interactions and improved mobility of the incorporated polyphenols, leading to accelerated release. These findings demonstrate that corona treatment is an effective strategy for tuning the release kinetics of PLA-based systems. The developed materials show strong potential for use in active packaging applications, where controlled release of antioxidant compounds is essential for extending product shelf life. Full article

Biocorona (BC) formation is a critical determinant of nanoparticle (NP) biological identity and downstream interactions, yet lipid association within BCs remains comparatively understudied relative to proteins, despite its potential relevance to NP stability, biodistribution, cellular interactions, and clearance. A more complete understanding of NP–lipid interactions is essential for optimizing NP-based therapies and supporting their safe clinical translation. In this study, we evaluated how serum concentration, biological sex, and NP size influence lipid association with iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) NP BCs. Lipids associated with 50 or 100 nm Fe₃O₄ NPs were characterized following incubation in male or female human serum across increasing serum concentrations of 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, or 75% (v/v). Increasing serum concentration promoted greater lipid association and increased BC complexity, with higher serum conditions yielding more compositionally diverse lipid coronas. BCs formed on 50 nm Fe₃O₄ NPs consistently contained more lipid species than those formed on 100 nm Fe₃O₄ NPs, indicating pronounced size-dependent differences in lipid recruitment. BCs formed in male serum also contained more lipid species and a greater number of unique lipids than corresponding female BCs, demonstrating that biological sex significantly influenced both lipid composition and abundance within the BC. Rank-based comparisons further indicated that lipid association was governed not only by serum abundance but also by selective binding behaviors. Together, these findings demonstrate that lipid corona formation is strongly shaped by both the biofluid environment and NP design variables, emphasizing the importance of considering lipid coronas in NP design and evaluation, particularly for applications in drug delivery, nanomedicine, and precision diagnostics. Full article

Background/Objectives: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is characterized by progressive degeneration of photoreceptors, with increasing evidence supporting the involvement of inflammation in disease progression. Aqueous humor (AH) reflects the intraocular microenvironment and represents an accessible source for biochemical analysis. This study aimed to characterize the profile of the main inflammatory proteins and bioactive lipids in the AH of RP patients and to compare it with healthy subjects. Methods: The AH was analyzed for cytokines using multiplex immunoassays and for lipid species using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The concentrations of the analyzed molecules were compared between RP patients and the control group and then correlated with age and ellipsoid zone (EZ) width in RP patients. Results: A total of 26 RP patients and 13 controls were recruited. Significantly elevated levels of the pro-inflammatory IL-6 and a significant decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were found in RP patients compared to controls. In RP patients, lipidomic analysis demonstrated significant increases in medium- and long-chain sphingomyelins (SMs) and very-long-chain unsaturated phosphatidylcholines (PCs). Higher levels of Cer 16:0, PC 32:0, and PC 34:0 were significantly associated with greater EZ preservation in RP patients. Additionally, in RP patients, VEGF and GM-CSF levels increased significantly with age, while IL-8 showed a non-significant decreasing trend. Conclusions: By integrating proteomic and, for the first time, lipidomic analyses of AH, we identified significant alterations in pro-inflammatory cytokines and bioactive lipid species in RP patients compared to controls, further highlighting a link between inflammatory activity, patient age, and disease stage. These preliminary findings need further validation in larger longitudinal cohorts to confirm the clinical utility of these bioactive mediators as potential disease biomarkers. Full article

Background: Active video games (AVG) may offer an alternative strategy to increase physical activity in adults with obesity. This study compared the acute effects of AVG, moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), and a seated control condition on capillary blood glucose, physiological responses, and exercise enjoyment in sedentary office workers with overweight or obesity. Methods: Seventeen sedentary middle-aged adults with obesity (41 ± 8 years; BMI: 30.6 ± 5.3 kg/m²) participated in this randomized crossover study conducted at the Human Movement Biosciences Laboratory of the Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexico. Participants completed three conditions: 30 min of AVG, 30 min of treadmill-based MICT, and a seated control session. Capillary blood glucose was measured at baseline, immediately post-exercise, and 24 h post-exercise. Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and exercise enjoyment were also assessed. Results: A significant main effect of time on capillary blood glucose was observed (p = 0.003), with reductions observed immediately and 24 h post-exercise. No significant condition or interaction effects were found. Significant reductions were observed in the AVG condition from baseline to 24 h post-exercise (p = 0.004). AVG and MICT elicited similar moderate-intensity physiological responses (HR and RPE), while AVG produced greater exercise enjoyment than MICT (p = 0.026). Conclusions: AVG appeared to elicit similar moderate-intensity physiological responses in sedentary office workers with overweight or obesity. Additionally, AVG was associated with greater exercise enjoyment and reductions in capillary blood glucose over time, suggesting that AVG could represent a feasible and engaging alternative strategy for promoting physical activity and supporting metabolic health in workplace settings. Full article

This paper presents a complete analysis and simulation of the operation of a zero-emission marine vessel with electric propulsion. A hypothetical passenger ferry operating in the Aegean Sea, Greece, is considered, which is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, a battery energy storage system (BESS) and photovoltaic (PV) energy. Wind-assisted ship propulsion (WASP) is employed to reduce the energy consumption of the ship. A complete analysis is performed, which includes optimal energy management, dynamic analysis and emerging stability concerns due to the high integration of power electronic converters in the shipboard microgrid. The energy management system (EMS) applies multi-objective optimization based on the corona virus optimization (CVO) algorithm and the teaching–learning-based optimization algorithm (TLBO). The dynamic behavior of the microgrid is tested using real-time digital simulations. Converter-driven stability issues are investigated, which may arise due to interactions among the various converter controllers and passive components of the microgrid. Full article

Background: The rapid emergence of immune-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants necessitates the identification of accessible, low-cost prophylactic strategies. While drug repurposing offers a time-efficient alternative to novel drug development, clinical evidence for existing medications in the general population remains limited. The PharmLines Initiative provided us with unique data linkage for this study to assess the associations between 42 candidate drugs and COVID-19 infection. Potential effect modification by dominant SARS-CoV-2 strain and COVID-19 vaccination status was addressed. Methods: We conducted a test-negative case–control study using data from the Lifelines cohort and University of Groningen IADB.nl dispensing database. Cases were adults with self-reported reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results for SARS-CoV-2 and controls had only negative results. Cases and controls were matched in age, sex, and testing date. The 42 candidate drugs were identified through a systematic review of prior publications. The primary outcome was SARS-CoV-2 infection. We applied multivariable conditional logistic regression to estimate the associations, with subgroup analyses for variant and vaccination effects. Significance levels were corrected for multiple testing. Results: From November 2020 to October 2022, we included 2019 test-positive cases and 4089 matched test-negative controls with a mean age of 57 years and 67% female. After adjustments for confounders, none of the studied drugs were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. When stratified by SARS-CoV-2 variants, chronic use of calcium channel blockers (adjusted odds ratio 2.13; 95% CI 1.45–3.13), diuretics (2.23; 95% CI 1.50–3.32), and metformin (4.31; 95% CI 1.91–9.69) were associated with increased risks of original strain SARS-CoV-2 infection. No significant associations were found in the vaccination status subgroup analysis. Conclusions: Despite limited statistical power for some drugs, none of the studied drugs showed protective associations against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Antihypertensives and metformin were associated with increased risk. These findings do not support the off-label use of these drugs as COVID-19 prophylaxis in the general population. Full article

Background: Inguinal hernia repair is a high-volume procedure frequently performed in Day Surgery settings. While local anesthesia is often considered the gold standard, its feasibility is limited in complex cases or due to patient refusal, necessitating alternatives like general (GA) or spinal anesthesia (SA). This study evaluates the impact of these techniques on acute pain, complications, and chronic postoperative inguinal pain (CPIP). Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 73 adult patients undergoing unilateral Lichtenstein hernioplasty (GA = 24; SA = 49). Pain was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) at discharge (T0), 24 h (T1), 7 days (T2), and 180 days (T3). Postoperative complications, rescue analgesic consumption, and perceived time to recovery were recorded. A multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to adjust pain outcomes for age, sex, and ASA status. Results: GA patients reported significantly lower median NRS scores at T0, T1, and T2 in univariate analysis (p < 0.05). However, the multivariable model did not show statistical significance for anesthetic technique as an independent predictor. Constipation was the most frequent complication (35.6%), while nausea occurred only in the SA group (10.2%). Descriptive data showed a trend toward lower rescue analgesic needs and a faster perceived time to recovery in the GA group compared to SA. CPIP incidence was remarkably low (2.7%). Conclusions: GA is a valid alternative to SA in Day Surgery, showing a clinical trend toward better early pain control, lower analgesic consumption, and improved recovery perception, although multivariable analysis did not reach statistical significance. Full article

This study investigates how chromatic manipulation of cinematic content modulates emotional engagement, with specific attention to sex-differentiated responses. We used a mixed factorial design with chromatic condition as a within-subject factor and biological sex as a between-subject factor, counterbalanced across scenes through a 3 × 3 Latin square that renders scene identity orthogonal to chromatic condition by construction. Thirty adult viewers were recorded with synchronised facial-expression analysis (AFFDEX 5.1), blink detection, and galvanic skin response (Shimmer GSR). The primary inferential target was the Condition × Sex interaction on automated positive facial valence. This interaction was statistically reliable under three converging tests: a mixed-effects model (${\beta }_{\mathrm{Mod}\times \mathrm{F}}=-4.48$, $SE=2.16$, 95% CI $[-8.81,-0.14]$, $p=0.043$), a participant-level cluster bootstrap (2000 resamples; 95% percentile CI $[-9.78,-0.63]$; $p_{\mathrm{boot}}=0.011$), and a label-permutation test. The effect was stable under leave-one-subject-out resampling (100% sign-stability) and persisted after introducing scene as a fixed factor. Blink rate and electrodermal activation showed directionally consistent but weaker interaction patterns. A multidimensional engagement framework that separates attentional-autonomic intensity from expressive valence supports interpretation of the finding as specific to expressive affective behavior rather than to overall activation. The results provide empirical evidence that chromatic manipulation in realistic cinematic stimuli modulates expressive affective responses in a sex-dependent manner, and they establish a reproducible multimodal biometric framework for chromatic impact assessment. Full article

This study developed high-oxygen-barrier active bilayer packaging films by combining corona-treated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with chitosan/glycerol (CS/Gl) and carvacrol@natural zeolite (CV@NZ) nanohybrid layers using industrially scalable processes. LDPE film was surface-activated via ambient-pressure corona treatment (0.75 s/cm² at 45 kV, 30 W) and assembled with solution-cast CS/Gl or CS/Gl/CV@NZ monolayers via hot-pressing (110 °C, 1 min). Corona treatment enabled robust interfacial adhesion, evidenced by statistical equivalence between monolayer and bilayer mechanical properties. Incorporation of 10 wt.% CV@NZ nanohybrid increased elastic modulus by 60% (to ≈2970 MPa) and tensile strength by 30% (to ≈50 MPa). The LDPE-CS/Gl film achieved a 64-fold reduction in oxygen permeability; CV@NZ incorporation maintained excellent barrier performance (22-fold reduction). Antioxidant potency increased 16-fold upon CV@NZ incorporation. The LDPE-CS/Gl/CV@NZ film demonstrated exceptional antibacterial activity (5.08–5.30 log reductions; >99.999% kill) against both Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli—substantially exceeding additive effects—confirming synergistic action between chitosan and carvacrol. In fresh minced pork preservation (8 days, 4 °C), the active film achieved a 1.73 log reduction in Total Viable Count (98.2% inhibition) and extended microbiological shelf life from 6 to beyond 8 days (33% increase). The bilayer configuration utilizes only 40% of the total thickness as biopolymer, aligning with circular economy principles. Unlike conventional high-barrier films (e.g., PA/PE) which require complex compatibilization for recycling, the water-soluble chitosan layer in this bilayer design can be readily separated from the LDPE backbone, enabling recovery of a pure polymer stream. This work demonstrates a feasible pathway for developing next-generation active packaging that combines a high oxygen barrier, potent antioxidant activity, and exceptional antimicrobial efficacy through industrially scalable manufacturing. Full article