Search Results (285)

Detecting surface cracks on sugarcane is a critical step in ensuring product quality control, with detection precision directly impacting raw material screening efficiency and economic benefits in the sugar industry. Traditional methods face three core challenges: (1) complex background interference complicates texture feature extraction; (2) variable crack scales limit models’ cross-scale feature generalization capabilities; and (3) high computational complexity hinders deployment on edge devices. To address these issues, this study proposes a lightweight sugarcane surface crack detection model, SCS-YOLO (Surface Cracks on Sugarcane-YOLO), based on the YOLOv10 architecture. This model incorporates three key technical innovations. First, the designed RFAC2f module (Receptive-Field Attentive CSP Bottleneck with Dual Convolution) significantly enhances feature representation capabilities in complex backgrounds through dynamic receptive field modeling and multi-branch feature processing/fusion mechanisms. Second, the proposed DSA module (Dynamic SimAM Attention) achieves adaptive spatial optimization of cross-layer crack features by integrating dynamic weight allocation strategies with parameter-free spatial attention mechanisms. Finally, the DyHead detection head employs a dynamic feature optimization mechanism to reduce parameter count and computational complexity. Experiments demonstrate that on the Sugarcane Crack Dataset v3.1, compared to the baseline model YOLOv10, our model achieves mAP50:95 to 71.8% (up 2.1%). Simultaneously, it achieves significant reductions in parameter count (down 19.67%) and computational load (down 11.76%), while boosting FPS to 122 to meet real-time detection requirements. Considering the multiple dimensions of precision indicators, complexity indicators, and FPS comprehensively, the SCS—YOLO detection framework proposed in this study provides a feasible technical reference for the intelligent detection of sugarcane quality in the raw materials of the sugar industry. Full article

Escherichia coli displays strong adaptability for growth and reproduction at low temperatures, with ribosome biogenesis being a critical process for its growth in cold environments. The cold-shock proteins (CSPs) encompass a protein family that can assist bacterial growth at low temperatures by acting as molecular chaperones. In this study, we investigated whether CSP CspA, CspE, and CspI affect ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription. Deletion of the single genes encoding these proteins had only a very marginal effect on cellular growth at low temperatures, and rRNA synthesis was hardly affected. Double and triple deletion of the genes encoding these proteins resulted in a much stronger phenotype providing evidence that CspA, CspE, and CspI play an essential role in maintaining 16S rRNA synthesis and enabling optimal cellular growth at low temperatures. These findings suggest the existence of efficient backup mechanisms able to compensate for the absence of a single CSP. Full article

The high material cost has restricted the development of concentrated solar power (CSP) systems. In this study, a low-cost alternative material was developed by adding aluminum to 304 stainless steel to form a protective oxide film, thereby enhancing its corrosion resistance to molten salt. Three material variants were tested: untreated hot-rolled plates after solution treatment and cold-rolled high-aluminum 304 stainless steel (High-Al304SS) after solution treatment and annealing treatment. After all samples were immersed in a NaNO₃-KNO₃ mixed salt at 600 °C for 480 h, corrosion products including NaFeO₂, CrO₂, Mn₂O₄, and NiCr₂O₄ were formed. The phase composition was determined by XRD, and the surface and cross-section of the corrosion layer were analyzed by SEM and EDS surface and point analysis. The corrosion rate of the samples was calculated by the weight loss method. Notably, an Al₂O₃-Cr₂O₃ composite oxide film was formed on the sample surface, effectively inhibiting corrosion. The high defect density and grain boundary energy introduced by the cold-rolling process, as well as the precipitation of the second phase during annealing, accelerated the corrosion process of the samples. However, the hot-rolled samples after solution treatment exhibited excellent corrosion resistance (64.43 μm/year) and, through further process optimization, are expected to become an ideal low-cost alternative material for 347H stainless steel (23 μm/year) in CSP systems. Full article

Static magnetic field (SMF) is an emerging food-processing technology that has been widely applied in areas such as processing and sterilization. However, its influence on sprout production or health-related attributes has not yet been investigated. Therefore, in this study, corn sprouts were used as the raw material to compare the differential health effects of SMF treatment in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. The in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of SMF-treated corn sprouts were assessed by analyzing changes in their active ingredients. Histological staining, qRT-PCR and 16s rDNA sequencing were performed in the DSS-induced colitis mouse model. The results indicated that dietary fiber and total phenol contents were significantly higher in SMF-treated corn sprouts (M-CSP) compared to SMF-untreated corn sprouts (C-CSP). M-CSP alleviated the symptoms of DSS-induced colitis, significantly reduced colonic epithelial damage, and suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors. In addition, M-CSP markedly improved the diversity and abundance of intestinal microbiota. These findings provide new insights for the development and application of SMF technology to functional food ingredients. Full article

Achieving net-zero emissions in arid and high-solar-yield regions demands innovative, cost-effective, and scalable energy technologies. This study conducts a comprehensive techno-economic analysis and assessment of a novel hybrid photovoltaic–thermal solar collector (U.S. Patent No. 11,431,289) that integrates a reverse flat plate collector and mini-concentrating solar thermal elements. The system was tested in Qatar and Germany and simulated via a System Advising Model tool with typical meteorological year data. The system demonstrated a combined efficiency exceeding 90%, delivering both electricity and thermal energy at temperatures up to 170 °C and pressures up to 10 bars. Compared to conventional photovoltaic–thermal systems capped below 80 °C, the system achieves a heat-to-power ratio of 6:1, offering an exceptional exergy performance and broader industrial applications. A comparative financial analysis of 120 MW utility-scale configurations shows that the PVT + ORC option yields a Levelized Cost of Energy of $44/MWh, significantly outperforming PV + CSP ($82.8/MWh) and PV + BESS ($132.3/MWh). In addition, the capital expenditure is reduced by over 50%, and the system requires 40–60% less land, offering a transformative solution for off-grid data centers, water desalination (producing up to 300,000 m³/day using MED), district cooling, and industrial process heat. The energy payback time is shortened to less than 4.5 years, with lifecycle CO₂ savings of up to 1.8 tons/MWh. Additionally, the integration with Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems ensures 24/7 dispatchable power without reliance on batteries or molten salt. Positioned as a next-generation solar platform, the Hassabou system presents a climate-resilient, modular, and economical alternative to current hybrid solar technologies. This work advances the deployment readiness of integrated solar-thermal technologies aligned with national decarbonization strategies across MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa, addressing urgent needs for energy security, water access, and industrial decarbonization. Full article

In order to investigate the formation pathway of hydrochar during hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and to identify the optimal process conditions for producing high-quality pyrolysis feedstock, the effect of hydrothermal temperature (220, 250, and 280 °C) on tar and hydrochar properties were analyzed by GC-MS, XRD, XPS, FT-IR, and SEM using protein-rich brewer’s spent grain (BSG) as raw material. The results showed that aromatic compounds play a major role in tar production. Increasing hydrothermal temperature significantly enhanced volatile matter removal and consequently increased the fixed carbon content from 23.14 wt.% in HC-220 to 27.07 wt.% in HC-280, while the catalytic effect of H₃O⁺ produced by high-temperature water facilitated the dehydration and decarboxylation reactions, resulting in a reduction in the H/C atomic ratio from 1.44 in HC-220 to 1.25 in HC-280 and the O/C atom ratio from 0.32 in HC-220 to 0.25 in HC-280. HC-280 exhibited superior fuel properties, with a high heating value (HHV) of 35.4 MJ/kg. XPS analysis indicated that elevated temperatures promote the conversion of sp³ C to sp² C (the value of sp² C/sp³ C increased from 1.13 in HC-220 to 1.49 in HC-280), significantly increasing the aromatic condensation degree of hydrochar. The more pronounced reduction in the -OH content compared to -COOH indicated that dehydration reactions predominated over decarboxylation. Finally, the formation pathways of hydrochar during HTC were revealed based on the properties of different products. The results demonstrate that HTC is an effective method for converting BSG into pyrolysis feedstock with potential applications in energy production. Future work should focus on the technical–economic assessment of the process at a pilot scale and evaluating the hydrochar’s performance in real pyrolysis systems. Full article

Detecting trees accurately from terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point clouds is crucial for processing terrestrial LiDAR data in individual tree analyses. Due to the heterogeneity of savanna ecosystems, our understanding of how various segmentation methods perform on savanna trees remains limited. Therefore, we compared two segmentation algorithms based on the ecological theory of resource distribution, which enables the prediction of the branching geometry of plants. This approach suggests that the shortest path along the vegetation from a point on the tree to the ground remains within the same tree. The algorithms were tested on a 15.2 ha plot scanned at 0.025° resolution during the dry season, using a Riegl VZ1000 Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) in October 2019 at the Skukuza Flux Tower in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Individual tree segmentation was performed on the cloud using the comparative shortest-path (CSP) algorithm, implemented in LiDAR 360 (v 5.4), and the shortest path-based tree isolation method (SPBTIM), implemented in MATLAB (R2022a). The accuracy of each segmentation method was validated using 125 trees that were segmented and manually edited. Results were evaluated using recall (r), precision (p), and the F-score (F). Both algorithms detected (recall) 90% of the trees. The SPBTIM achieved a precision of 91%, slightly higher than the CSP’s 90%. Overall, both methods demonstrated an F-score of 0.90, indicating equal segmentation accuracy. Our findings suggest that both techniques can reliably segment savanna trees, with no significant difference between them in practical application. These results provide valuable insights into the suitability of each method for savanna ecosystems, which is essential for ecological monitoring and efficient TLS data processing workflows. Full article

Transitioning to sustainable energy systems demands the creation of innovative methods that deliver dependable and effective renewable energy technologies. CSP systems that integrate parabolic trough designs with thermal energy storage (TES) systems provide essential solutions to overcome energy intermittency challenges. Molten salts serve dual functions as heat transfer fluids (HTFs) and thermal energy storage (TES) media, making them critical to CSP system performance improvements. The study introduces a hybrid MCDM framework that combines the CRITIC method for objective weighting with the SWARA approach for expert-adjusted weighting and utilizes an enhanced Lexicographic Goal Programming to evaluate molten salt options for off-grid parabolic trough systems. The evaluation process considered melting point alongside thermal stability while also assessing cost-effectiveness, recyclability, and safety requirements. The use of Pareto front analysis helped identify non-dominated salts, which then underwent a tiered optimization process emphasizing safety, performance, and sustainability features. Results confirm that the ternary nitrate composition Ca(NO₃)₂:NaNO₃:KNO₃ offers the best overall performance across all tested policy scenarios, driven by its superior thermophysical properties. Solar Salt (NaNO₃-KNO₃) consistently ranks as a robust second choice, excelling in economic and sustainability metrics. The proposed approach provides a flexible, policy-sensitive framework for material selection tailored to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of off-grid CSP systems and support the renewable energy objectives. Full article

This study aims to identify how power dynamics influence multi-stakeholder cross-sector partnership (CSP) processes for socio-ecological system (SES) transformation. We draw on a four dimensional framework of power (resource, decision-making, meaning-making and systemic) to analyze an in-depth, qualitative case study of a CSP that failed to progress much beyond the initial formation and strategic plan formulation stages of the CSP process. We uncover how the initial positioning of the CSP triggered diverse instances of power use (and power oversight) that had a dampening effect on the progress of this SES transformation initiative. Specifically, we reveal the paradoxical pitfalls of an overly collaborative approach during the early stages of a CSP initiative, and, in so doing, advance scholarship on CSPs as well as managing socio-ecological system transformation. Full article

Although concentrated solar power (CSP) coupled with calcium looping (CaL) offers a promising avenue for efficient thermal chemical energy storage, calcium-based sorbents suffer from accelerated structural degradation and decreased CO₂ capture capacity during multiple cycles. This study used Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the mechanism by which Mg and Ni doping improves the adsorption/desorption performance of CaO. The DFT results indicate that Mg and Ni doping can effectively reduce the formation energy of oxygen vacancies on the CaO surface. Mg–Ni co-doping exhibits a significant synergistic effect, with the formation energy of oxygen vacancies reduced to 5.072 eV. Meanwhile, the O²⁻ diffusion energy barrier in the co-doped system was reduced to 2.692 eV, significantly improving the ion transport efficiency. In terms of CO₂ adsorption, Mg and Ni co-doping enhances the interaction between surface O atoms and CO₂, increasing the adsorption energy to −1.703 eV and forming a more stable CO₃²⁻ structure. For the desorption process, Mg and Ni co-doping restructured the CaCO₃ surface structure, reducing the CO₂ desorption energy barrier to 3.922 eV and significantly promoting carbonate decomposition. This work reveals, at the molecular level, how Mg and Ni doping optimizes adsorption–desorption in calcium-based materials, providing theoretical guidance for designing high-performance sorbents. Full article

This study proposes a novel LK-BP-AFPSO model for the nondestructive evaluation of wood mechanical properties, combining a backpropagation neural network (BP) with adaptive fractional-order particle swarm optimization (AFPSO) and Liang–Kleeman (LK) information flow theory. The model accurately predicts four key mechanical properties—longitudinal tensile strength (SPG), modulus of elasticity (MOE), bending strength (MOR), and longitudinal compressive strength (CSP)—using only nondestructive physical features. Tested across diverse wood types (fast-growing YKS, red-heart CSH/XXH, and iron-heart XXT), the framework demonstrates strong generalizability, achieving an average prediction accuracy (R²) of 0.986 and reducing mean absolute error (MAE) by 23.7% compared to conventional methods. A critical innovation is the integration of LK causal analysis, which quantifies feature–target relationships via information flow metrics, effectively eliminating 29.5% of spurious correlations inherent in traditional feature selection (e.g., PCA). Experimental results confirm the model’s robustness, particularly for heartwood variants, while its adaptive fractional-order optimization accelerates convergence by 2.1× relative to standard PSO. This work provides a reliable, interpretable tool for wood quality assessment, with direct implications for grading systems and processing optimization in the forestry industry. Full article

The dynamic phosphorylation of the human RNA Pol II CTD establishes a code applicable to all eukaryotic transcription processes. However, the ability of these specific post-translational modifications to convey molecular signals through structural changes remains unclear. We previously explained that each gene can be modeled as a combination of n circuits connected in parallel. RNA Pol II accesses these circuits and, through a series of pulses, matches the resonance frequency of the DNA qubits, enabling it to extract genetic information and quantum teleport it. Negatively charged phosphates react under RNA Pol II catalysis, which increases the electron density on the deoxyribose acceptor carbon (2’C in the DNA sugar backbone). The phosphorylation effect on the stability of a carbon radical connects tyrosine to the nitrogenous base, while the subsequent pulses link the protein to molecular water through hydrogen bonds. The selective activation of inert C(sp³)–H bonds begins by reading the quantum information stored in the nitrogenous bases. The coupling of hydrogen proton transfer with electron transfer in water generates a supercurrent, which is explained by the correlation of pairs of the same type of fermions exchanging a boson. All these changes lead to the formation of a molecular protein–DNA–water transcriptional condensate. Full article

This study investigates the feasibility of producing low-carbon FeCr via metallothermic smelting of Cr concentrate and chromite spinel powder using a complex FeAlSiCa alloy as the reductant in an induction furnace. The proposed approach offers an alternative to conventional carbothermic and oxygen-blown technologies, reducing both the carbon footprint and airborne emissions. Three charge compositions were tested with varying FeAlSiCa additions (12, 14, and 16 kg per 100 kg of Cr source) and partial replacement of Cr concentrate with up to 20% CSP. Thermodynamic and microstructural analyses were conducted, and the effects of the slag basicity, temperature profiles, and holding time were assessed. In optimal conditions, Cr recovery reached up to 80% with minimal Cr₂O₃ losses in slag, and the resulting alloys met ISO 5448-81 requirements for nitrogen-containing low-carbon FeCr. Microstructural examination revealed the formation of Fe-Cr solid solutions and CrN phases, with V incorporation from the FeAlSiCa alloy. The process proved stable and energy-efficient, producing compact, non-disintegrating slag. This study highlights the potential of induction furnace smelting and chromite spinel powder valorization as a sustainable path for FeCr production. Full article

Cold Shock Proteins (Csps) are multifunctional regulators critical for bacterial stress adaptation. While Csps are known to regulate biofilm formation and low-temperature growth in some species, their roles in mycobacteria remain unclear. Here, we explored the functions of three Csps (CspA1, CspA2, and CspB) in Mycobacterium smegmatis. We found that CspA1 promotes biofilm formation and isoniazid (INH) resistance but negatively affects oxidative stress resistance. In contrast, CspB promotes biofilm formation, whereas CspA2 appears functionally redundant in this process. Notably, CspB and CspA2 do not contribute redundantly to oxidative stress resistance. Proteomic analysis revealed that CspA1 significantly modulates the expression of key metabolic and stress-response proteins, including WhiB3 and KatG. Our findings establish CspA1 as a key regulatory factor in mycobacteria, linking metabolic adaptation to biofilm-associated drug resistance and oxidative defense. Full article

Herein, a novel super-hygroscopic material, steam-exploded modified corn stalk pith (SE-CSP), was developed from corn stalk pith (CSP) via the steam explosion (SE) method, and its hygroscopic properties and mechanisms were evaluated. The results confirmed that SE effectively removed lignin and hemicellulose, disrupted the thin cell walls of natural CSP, and formed an aligned porous structure with capillary channels. SE changed the bonding distribution and surface morphology, and enhanced the crystallinity and thermal stability of CSP. The equilibrium hygroscopic percentage of SE-CSP (62.50%) was higher than that of CSP (44.01%) at 25 °C and 80% relative humidity (RH), indicating significantly greater hygroscopicity. The hygroscopic process of SE-CSP followed a Type III isotherm and fitted the Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB), Peleg, and pseudo-first-order kinetic models. This process exhibited multi-layer adsorption with enthalpy-driven, exothermic behavior, primarily through physical adsorption involving hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. This work offered a new approach for advancing sorption dehumidification technology. Full article