Search Results (10,984)

This study investigated the dose-dependent impact of pear juice supplementation on the chemical composition, phenolic profile, and biological activity of kombucha during 14 days of fermentation. Four formulations (0–75% pear juice) were evaluated for changes in (poly)phenols, organic acids, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme inhibition. UPLC-QToF-MS analysis demonstrated substantial remodeling of the phenolic profile in pear-enriched beverages, with marked increases in chlorogenic acid, arbutin, and flavonols. The total phenolic content increased proportionally with juice addition, reaching its highest level in the 75% juice formulation. Fermentation enhanced the antioxidant potential, with FRAP values more than doubling relative to the control. Pear supplementation also enhanced the inhibitory activity of key metabolic and neuroactive enzymes, including α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase, and butyrylcholinesterase. Principal component analysis linked phenolic enrichment to improved functional properties, highlighting the biochemical contribution of fruit-derived substrates to fermentation dynamics. Overall, the results demonstrate that pear juice acts as an effective bioactive modulator of kombucha fermentation, promoting the release, transformation, and accumulation of phenolic compounds and enhancing the antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory potential of the beverage. These findings provide mechanistic insights into fruit-tea co-fermentation and support the development of phenolic-rich fermented beverages with improved nutritional quality and health benefits. Full article

The increasing demand for sustainable polymer composites has driven the development of hybrid laminates that combine natural, recycled, and synthetic reinforcements while maintaining adequate mechanical performance. However, the combined influence of stacking sequence and mineral filler addition on the mechanical behavior of such sustainable hybrid systems remains insufficiently understood. In this study, sustainable hybrid laminated composites based on epoxy reinforced with glass fiber (G), bamboo fiber (B), and flex banner (F) were fabricated with varying stacking sequences and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) filler contents (0 and 1 wt.%). A total of nine laminate configurations were produced and evaluated through flexural and impact testing. The results demonstrate that mechanical performance is strongly governed by laminate architecture and filler addition. The bamboo-dominant G/B/B/B/G laminate containing 1 wt.% CaCO₃ exhibited the highest flexural strength (191 MPa) and impact resistance (0.766 J/mm²), indicating a synergistic effect between reinforcement arrangement and CaCO₃-induced matrix strengthening. In contrast, the lowest performance was observed for the G/F/B/F/G configuration without filler. Overall, all hybrid composites outperformed neat epoxy, highlighting the potential of bamboo–flex banner hybrid laminates with CaCO₃ filler for sustainable composite applications requiring balanced mechanical properties. This work aligns with SDG 12 by promoting resource-efficient circular-economy practices through the utilization of flex banner material and natural fibers as reinforcements in epoxy-based hybrid composites. Full article

The optimization of enrichment zones for Co-rich crusts involves multiple factors such as crust thickness, elemental content, topography, slope, and biological distribution, making it a complicated research endeavor. Based on survey data from the contract area, the present study pioneers the integration of environmental factors into enrichment zone selection. It conducts a comprehensive analysis of resource, environment, and mining considerations, alongside optimization methodologies. Quantitative indicators for resource, environment, and mining are spatially correlated and assigned to corresponding grid cells. A weighted scoring method is proposed to compare enrichment zone selection results under different weightings, finally forming the optimal enrichment zone selection scheme. This scheme fully achieves the maximization of resource reserves, the protection of biological communities, and the safeguarding of future mineral development. It also provides technical reference for enrichment zone selection of deep-sea minerals such as polymetallic nodules and hydrothermal sulfides. Full article

Vehicle exhaust gases remain one of the key sources of atmospheric air pollution and pose a serious threat to ecosystems and public health. This study presents an experimental investigation into reducing the toxicity of gasoline internal combustion engine exhaust using ultrasonic waves and infrared (IR) laser exposure. An original hybrid system integrating an ultrasonic emitter and an IR laser module was developed. Four operating modes were examined: no treatment, ultrasound only, laser only, and combined ultrasound–laser treatment. The concentrations of CH, CO, CO₂, and O₂, as well as exhaust gas temperature, were measured at idle and under operating engine speeds. The experimental results show that ultrasound provides a substantial reduction in CO concentration (up to 40%), while IR laser exposure effectively decreases unburned hydrocarbons CH (by 35–40%). The combined treatment produces a synergistic effect, reducing CH and CO by 38% and 43%, respectively, while increasing the CO₂ fraction and decreasing O₂ content, indicating more complete post-oxidation of combustion products. The underlying physical mechanisms responsible for the purification were identified as acoustic coagulation of particulates, oxidation, and photodissociation of harmful molecules. The findings support the hypothesis that combined ultrasonic and laser treatment can enhance real-time exhaust gas purification efficiency. It is demonstrated that physical treatment of the gas phase not only lowers the persistence of by-products but also promotes more complete oxidation processes within the flow. Full article

The present study investigates the suitability of the invasive herbaceous species Sosnowsky’s hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi) and giant knotweed (Fallopia sachalinensis), together with reed (Phragmites australis), as feedstock for pressed biofuel pellets used alone and as additives to pinewood. Biomass of the three herbaceous species and pinewood was harvested, dried, chopped, milled, and pelletized through a 6 mm die to obtain pure pellets and binary mixtures of each herbaceous biomass with pinewood (25, 50, and 75% by weight of herbaceous share). The pellets were characterized for physical and mechanical properties, elemental composition, calorific value, combustion emissions, and life cycle impacts per 1 GJ of heat. Pellet density ranged from 1145.60 to 1227.47 kg m⁻³, comparable to or higher than pinewood, while compressive resistance satisfied solid biofuel quality requirements. The lower calorific values of all herbaceous and mixed pellets varied between 16.29 and 17.78 MJ kg⁻¹, with increased ash and nitrogen contents at higher herbaceous shares. Combustion tests showed substantially higher CO and NO_x emissions for pure invasive and reed pellets than for pinewood, but all values remained within national regulatory limits. Life cycle assessment indicated the highest global warming and fossil fuel depletion potentials for reed systems, followed by Sosnowsky’s hogweed and giant knotweed, with pinewood consistently exhibiting the lowest impacts. Overall, invasive plants and reed are technically suitable as partial pinewood substitutes in pellet production, supporting simultaneous invasive biomass management and renewable heat generation. Full article

This study presents the first comprehensive physicochemical and bioactive characterization of the fruit of Chondrodendron tomentosum Ruiz & Pav. (Menispermaceae). Biometric and physicochemical parameters were characterized across three fruit ripening stages (green, turning, ripe). Additionally, proximate composition was determined in ripe fruits, and methanol concentration (25–75%), ultrasonic amplitude (30–70%), and time (1–15 min) were optimized using response surface methodology with a Box–Behnken design. During ripening, weight increased by +47.7% (3.89 to 5.74 g; p < 0.0001), TSS by +26.1% (7.00 to 8.83 °Brix), pH decreased by 32.0% (6.28 to 4.27), and acidity increased by 276% (0.25 to 0.94%). The quadratic models demonstrated high predictive accuracy (R² > 96.5%; p < 0.004). Optimal conditions (57% methanol, 70% amplitude, and 15 min) maximized total anthocyanin content (120.71 ± 1.89 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside/L), total phenols (672.46 ± 5.84 mg GAE/100 g), and DPPH radical scavenging capacity (5857.55 ± 60.20 µmol Trolox/100 g) in ripe fruits. Unripe fruits do not contain anthocyanins, reaching 46.01 mg C3G/L in turning fruits and 120.71 mg/L in ripe fruits (162% higher than turning fruits). Principal component analysis (90.6% variance) revealed synchronized co-accumulation of anthocyanins and phenols, enhanced by vacuolar acidification. These results suggest ripe C. tomentosum fruits as a potential source for natural colorants, nutraceuticals, and functional foods, pending prior development of green, human-safe extraction processes. Full article

An algorithm has been implemented and it is provided in this article as an executable program to extract the five solar cell parameters within the one-diode solar cell model. Boole’s integration rule has been put into practice to integrate the current minus the short-circuit current, yielding a more accurate Co-Content function. Afterwards, the Co-Content function is fitted to a second-degree polynomial in two variables, namely, the voltage and the current minus the short-circuit current, providing six fitting constants. The five solar cells are deduced from these six fitting constants. This algorithm has been implemented in an automatic program that performs the calculations. The program also obtains the standard deviations of the fitting errors, which are used to obtain the standard deviations of the five solar cell parameters. The program reports to the user the results in three text files, from which the user can easily copy-paste the results into softwares like Origin, Word, or Excel. A program to smooth the current voltage curves is also provided. Two videos are also available, one explaining how to profit from this executable program, and the other one how to use the smoothing program. Full article

Reducing the alcohol content of wines has received increasing attention, and various strategies have been proposed for this aim. In this study, non-Saccharomyces yeasts isolated from Uruguayan vineyards were screened to identify strains with low ethanol production for use in mixed cultures. Twenty-six strains belonging to six species were evaluated, considering key oenological parameters such as ethanol and glycerol production, glucose and fructose consumption, and absence of organoleptic defects. Based on these criteria, three strains from two genera were selected: Starmerella bacillaris (Sb1 and Sb2) and Metschnikowia fructicola (Mf2). In pure cultures, Starmerella bacillaris showed high sugar consumption along with high glycerol production. Subsequently, co-inoculation and sequential inoculation conditions were tested by combining the selected strains with commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc). With Mf2 + Sc sequential inoculation, high sugar consumption, increased glycerol production, and a significant reduction in ethanol were observed compared to the control. For Starmerella bacillaris, only Sb1 achieved consistent alcohol reductions in sequential strategies. With co-inoculation, both strains reduced ethanol by 0.2–1% v/v, although only Sb1 showed complete sugar depletion. Overall, the results demonstrate a marked dependence of fermentation behavior on the strain and highlight the importance of studying biocompatibility and inoculation strategy in mixed cultures. Full article

The traditional cost estimation process in construction involves extracting information from diverse data sources and relying on human intuition and judgment, making it time-intensive and error-prone. While recent advancements in large language models offer opportunities to automate these processes, their effectiveness in cost estimation tasks remains underexplored. Prior studies have investigated LLM applications in construction, but there is a lack of studies that have systematically evaluated their performance in cost estimation or proposed a framework for systematic evaluations of their performance in cost estimation and ways to enhance their accuracy and reliability through prompt engineering. This study evaluates the performance of pre-trained LLMs (GPT-4o, LLaMA 3.2, Gemini 2.0, and Claude 3.5 Sonnet) for conceptual cost estimation, comparing zero-shot prompting with a modular chain-of-thought framework. The results indicate that zero-shot prompting produced incomplete responses with an average confidence score of 1.91 (64%), whereas the CoT framework improved accuracy to 2.52 (84%) and achieved significant gains across BLEU, ROUGE-L, METEOR, content overlap, and semantic similarity metrics. The proposed modular CoT framework enhances structured reasoning, contextual alignment, and reliability in estimation workflows. This study contributes by developing a conceptual cost estimation framework for LLMs, benchmarking baseline model performance, and demonstrating how structured prompting improves estimation accuracy. This offers a scalable foundation for integrating AI into construction cost estimation workflows. Full article

Gibberellin (GA)-based seedless cultivation is widely used in the skin-edible interspecific table grape (Vitis labruscana × Vitis vinifera) ‘Shine Muscat’, yet when and how GA treatment reshapes fracture-type texture during berry development remains unclear. This study aimed to identify developmental stages and tissue/cell-wall features associated with GA-dependent differences in berry fracture behavior. We integrated intact-berry fracture testing at harvest (DAFB105), quantitative histology of pericarp/mesocarp tissues just before veraison (DAFB39) and at harvest, sequential cell-wall fractionation assays targeting pectin-rich (uronic acid) and hemicellulose/cellulose-related pools at cell division period, cell expansion period and harvest, and stage-resolved RNA-Seq across the same three developmental stages. GA-treated berries had a larger diameter and showed a higher fracture load and a lower fracture strain than non-treated berries at harvest, while toughness did not differ significantly. Histology revealed thicker pericarp tissues and lower mesocarp cell density in GA-treated berries, together with increased cell-size heterogeneity and enhanced radial cell expansion. Cell wall analyses showed stage-dependent decreases in uronic acid contents in water-, EDTA-, and Na₂CO₃-soluble fractions in GA-treated berries. Transcriptome profiling indicated GA-responsive expression of putative cell expansion/primary-wall remodeling genes, EXORDIUM and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases, at DAFB24 and suggested relatively enhanced ethylene-/senescence-associated transcriptional programs together with pectin-modifying related genes, Polygaracturonase/pectate lyase and pectin methylesterase, in non-treated mature berries. Collectively, GA treatment modifies mesocarp cellular architecture and pectin-centered wall status in a stage-dependent manner, providing a tissue- and cell wall–based framework for interpreting fracture-related texture differences under GA-based seedless cultivation in ‘Shine Muscat’. Full article

The synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) from coal represents a promising strategy for advancing both the efficient, low-carbon utilization of coal resources and the cost-effective production of CDs. To enable the controlled, high-quality conversion of CDs from coal, a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the coal chemical structure and the properties of CDs is crucial. This study prepared CDs from nine kinds of coal using a chemical oxidation method, and the correlations between properties of coal-based carbon dots and the original materials were revealed. The results show that the luminescence sites of coal-derived CDs are mostly distributed around 435 nm or 500 nm, where the former one relates to the confined sp² domains and the latter one is associated with the defect structure. Coal with a volatile content of about 20–30% in the nine samples was found to produce higher CD yields, with a maximum mass yield of 19.96%, accompanied by stronger fluorescence intensity. During chemical oxidation processes, the unsaturated double bonds (C=C, C=O) and aliphatic chains firstly break, and then aromatic clusters are formed by dehydrocyclization between carbon crystallites, followed by the introduction of a C–O group. The growth of the C–O group in the CDs contributes to a stronger fluorescence property. Furthermore, strong correlations were found between the carbon skeleton structure of raw coal and photoluminescence characteristics of corresponding CDs, as reflected by Raman parameters A_D1/A_G, I_D1/I_G, and FWHM_D. The findings offer significant insights into the precise modulation and control of coal-based carbon dot structures. Full article

This study investigates pristine and doped ZnO thin films fabricated via the sol-gel technique, aiming to address efficiency challenges when used as transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layers in thin-film solar cells. ZnO was first doped with aluminum (Al), and subsequently with both Al and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), to evaluate the individual and combined effects of these dopants. The optimal pH value for the ZnO structure was initially determined, with the film produced at pH 9 exhibiting the most favorable characteristics. Al doping was then optimized at a ratio of Al/(Al + Zn) = 0.2, followed by optimization of the graphene content at 1.5 wt%. In this context, the structural, optical, and electrical properties of pristine ZnO, Al-doped ZnO (AZO), and Al and graphene co-doped ZnO (Gr:AZO) thin films were systematically investigated. These films were integrated as TCO layers into Cu₂SnS₃ (CTS)-based thin-film solar cells fabricated via physical vapor deposition (PVD). The cell architecture employed an 80 nm pristine ZnO window layer, while the doped ZnO films (300 nm) served as TCO layers. To assess the influence of the chemically deposited top layers, device performance was compared against a reference cell in which all layers were fabricated entirely using PVD. As expected, the reference cell exhibited superior performance compared to the cell whose AZO layer deposited chemically; however, the incorporation of both Al and graphene significantly enhanced the efficiency of the chemically modified cell, outperforming devices using only pristine or singly doped ZnO films. These results demonstrate the promising potential of co-doped solution-processed ZnO films as an alternative TCO layer in improving the performance of thin-film solar cell technologies. Full article

The accumulation of heavy metals in fish tissues is widely recognized as an indicator of aquatic environmental pollution, and the analysis of their content provides a basis for assessing ecological risk and the safety of aquatic food. The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a species frequently used as a bioindicator in environmental studies due to its wide geographic distribution, long life cycle, and high capacity for bioaccumulation of heavy metals in various tissues. The aim of this study was to assess the variation in the accumulation of heavy metals, i.e., mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd), in the tissues (muscle, liver, gonads, and gills) of European eels caught in two locations in Polish inland waters. The obtained results showed significant differences both in the concentration levels of individual elements and in their co-occurrence in the examined tissues. The statistical methods used, including correlation analysis, heat maps, and principal component analysis (PCA), allowed for a comprehensive assessment of the relationships between metals and the identification of factors differentiating the studied populations. The obtained results clearly indicate that fish residing in similar environments for long periods exhibit significant differences in heavy metal content in various fish tissues. Fish obtained from environments with potentially higher levels of heavy metal inputs, such as the Oder River EMU compared with the Vistula River EMU, showed higher levels of heavy metal accumulation in tissues. This study also found that the concentration of heavy metals tested did not exceed the safe standards for human fish consumption. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of adding Red kojic rice (RKR) on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, non-specific immunity, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of Litopenaeus vannamei fed a diet with fishmeal replacement by soybean meal. Shrimps (initial mean weight = 1.88 ± 0.03 g) were fed six experimental diets for 8 weeks, including a normal fishmeal control group (FM), a soybean meal-replaced fishmeal group (H0), and four soybean meal-replaced fishmeal groups supplemented with 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4% RKR, respectively, which are designated as H1, H2, H3, and H4, respectively. Each group had three replicates, with 30 shrimp per replicate. The results showed that the final average weight (FWG), weight gain rate (WG), and specific growth rate (SGR) of H2 group were significantly higher than those of H0, H3, and H4 groups (p < 0.05). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) of H2 group was significantly lower than that of H0 and H4 groups (p < 0.05). In contrast to the H0 group, the blood ACP activity in the H2 group was significantly increased (p < 0.05). The blood lysozyme (LYZ) activity in H3 group was significantly higher than that in H1 group (p < 0.05), while the opposite was true for phenoloxidase (PO). The activities of trypsin and amylase in hepatopancreas of H3 group were significantly higher than those of H0 and H1 groups (p < 0.05). Compared with the FM group, the hepatopancreatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in H0, H3, and H4 groups were significantly increased (p < 0.05). Compared with the H0 group, the hepatopancreatic MDA levels in H1 and H2 groups were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Analysis of gene expression levels in hepatopancreas revealed that antioxidant (gpx, sod, cat, gst, nrf2, trx, and ho-1), non-specific immune (tnf-α, il-1β, and ifn-γ), and digestive (trypsin and α-amylase) genes were suppressed in the H0 group but enhanced by RKR supplementation. Similar expression patterns of those genes were observed in the intestine. Microbial community analysis showed reduced diversity and altered composition in the H0 group, which were partially restored by RKR. Network analysis showed “small-world” property in microbial co-occurrence network. Metabolomic analysis revealed that among the differential metabolites, Bismurrayaquinone A and Harmol exhibit highly significant differences. Correlation analysis revealed that beneficial bacteria Rhodococcus_C and Oceanobacillus in H2 group exhibited higher richness and showed significant correlation. In conclusion, supplementation of 0.5–2% RKR promoted the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, non-specific immunity, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of shrimp fed a diet with fishmeal replacement by soybean meal. The optimal RKR supplementing content is 1%. Full article

This work evaluated the effect of coffee oil epoxide (COE), produced from coffee waste, on thermal, mechanical, barrier, and exudation resistance properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/natural rubber (PHBV/NR) blends. Building upon previously published 0.3% COE results, this study examined 0.4% and 0.75% concentrations to optimize performance. Thermal analysis revealed that COE incorporation significantly enhanced chain mobility, with glass transition temperature depressions of 6.1 °C and 7.4 °C for 0.4% and 0.75% COE formulations, respectively, compared to unplasticized PHBV/NR blends. Crystallinity decreased from 54.5% (PHBV/NR) to 52.6% and 51.9% with increasing plasticizer concentration, while melting temperatures decreased by 3.9% and 4.9%, confirming improved polymer chain mobility. Mechanical properties demonstrated COE’s plasticizing effectiveness, with tensile strength decreasing by 13.3% (0.4% COE) and 16.2% (0.75% COE) compared to PHBV/NR blends. Young’s modulus similarly decreased by 21.0% and 24.0%, while elongation at break improved slightly with increasing COE content. Barrier properties improved substantially across all concentrations: water vapor transmission rates decreased from 4.05 g/m²·h (PHBV/NR) to 1.55 g/m²·h (0.3% COE) and 0.67 g/m²·h for 0.4% and 0.75% COE, attributed to COE’s hydrophobic nature. SEM morphological analysis confirmed improved phase compatibility at 0.40% COE, with reduced rubber droplet size and homogeneous surface morphology. Exudation testing revealed excellent retention (0.21–0.53 wt% loss over 63 days). Results indicate 0.40% COE as optimal, achieving superior barrier properties while maintaining mechanical performance for sustainable packaging applications. Full article