Search Results (665)

Background: Neonatal aortic coarctation (CoA) remains difficult to diagnose before hemodynamic deterioration occurs after ductal closure. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) may reflect functional vascular alterations associated with CoA. Methods: A simplified hemodynamic mathematical model describing pulse wave propagation across aortic coarctation has been developed. The model is based on conservation of energy principles and incorporates simplified assumptions regarding arterial compliance to relate PWV changes to systolic–diastolic pressure. Results: The model suggests a nonlinear relationship between PWV reduction distal to the coarctation and pressure excursion damping. Specifically, a twofold PWV reduction corresponds theoretically to an approximately fourfold reduction in systolic–diastolic pressure variation. The derived relationships were shown to be conceptually consistent with the Moens–Korteweg formulation and Laplace law. Conclusions: This theoretical framework supports the physiological plausibility of combining PWV assessment with pressure-gradient evaluation in neonatal CoA screening. Future studies are required to validate the model in clinical settings and define diagnostic thresholds. Full article

The label content on consumer products is important for communicating health-related information and promoting safety, which is especially important for psychoactive products such as legal cannabis. New York State (NYS) legalized cannabis for adult use in 2021 and implemented packaging and labeling requirements, including requiring NYS symbols and a Certificate of Analysis (COA). We conducted an online survey exploring consumer recognition of the required NYS symbols and the comprehension and utilization of information provided in COAs. Participants (N = 195) had low recognition of required NYS symbols, most frequently selecting a symbol required in California as being required in NYS. Most participants did not know what proportion of the products that they used had a required NYS symbol on them. Half of the participants did not know how often they viewed COAs, and those who did viewed them less than half of the time they purchased products on average. Participants’ perceptions of the clarity of COAs and the impact of a COA on product safety were mixed. Additionally, 14.9% of respondents reported not using a product because of the information contained in the COA, and 13.8% reported not using a cannabis product because it did not have a COA. These results demonstrate the need for consumer education regarding cannabis product labeling and safety. Full article

Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) acts as a repressor of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a major transcription factor regulating cellular antioxidant response. Keap1 is the substrate adaptor subunit of the cullin 3-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that specifically facilitates Nrf2 ubiquitination and its proteasomal degradation. Keap1 is rich in cysteine residues, and several of them undergo various modifications, such as sulphydration, nitrosylation and glutathionylation under cellular stress conditions. Some of these modifications alter the conformation of Keap1, preventing Nrf2 from ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome-mediated degradation. As a result, newly synthesised Nrf2 translocates to the nucleus to induce the expression of diverse genes involved in protecting cells against oxidative stress. Protein CoAlation is a reversible redox-dependent post-translational modification (PTM) in which coenzyme A (CoA) forms disulphide bonds with oxidised cysteine residues under oxidative or metabolic stress. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that disulphide Keap1 dimer undergoes CoAlation in cellular response to oxidative stress induced by various oxidising compounds. Furthermore, glucose deprivation also induces CoAlation of the disulphide Keap1 dimer in HEK293/Pank1β cells. We also demonstrate that the Keap1^{11 Cys-less} mutant is not CoAlated in response to diamide treatment or glucose deprivation. In summary, this study uncovers a novel PTM of Keap1 by the key metabolic integrator CoA, which provides new insights into the regulation of the Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant pathway under oxidative and metabolic stress. Full article

We explored the possibility of antioxidant and antifibrotic effects of panthenol (PL) associated with modulation of coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis in the liver in a rat model of chronic obstructive cholestasis induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). We found that PL increased alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity in the liver of BDL rats. PL and its analog pantethine increased pantothenate kinase (PANK) activity, restored hepatic CoA levels reduced by BDL, lowered protein-bound CoA, and normalized impaired mitochondrial functions associated with induced oxidative stress after BDL. These effects were accompanied by decreased collagen deposition and improved morphological features of hepatocytes. In contrast, PANK inhibitor, hopantenic acid (HPA), reduced hepatic CoA levels, aggravated hepatocellular damage, and promoted fibrosis. In the human hepatic stellate cell line LX-2, PL exhibited no cytotoxicity over a wide concentration range, increased intracellular CoA levels, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and attenuated collagen accumulation associated with oxidative stress in vitro. Importantly, inhibition of ADH by 4-methylpyrazole completely abolished the protective effects of panthenol, indicating that its activity depends on metabolic pathways involving CoA. Notably, PL did not directly reduce H₂O₂ or superoxide anion radical production in cell-free systems but significantly suppressed lipid peroxidation in liposomes and red blood cells in vitro. Ultimately, these findings indicate that the antioxidant and antifibrotic effects of PL are associated with modulation of CoA metabolism and enhanced resistance of biological membranes to oxidative damage. Full article

Precise forecasting of the initial productivity rates of infill wells is essential for the effective exploitation of offshore reservoirs characterized by high water-cut. However, conventional reservoir simulation and basic machine learning models often suffer from high computational complexity and low interpretability. This research introduces a hybrid data-driven framework that combines ensemble feature engineering with a random forest model optimized through the crayfish optimization algorithm. The primary controlling factors were identified through a majority voting mechanism involving five feature selection algorithms. Subsequently, the COA was utilized to optimize the parameters of the random forest algorithm to improve its predictive robustness. The proposed EFE-COA-RF model achieves a testing MAE of 6.831 and an R² of 0.954, outperforming standard machine learning models and other optimization-based variants. The complete training process requires approximately 10.8 min, whereas the prediction time for the testing set is approximately 0.03 s. These results demonstrate that the proposed framework provides an accurate, interpretable, and efficient tool for rapid productivity evaluation in mature offshore oilfields. Full article

Spatholobus suberectus is a traditional edible, ornamental, and medicinal vine with an abundant flavonoid content in its dried stems. An integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis was conducted on its vegetative organs to identify flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. The results showed that: (1) a total of 268 flavonoids could be identified among all the vegetative organs, and stems accumulated most of them; (2) a total of 449,569,220 clean reads were retained from all the vegetative organs (many genes related to key enzymes of flavonoid biosynthesis and transcription factors were found in all the compared groups between different organs; among them, 77 genes showed high correlations with key flavonoids in different pathways); and (3) PAL (encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), 4CL (encoding 4-coumarate: CoA ligase), C4H (encoding cinnamate-4-hydroxylase), CHS (encoding chalcone synthase), DFR (encoding dihydroflavonol 4-reductase) and others showed positive correlations with L-phenylalanine and various flavonoids, while FLS (encoding flavonol synthase) showed negative correlations with many flavonols and flavonoids, as revealed through integrated analysis. This study reveals the flavonoid biosynthesis characteristics in S. suberectus and provides new insights into the utilization of its biological resources. Full article

Edge server placement (ESP) is a critical determinant of service quality in edge–cloud computing systems, yet existing solutions often neglect the inherent collaboration between edge and cloud, leading to suboptimal performance under dynamic workloads. To address this gap, this paper proposes a novel meta-heuristic edge server placement algorithm based on the Coati Optimization Algorithm (COA). We first formulate the ESP problem as a constrained binary nonlinear programming model that explicitly incorporates edge–cloud collaboration, aiming to minimize the average request processing delay. The proposed COA-based solver features a compact one-dimensional encoding scheme that simultaneously represents server placement and request offloading decisions, a tailored boundary correction mechanism to enforce coverage and atomicity constraints, and a balanced exploration–exploitation strategy inspired by coatis’ natural hunting and escape behaviors. Extensive simulations are conducted, comparing the proposed algorithm against ten representative heuristic and meta-heuristic algorithms, including GA, PSO, DE, GWO, and their variants. The experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm significantly outperforms all compared methods in terms of the mean, minimum, and standard deviation of the overall average processing delay. Specifically, it achieves a 98.2% reduction in the mean delay relative to suboptimal algorithms while maintaining near-zero variance, confirming its effectiveness, efficiency, and robustness. The proposed algorithm provides a promising solution for service providers to enhance quality of service through optimal edge server deployment and request offloading under edge–cloud collaboration. Full article

This study utilized a twisted wire rotating arc cladding method to in situ fabricate a Fe-containing multi-principal element alloy (HPEA) coating derived from NiCrCoTiMo stranded wire on 45 steel (equivalent to AISI 1045 steel). The macroscopic morphology, microstructure, mechanical properties, and electrochemical corrosion behavior of the prepared coatings were examined. The coating exhibited no visible cracks or pores and displayed a dual-phase face-centered cubic (FCC) + body-centered cubic (BCC) structure, with an average grain size of 78 μm for the FCC phase and 1 μm for the BCC phase. The microhardness of the coating is approximately 381.3 HV_0.1. Compared to 45 steel, the coating’s coefficient of friction (COF) decreased from 0.6265 to 0.5125, representing an 18.2% reduction. The calculated wear rate of the coating was 1.47 × 10⁻⁵ mm³/N·m, approximately six times lower than that of 45 steel (8.93 × 10⁻⁵ mm³/N·m). Electrochemical testing revealed that the coating’s open-circuit potential (OCP) was −0.405 V vs. the saturated calomel electrode (SCE), with a corrosion potential (E_corr) of −0.556 V vs. SCE and a corrosion current density (I_corr) of 4.458 × 10⁻⁶ A/cm². In comparison, 45 steel exhibited an OCP of −0.582 V vs. SCE, with corrosion parameters of E_corr = −0.840 V vs. SCE and I_corr = 1.302 × 10⁻⁵ A/cm². These results demonstrate the superior corrosion resistance and wear performance of the coating, underscoring its potential for applications in challenging environments that demand enhanced material durability. Full article

Mobile edge computing storage is increasingly used to support immersive services and Internet of Things applications that generate continuous real-time data streams. Sustained availability must therefore be maintained under both abrupt failures and software aging. Prior studies often evaluate reactive mechanisms (e.g., failover and live migration) and preventive mechanisms (e.g., software rejuvenation) separately, so their combined effect in microservice-based distributed edge storage is still unclear. We develop a Stochastic Reward Net (SRN) model for a multi-node edge storage architecture that captures hardware and software failures, software aging, high availability, live migration, and rejuvenation at both node and microservice levels. Using the model, we compare six policy scenarios and quantify Capacity-Oriented Availability COA), defined as the expected number of usable microservices while the storage layer is operational. Steady-state and sensitivity analyses over twelve timing parameters show that policies including live migration achieve the highest, or effectively tied-highest, COA across wide ranges of failure and repair rates. They also show that uncoordinated rejuvenation schedules can reduce availability when rejuvenation starts before live migration completes and terminates services prior to evacuation, a phenomenon we refer to as a Proactive Crash (PC). Across the tested ranges, edge/storage failure rates and rejuvenation trigger intervals dominate availability, while detection delays, repair times, and rejuvenation duration have a smaller influence. These results give guidelines for configuring proactive high availability so that migration completes before rejuvenation and rejuvenation is neither too frequent nor too sparse. Full article

To address the problems of inaccurate blended coal quality prediction and difficulty in constrained coal blending optimization in coal-fired power plants, a data-driven coal blending optimization method based on Random Forest (RF) and the Coati Optimization Algorithm (COA) is proposed. First, an RF-based prediction model is developed to estimate key blended coal quality indices, including heating value, volatile matter, ash content, and sulfur content, under small-sample conditions. Second, based on actual operating data from an ultra-supercritical unit and relevant national standards, plant-specific boundary constraints for as-fired coal quality are established. Third, the RF prediction model is embedded into the COA-based optimization framework to search for blending schemes with minimum procurement cost under multiple coal quality constraints. The results show that the RF model achieves higher prediction accuracy than the conventional weighted average method for all four quality indices. In the case study, the cost-oriented optimized scheme reduces the procurement cost by 5.05% while satisfying the prescribed coal quality constraints. The proposed method provides a feasible decision-support approach for coal blending management in coal-fired power plants. Full article

This study investigated the effects of feeding High-Moisture Corn (HMC) on meat production performance, mutton quality, muscle metabolism, and gut microbiota in Kazakh rams. Thirty-two 6-month-old Kazakh rams were divided into a control group (CT) and an experimental group (GS). Both groups received a basal diet consisting of 30% whole-plant corn silage, 30% cotton residue, and a concentrate mixture. In the CT group, the concentrate contained 24% ordinary crushed corn (on a dry matter basis). In the GS group, half of the ordinary crushed corn was replaced with HMC, resulting in a concentrate containing 12% ordinary crushed corn and 12% HMC. After a 120-day feeding period, backfat thickness was significantly higher in the GS group (p < 0.05); For meat quality, muscle shear force was significantly lower (p < 0.01) and intramuscular fat content was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in the GS group; Amino acid analysis showed that aspartic acid content was significantly lower (p < 0.01), arginine and glutamine contents were significantly lower (p < 0.05), and glycine content was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the GS group; Fatty acid analysis revealed that the contents of methyl undecanoate, methyl myristate, methyl palmitate, methyl heptadecanoate, methyl alpha-linolenate, and all-cis-4,7,10,13,16-docosapentaenoic acid were significantly higher in the GS group (p < 0.01), while the contents of ten other fatty acids, including methyl caprate, methyl laurate, and methyl tridecanoate, were significantly higher (p < 0.05); A total of 668 metabolites were detected by muscle metabolomics, and 20 of them were identified as significantly differential metabolites, with the GS group showing 15 upregulated and 5 downregulated, mainly enriched in four pathways: valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis; taurine and hypotaurine metabolism; pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis; and the citrate cycle (TCA cycle); Gut microbiota analysis showed no significant difference in alpha diversity, but beta diversity was significantly separated between the two groups (p < 0.01); Correlation analysis revealed that Firmicutes_A was significantly negatively correlated with most fatty acids, while Proteobacteria was significantly positively correlated with multiple fatty acids (p < 0.05). In conclusion, The GS group had significantly increased backfat thickness, reduced muscle shear force, increased intramuscular fat content, and significantly enriched beneficial fatty acids in Kazakh rams, thereby improving meat quality. Full article

Arsenopyrite (FeAsS) is an important sulfide that holds gold in orogenic systems. Its arsenic content is often used as a proxy for gold fertility. However, arsenopyrite from the Um Rus gold deposit in Egypt’s Central Eastern Desert shows a complicated gold distribution that makes simple Au-As correlations hard to make. Integrated electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), laser ablation ICP-MS, and principal component analysis (PCA) reveal three unique textural and geochemical domains. Fine-grained arsenopyrite inclusions within pyrite aggregates (28–31 at% As) are devoid of detectable gold; PCA elucidates 84% of their variance through Fe–S versus Co-As substitution (PC1: 61.8%) and Pb-decoupled variability (PC2: 22.2%), suggesting crystallization from a Co-rich, Au-poor fluid. On the other hand, coarse oscillatory-zoned arsenopyrite can hold up to 6154 ppm of invisible gold. This is because of a moderate Au-As substitution (R = 0.41063, p = 0.08074) that was overprinted by a separate Au-Ag-Sb-Te hydrothermal pulse (Au–Ag: R = 0.97762; Au–Sb: R = 0.97608). PCA finds four parts (72.8% variance): Ag-Cu-As associations (PC1: 25.1%), Te versus Bi-Au signatures (PC2: 17.8%), Fe–S stoichiometry (PC3: 17.1%), and an Au versus Pb-decoupled event (PC4: 12.9%). This shows that minerals formed in more than one stage. Irregular As-rich overgrowths, containing ≤950 ppm gold and lacking significant Au–As correlation (R = −0.14011, p = 0.56726), show PCA (74.3% variance) that highlights S-As contrasts (PC1: 25.2%), Co-Ni enrichment (PC2: 18.8%), Cu-Fe-Ni associations (PC3: 16.2%), and a late Au-decoupled event (PC4: 14.2%), indicating barren recrystallization. These results show that just adding arsenic is not a good way to tell if gold is fertile. The highest amounts of invisible gold, on the other hand, are found in oscillatory-zoned domains with Ag-Sb-Te signatures. This research highlights the importance of combining PCA, geochemistry, and microtextures to differentiate auriferous from barren arsenopyrite, thereby enhancing exploration methodologies for structurally intricate orogenic gold systems. Full article

Background: Informal Street food vending plays a vital role in urban food systems by supporting livelihoods and improving access to affordable meals. Despite this contribution, persistent food hygiene and safety challenges continue to threaten public health and business sustainability. Existing research largely frames hygiene as a regulatory compliance issue, with limited empirical attention to how hygiene practices are associated with enterprise performance. Guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), this study examined the relationship between food hygiene and safety practices, behavioural compliance, and business sustainability among informal food vendors. Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was used, combining vendor interviews (n = 30) and structured stall observations (n = 30). Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data were thematically analysed. Results: Only 50% of vendors held a valid Certificate of Acceptability (COA), despite 83% reporting prior inspections. Vendors operating for over seven years were significantly more likely to be certified (χ² = 8.23, p = 0.005), and certification was strongly associated with regulatory awareness (χ² = 16.12, p < 0.001). Although 70% reported awareness and 77% prior hygiene training, gaps persisted in sanitation, pest control, and consistent hygiene practices. Compliance was significantly associated with gender and education level (p < 0.05), as well as business duration and inspection history. Female vendors and those with at least secondary education were more likely to practice good hygiene, including the use of protective gear (χ² = 13.89, p = 0.008) and regular handwashing. Hygiene practices were also significantly linked to sustainability indicators aligned with Balanced Scorecard domains, including staffing levels, income categories, and operational duration (p < 0.05). Vendors employing more staff reported higher income, and visibly hygienic practices were associated with customer loyalty and repeat purchases, highlighting hygiene as both a public health requirement and a driver of business sustainability. Conclusions: The findings indicate that hygiene functions not only as a public health requirement but also as a strategic business asset. Integrating behavioural drivers with performance metrics offers a practical framework for designing interventions that strengthen both public health protection and the sustainability of informal enterprises. Full article

Miscanthus lutarioriparius exhibits strong potential for cadmium (Cd) accumulation, making it a promising candidate for the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soils. However, its full remediation potential remains underexploited, highlighting the need for targeted genetic improvement This study presents a comprehensive genome-wide identification and systematic characterization of 20 Ml4CL (4-coumarate: CoA ligase genes) in the M. lutarioriparius. Results indicate that the Ml4CL gene family has undergone substantial evolutionary divergence and expansion. Phylogenetic classification is highly consistent with gene structures ad conserved motifs suggesting potential functional diversification. Promoter analysis revealed a complex cis-regulatory landscape enriched in n ABA- and light-responsive elements, frequently co-occuring with hormone-responsive elements associated with jasmonic acid (JA), gibberellins (GAs), salicylic acid (SA), and strigolactones (SLs) signaling. This pattern suggests that the Ml4CL family may function as an integrative regulatory node linking multiple stress and hormonal signaling pathways. Importantly, under Cd stress, Ml4CL genes exhibited diverse expression dynamics, including gene-specific repression and dose-dependent biphasic responses. Notably, Ml4CL4 showed strong repression, while other members displayed “induction-then-repression” or “repression-then-induction” patterns, suggesting a staged or hierarichical transcriptional response. These findings further suggest that Cd-responsive signaling networks may involve non-linear or threshold-dependent mechanismsthat activate distinct transcriptional programs depending on stress levels. Collectively, this study highlights the regulatory role of the Ml4CL family in plant adaptation to complex environments and identifies candidate dose-resonsive regulatory elements and key allelic variations. These findings provide valuable targets for molecular breeding and synthetic biology aimed at improving crop stress resilience. Full article

The maturation of oocytes is a critical step in mammalian reproduction, involving dynamic regulation of gene expression. Therefore, investigating how gene expression varies during different stages of oocyte maturation is highly important. This study employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze bovine oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase II (MII) stages. The results identified 1787 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two stages, with 1556 genes upregulated and 231 downregulated in the GV stage. Further investigation using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses indicated that the upregulated genes are mainly involved in mitochondrial functions and energy metabolism, whereas the downregulated genes are primarily associated with signaling pathways. Validation through RT-qPCR confirmed that COA4, TKT and GPX4 were significantly higher in GV-stage oocytes, while ISG15, MAP1LC3C and ZEB2 were notably downregulated. This study highlights significant gene expression differences between GV and MII bovine oocytes, underscoring the vital roles of genes related to energy metabolism and signaling during oocyte maturation. The expression patterns of these genes provide important molecular markers for further elucidating the mechanisms underlying oocyte maturation. Full article