Search Results (704)

Background and Objectives: Severe COVID-19 frequently fulfills Sepsis-3 criteria and is characterized by thrombo-inflammation and endothelial injury. We evaluated whether a bedside endothelial activation index (EAI = D-dimer/fibrinogen) identifies biologically distinct phenotypes and relates to interleukin-6 (IL-6) response after therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), and whether baseline IL-6 predicts a ≥50% IL-6 reduction. Methods: Retrospective single-center ICU cohort of adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection, sepsis-related organ dysfunction, and ≥1 TPE session (n = 51). Patients were stratified by median EAI (low vs. high). Outcomes included peri-procedural biomarker/physiology changes (post–baseline), IL-6 responder status (≥50% reduction), correlations with IL-6 reduction (%), and multivariable predictors of response. Results: Compared with low EAI (n = 25), high EAI (n = 26) had higher baseline D-dimer (6.2 vs. 2.2 µg/mL) and lower fibrinogen (2.9 vs. 7.1 g/L) (both p < 0.001). Low EAI showed larger CRP decreases (ΔCRP −84.0 vs. −2.3 mg/L; p = 0.001) and larger fibrinogen falls (Δ −3.1 vs. −0.4 g/L; p < 0.001), while high EAI had larger D-dimer decreases (Δ −2.5 vs. −0.6 µg/mL; p = 0.004) and a modest SOFA improvement (Δ −0.3 vs. +0.1; p = 0.026). IL-6 responders (n = 20) had higher baseline IL-6 than non-responders (365.2 vs. 47.1 pg/mL; p < 0.001). Baseline IL-6 independently predicted response (per doubling: OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.27–2.95; p = 0.002), while age reduced odds (OR 0.91/year, 95% CI 0.84–0.99; p = 0.032). IL-6 reduction correlated with ΔCRP (ρ = −0.41; p = 0.003) and ΔPaO₂/FiO₂ (ρ = 0.37; p = 0.01). Conclusions: EAI stratifies distinct thrombo-inflammatory patterns around TPE, while baseline IL-6 is the dominant predictor of achieving large IL-6 reductions. To emphasize the novelty and clarify the study objective, this exploratory analysis used a phenotype-stratified framework to test whether a simple bedside endothelial activation index could enrich biological response assessment to adjunctive TPE. The prespecified primary outcome was achievement of a ≥50% IL-6 reduction after completion of the TPE course; secondary outcomes included peri-procedural biomarker, oxygenation, SOFA, and ICU endpoints. Full article

Background: The increasing antimicrobial resistance has led to a greater demand for alternative treatment options, which in turn has increased interest in naturally occurring biomolecules such as pyocyanin. Methods: In this study, a three-factor Box–Behnken Design (BBD)-based response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the effects of glycerol, peptone, and pH on pyocyanin production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa OG1. The antimicrobial efficacy of the optimized pyocyanin was subsequently evaluated in vitro against three Candida species and four clinically important bacterial pathogens using the disk diffusion method, with gentamicin and fluconazole used as positive controls. Results: The second-order polynomial model demonstrated excellent fit (F = 176.3, p < 0.0001) with a non-significant lack of fit, indicating adequate representation of the experimental data. The optimal conditions were determined to be glycerol at 1.11% (w/v), peptone at 17.86 g/L, and a pH of 7.27, yielding a predicted pyocyanin concentration of 25.92 mg/L. Antimicrobial testing revealed broad-spectrum, dose-dependent activity against all tested microorganisms. The highest efficacy was observed against Bacillus cereus (26.4 ± 1.3 mm at 40 µg/mL), followed by Candida glabrata (21.5 ± 1.6 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.6 ± 1.4 mm), Candida albicans (15.4 ± 1.8 mm), Candida parapsilosis (13.2 ± 1.9 mm), Proteus mirabilis (12.5 ± 1.3 mm), and MRSA Staphylococcus aureus (9.2 ± 1.1 mm). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that BBD-based RSM is a robust approach for optimizing pyocyanin production and that pyocyanin represents a promising dose-dependent antimicrobial agent against susceptible pathogens. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Polycythemia vera is a myeloproliferative neoplasm associated with a high thrombotic risk. Although this association is well recognized, acute coronary syndrome as the initial manifestation of polycythemia vera is rare. Case Presentation: We report the case of a previously healthy 57-year-old male with no conventional cardiovascular risk factors who presented with an anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography revealed a subocclusive lesion in the left anterior descending artery, which was successfully treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Initial laboratory testing showed markedly elevated hemoglobin (209 g/L) and hematocrit (64.9%), together with thrombocytosis (438 × 10⁹/L). In the absence of conventional risk factors, the combination of a single-vessel coronary lesion and marked hematologic abnormalities raised suspicion for polycythemia vera as a major contributor to coronary thrombosis. Subsequent work-up confirmed polycythemia vera based on the presence of a JAK2 V617F mutation and suppressed erythropoietin levels. The patient underwent therapeutic phlebotomy shortly after angioplasty and was subsequently started on hydroxyurea to maintain a hematocrit below 45%, together with dual antiplatelet therapy. Conclusions: This case highlights acute myocardial infarction as a rare initial presentation of polycythemia vera. It underscores the importance of considering polycythemia vera in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome and unexplained erythrocytosis, while acknowledging that, in the absence of intracoronary imaging, a definitive causal link between PV and the coronary event cannot be established. Full article

Industries seek microorganisms capable of producing all types of cellulases, using low-cost substrate and under adequate process conditions, especially through submerged fermentation. Pleurotus ostreatus “L123” was evaluated as a potential microorganism for cellulase production, assaying total cellulolytic activity (FPase). Fermentation was carried out using a 14L bioreactor, inoculated with 10% (v/v) grown on potato dextrose broth for 4 days. Fermentation media was composed of defatted rice bran (50 g/L), glucose (5 g/L), corn steep liquor (5 g/L) and chloramphenicol (0.25 g/L). Aeration and agitation effects on enzymatic activity were evaluated using a central composite design (CCD) for FPase after 5 days of fermentation. The obtained model was statistically significant, with the interaction of both parameters also being significant and presenting a negative effect. Membrane ultrafiltration (150 kDa MWCO) led to an approximately 3-fold increase in specific activity of permeate (0.6441 vs. 0.2043 FPU/mg of protein), with retention of around 80% of protein content while maintaining enzymatic activity of permeate similar to unfiltered broth (0.0932 vs. 0.0923 FPU/mL). The maximum value obtained experimentally was 0.1444 FPU/mL, which is significantly lower in comparison to commercially used strains and consequently unfeasible for industrial use at current state. However, after further improvements and optimization, Pleurotus ostreatus “L123” can become an alternative for in situ cellulase production through submerged fermentation. Full article

In this work, we present a novel online acoustic sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) monitoring system utilizing a miniaturized lithium niobate tuning fork (LNTF) sensor. The proposed system demonstrates enhanced stability and a broadband vibration–frequency response. The LNTF exhibits a fundamental resonance frequency of 32,901 Hz, and its quality factor (Q-factor) decreases from 19,700 to 18,300 as the SF₆ concentration increases at atmospheric pressure. Verification experiments at room temperature reveal a quantifiable correlation between the SF₆/N₂ mixture concentration ratio and the sensor’s mechanical impedance. Specifically, an impedance shift of 100 Ω corresponds to a concentration change of 0.0145 g/L. In air, with a signal integration time of 80 s, the measured noise voltage and current are 0.13 µV and 0.18 pA, respectively. These results underscore the potential of the LNTF as a compact, high-stability sensing platform for greenhouse gas monitoring in electrical infrastructure and industrial environments. Full article

This study was conducted to understand how applied potential modulates metabolic flux toward succinic acid during xylose electro-fermentation by Actinobacillus succinogenes under varying feed concentrations (15, 20, 25 g/L). Electro-fermentations were conducted with applied potential at −1.5 V and −2.5 V and compared to open circuit control. Product distribution and carbon balance were quantified to assess the effect of potential on pathway routing. Results showed that applied potential consistently reduced formic acid and increased succinic acid selectivity. At 20 g/L xylose, the highest succinic acid yield was 0.80 mol/mol at −2.5 V, a 28.88% increase compared to that of the control (0.62 mol/mol). Formic acid and acetic acid yields were 0.73 and 0.60 mol/mol, representing a 48.83% and 16.09% reduction, respectively. The carbon allocation to succinic acid was 51% with a total carbon recovery of 81%. In addition, the effects of 10 g/L and 15 g/L NaHCO₃, as well as 10 g/L NaHCO₃ supplemented with gaseous CO_2, were evaluated at 15 g/L xylose and −2.5 V. Supplementation with gaseous CO₂ increased succinic acid yield from 0.74 to 0.85 mol/mol and improved total carbon recovery from 75% to 84%. Collectively, these findings show that applied potential, in combination with bicarbonate or CO₂ supply, can be strategically employed to improve succinic acid production. Full article

In this work, a food-compatible bioprocess was evaluated for the production of yeast single-cell protein from mezcal agave bagasse. Bagasse was enzymatically hydrolyzed at 10% (w/v) solids (pH 4.8, 50 °C, 24 h) using commercial enzymes. The resulting liquid was clarified by activated charcoal adsorption and filtration to obtain a hydrolysate suitable for submerged fermentation. Enzymatic hydrolysis released reducing sugars in the range of 11–17 g/L. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cultivated on the clarified hydrolysate under submerged conditions using both flask-scale and 2 L stirred-tank bioreactor experiments. Trials were performed at flask scale with initial sugars at 8, 17, and 50 g/L, and at 2 L stirred-tank bioreactor scale with initial sugars at 20.68 g/L (R1) and 16.30 (R2) g/L. At the flask scale, final biomass concentrations increased with initial sugar level. Values reached 6.18 ± 0.27, 8.02 ± 0.55, and 9.28 ± 0.10 g/L, while crude protein remained below 10% (3.40 ± 0.15 to 8.69 ± 0.09 g/100 g dry weight). In contrast, bioreactor cultivation resulted in higher protein enrichment, with protein contents over 40% under both oxygen regimes (41.71 ± 0.47 to 45.80 ± 0.43 g/100 g dry weight). Overall, the findings support enzymatic hydrolysis coupled with controlled submerged fermentation as a scalable approach for valorizing agave bagasse into protein-enriched yeast biomass. Full article

This study addresses the dual challenges of low copper recovery and persistent arsenic pollution in the bioleaching of low-grade, high-arsenic copper ores containing enargite (Cu₃AsS₄). Through integrated electrochemical, chemical, and biological investigations, a selective and environmentally sustainable two-stage hybrid leaching process was developed. Electrochemical analysis identified a critical oxidation threshold of ~750 mV governing enargite dissolution. Chemical leaching and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed a temperature-dependent sulfur transformation pathway, enabling a staged thermal strategy: flotation below 40 °C to maximize hydrophobic elemental sulfur (S⁰) formation, and bioleaching at 40–55 °C to promote complete sulfur oxidation to sulfate. Optimization produced a two-stage process comprising 10-day chemical pre-leaching with FeSO₄ (10.0 g/L Fe²⁺) followed by bioleaching, achieving 78.3% copper extraction while suppressing arsenic dissolution to approximately 10%. The use of FeSO₄ instead of Fe₂(SO₄)₃ reduces reagent costs by ~70%, saving an estimated CNY 47,250 daily at 1000 t/d scale. Leaching toxicity tests confirm residue As < 0.10 mg/L, meeting non-hazardous waste standards (GB5085.3-2007). This work provides the first integrated demonstration of electrochemical threshold control combined with temperature-dependent sulfur speciation for selective copper extraction from arsenic-bearing enargite ores, offering a scalable, reagent-economical, and environmentally sustainable metallurgical route. Full article

Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising renewable resource for sustainable biorefineries, although its commercial use remains limited by the complex biomass structure and process inefficiencies. This work investigates the use of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) as a process-intensification strategy during the washing step following hydrogen peroxide–acetic acid (HPAC) delignification, with the aim of enhancing subsequent enzymatic saccharification to produce glucose. Wood residues from Eucalyptus sp., Tipuana tipu, and Pinus sp. were delignified using HPAC under mild conditions (1:1 v/v glacial acetic acid: 30% w/w H₂O₂ solutions, at 90 °C, 15 g/L, 1 h orbital shake) and washed either by conventional soaking or by HC-assisted recirculation prior to enzymatic hydrolysis using the Novozymes Cellic CTec3 blend at optimal initial conditions (40 FPU/g substrate, pH = 5, and 53 °C). HC applied during washing significantly increased glucose yields and initial hydrolysis rates for delignified angiosperm species. Glucose yields after 28 h increased significantly for Eucalyptus sp. and Tipuana tipu compared to conventional washing, while little effect was found for Pinus sp. Overall, the glucose yield, expressed per 100 g of precursor dry mass, attained 34.5 g/100 g for Eucalyptus sp., 30.2 g/100 g for Tipuana tipu, and only 12.9 g/100 g for Pinus sp. Structural and morphological analyses indicate that the effectiveness of HC is species-dependent and might be associated with fiber disruption and the removal of inhibitory compounds rather than changes in cellulose crystallinity. Implementing HC during the washing step involved 7% extra energy compared to the energy required for HPAC, thus resulting in less energy required per unit mass of glucose generated. These results demonstrate that HC-assisted washing is an effective and energy-efficient intensification step when combined with HPAC, contributing to improved biomass valorization while avoiding harsher pretreatment conditions. Since HC is relatively simple to scale up, the proposed strategy offers an energy-convenient approach for enhancing enzymatic saccharification in sustainable biorefinery processes. Full article

Monocular 3D reconstruction remains a persistent challenge for autonomous driving systems in Degraded Visual Environments (DVEs) with extreme glare and low illumination, such as highway tunnels, due to the lack of reliable texture cues. This paper proposes a physics-aware deep learning framework that overcomes these limitations by fusing polarization sensing with conventional intensity imaging. Unlike traditional end-to-end data-driven fusion strategies, we propose a Modality-Aligned Parameter Injectionstrategy. By remapping the weight space of the input layer, this strategy achieves a smooth transfer of the pre-trained Vision Transformer (i.e., MiDaS) to multi-modal inputs. Its core advantage lies in the seamless integration of four-channel polarization geometric information while fully preserving the pre-trained semantic representation capabilities of the backbone network, thereby avoiding the overfitting risk associated with training from scratch on small-sample data. Furthermore, we design a Reliability-Aware Gating mechanism that dynamically re-weights appearance and geometric cues based on intensity saturation and the physical validity of polarization signals as measured by the Degree of Linear Polarization (DoLP). We validate the proposed method on our self-constructed POLAR-GLV benchmark, a real-world dataset collected specifically for high dynamic range tunnel scenarios. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method consistently outperforms intensity-only baselines, reducing geometric reconstruction error by 24.2% in high-glare tunnel exit zones and 10.0% at tunnel entrances. Crucially, compared to multi-stream fusion architectures, these performance gains come with negligible additional computational cost, making the framework highly suitable for resource-constrained onboard inference environments. Full article

This study investigates orange peel valorisation through KOH pre-treatment and high-temperature pyrolysis (800 °C) to develop a highly porous activated char for the efficient removal of phenolic compounds, specifically 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and aminophenol (AP), from water. The main objective of the study is to synthesise high-surface area activated char from orange peel and investigate its performance for the adsorption of DNP and AP from water. The synthesised adsorbent exhibited a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area of 965 m²/g, contributing to its excellent phenol adsorption efficiency. Batch adsorption experiments were performed, and a maximum removal efficiency of 99% and 92% was observed at pH 4 and 7 with initial concentration 50 mg/L, contact time 60 min, and adsorbent dosage 0.6 g/L, for DNP and AP, respectively. The adsorption process was described by the Langmuir isotherm model (R² = 0.99), indicating monolayer adsorption and followed pseudo-second-order kinetics, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 366 mg/g for DNP and 341 mg/g for AP. Furthermore, DFT analysis revealed that DNP possesses a lower HOMO-LUMO energy gap (−0.54 eV), favouring a stronger adsorption interaction, whereas AP exhibited a relatively higher energy gap (−0.27 eV), corresponding to its comparatively lower adsorption capacity. Overall, the findings demonstrates that a single step chemical-thermal conversion of orange peel into biochar-based adsorbent offers a sustainable pathway for the removal of phenolic compounds from water. Full article

Lignin, the second-most-abundant polymer on Earth, has attracted attention for its value-added applications. Colloidal lignin particles can overcome handling and compatibility issues, offer antioxidant, antimicrobial, and UV-protective properties, and serve as Pickering stabilizers. Plant extracts rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and flavonoids (e.g., quercetin), can further enhance lignin-based formulations. In this context, colloidal lignin–quercetin particles (CLQPs) were produced for the first time via antisolvent precipitation and used as Pickering emulsion stabilizers. CLQP dispersions (30 g/L) were prepared by solubilizing lignin and quercetin in 80% (v/v) aqueous acetone solution, followed by precipitation with a pH 8 buffer. A quercetin content of 50% (w/w) (CLQP-50) resulted in predominantly round-shaped lignin–quercetin particles (<1 µm) with a small fraction of quercetin crystals. Both structures contributed to emulsion stabilization, as evidenced by confocal microscopy, a three-phase contact angle of 91.6 ± 0.1°, and a zeta potential of −52.8 ± 2.7 mV. CLQP-50 successfully stabilized Pickering emulsions at a 60/40 oil/water ratio, showing high physical stability (stability index 0.01) and shear-thinning behavior with gel-like consistency. These findings demonstrate the pioneering development of lignin–quercetin hybrid colloidal particles as sustainable and functional Pickering stabilizers, opening new opportunities for advanced cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations. Full article

This study addresses the challenge of achieving efficient separation of vanadium and chromium from vanadium–chromium slag (VCS) while simultaneously tackling issues related to artificial granite waste residue (AGWR), such as its substantial stockpiling and associated air pollution. AGWR was used as a substitute calcination additive for calcium carbonate to achieve efficient separation through a calcination-leaching process. Orthogonal experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of AGWR addition amount, calcination temperature, and calcination time on the leaching behavior of vanadium and chromium. During calcination, vanadium reacts with CaO (a decomposition product of AGWR) to form acid-soluble calcium vanadate. Concurrently, chromium hydroxide decomposes into chromium oxide, which is poorly soluble in dilute acid. Subsequent leaching of the calcination product with dilute sulfuric acid leaches vanadium (V) into the solution, while chromium (Cr) remains in the residue, thus achieving separation. The experimental results showed that under the conditions of 30% AGWR addition; calcination at 850 °C for 1 h; leaching at 90 °C for 2 h with a liquid-to-solid ratio of 10:1 and a sulfuric acid concentration of 50 g·L⁻¹; the leaching rate of vanadium reached 85.68%, whereas that of chromium was only 2.34%. These results demonstrate highly efficient separation of vanadium and chromium, offering valuable insights for resource recovery from both VCS and AGWR. Full article

The pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass generates inhibitory compounds that severely limit the efficiency of subsequent enzymatic biocatalytic conversions during fermentation. Biochar can be used for inhibitor removal by adsorption, but its efficiency depends on tailored process conditions. In this study, the cow manure biochar (CMB) was applied in the detoxification of prehydrolysate generated from dilute acid pretreatment of corn stover, and the detoxification process was optimized by the response surface method (RSM). At the optimal detoxification condition (53 °C, 118 min, and the biochar loading of 4.5% w/v), the detoxified prehydrolysate achieved a lactic acid (LA) production of 42.89 g/L with an 85.67% yield, while a removal efficiency of 46.47% was obtained for the major inhibitors in the prehydrolysate. The reusability of CMB was investigated by water-washing, thermal, and NaOH regenerations. All methods obtained over 80% regeneration performance, and the lactic acid yield remained above 35 g/L after two regeneration cycles. CMB regenerated by water washing maintained 81.86% of its initial adsorption capacity after two cycles, achieving a lactic acid concentration of 36.83 g/L. These results suggested that water washing could serve as a simple and potentially sustainable regeneration approach for maintaining biochar performance in biocatalytic systems. Full article

The present study investigates the potential of olive mill wastewater (OMW), supplemented with expired commercial glucose syrup, as a sustainable substrate for the submerged cultivation of Tuber spp. wild mushrooms. OMW contains considerable quantities of phenolic compounds, making it both a challenging pollutant and a promising nutrient source. To assess fungal performance under increasing phenolic stress, culture media were prepared with varying OMW concentrations (0–75% v/v on agar; 0–50% v/v in liquid media), while glucose was adjusted to ~30 g/L using expired glucose syrup. A sequential experimental approach was followed, beginning with Petri dish screenings on substrate/strain selection (measuring the mycelial growth rate; Kr, mm/day), progressing to 25-day shake flask fermentations and subsequently scaling up the most promising strain (Tuber mesentericum) in a controlled stirred-tank bioreactor. Throughout cultivation, substrate consumption (glucose, phenolics), pH evolution and decolorization were evaluated, while the resulting biomass was analyzed for polysaccharides, β-glucans, proteins, lipids, fatty acids, antioxidants, phenolic acids and triterpenoids content. Results showed that increasing OMW concentration enhanced tolerance and metabolic activity in selected Tuber species, with T. mesentericum exhibiting the highest resilience and achieving comparable or higher biomass yields in OMW-based media than in glucose (control). Phenolic removal exceeded 60% in flasks and 50% in the bioreactor, confirming simultaneous bioremediation capacity. Bioreactor cultivation demonstrated efficient substrate utilization and biomass production, while OMW-grown biomass presented high lipid content, enriched with unsaturated fatty acids, high β-glucan levels and increased antioxidant and phenolic profiles. Overall, this study demonstrates that OMW (supplemented with expired glucose syrup) can serve as a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial substrate for Tuber biomass production with dietary and antioxidant properties, offering an alternative source to mushroom carposomes, as well as supporting the circular bioeconomy strategies within olive oil processing industries. Full article