Search Results (2,388)

As part of a NASA University Leadership Initiative (ULI) program, this work supports the continued development and evaluation of a fatigue-based process window for stress-relieved Ti-6Al-4V specimens produced via laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M). Four-point bend and axial fatigue specimens were fabricated by NASA ULI collaborators across a range of scan velocities (800–2000 mm/s) at a constant power of 370 W using an EOS M290 system. All fatigue specimens were low-stress-ground by a commercial vendor and tested at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) under load-controlled cyclic loading at a stress ratio of R = 0.1. This paper presents a curated dataset linking PBF-LB/M process parameters to fatigue outcomes across 175 specimens. Of these, 136 fractured and this study includes fatigue crack initiation site identification and defect morphology metrics derived from post mortem SEM analysis. Specimens that reached runout (10⁷ cycles) and did not fracture under subsequent fatigue testing are retained in the dataset, with fractographic fields marked as ‘NA’ to indicate non-applicability. The dataset includes specimen metadata, processing parameters, fatigue life data, fatigue initiation site classification (e.g., keyhole, gas-entrapped pore (GeP), lack-of-fusion (LoF), contamination), defect size and shape descriptors, and spatial location relative to the free surface. These data are intended to support defect-based fatigue life prediction, probabilistic modeling, process–structure–property studies, and machine learning frameworks linking process parameters to fatigue performance in PBF-LB/M Ti-6Al-4V. Full article

Background/Objectives: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is associated with gut dysbiosis linked to early-life antibiotic use and Staphylococcus aureus colonization. Gum Arabic (GA), a prebiotic, may modulate this dysbiosis and influence AD-related microbial balance. This study evaluated whether GA could support AD-associated probiotics-Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium infantis-under amoxicillin- or azithromycin-containing conditions, examined the response of S. aureus under the same screening conditions, and developed GA-phospholipid-based semisolid carriers for topical application. Methods: Probiotic strains were cultured with 1–5% GA in the presence and absence of antibiotics, and viable cell counts were assessed. Sixteen topical formulations containing propylene glycol or isopropyl myristate in a hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine base were prepared and screened for rheological properties and galactose release using in vitro release testing (IVRT) and HPLC-UV. Results: GA at 1–2% concentrations promoted probiotic growth in antibiotic-free conditions. GA preserved B. infantis viability under azithromycin exposure in this in vitro screening model. For S. aureus, numerical CFU differences were observed between antibiotic-only and GA-containing conditions; however, the present screening design was not intended to determine antibiotic interaction outcomes. Formulations F14 (2% GA + 7% IPM) and F15 (3% GA + 7% IPM) exhibited optimal spreadability. IVRT showed that 6 h cumulative galactose release varied by formulation (F6 > F10 > F14 > F15). Conclusions: GA demonstrated dose-dependent prebiotic activity and preserved B. infantis viability under azithromycin exposure in this in vitro screening model. For S. aureus, the observed CFU differences between antibiotic-only and GA-containing conditions should be considered exploratory only and do not allow for conclusions regarding interference with antibiotic efficacy. Optimized GA-HPC systems with suitable rheological and release characteristics represent promising candidates for further preclinical investigation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) has emerged as a promising target for oncologic molecular imaging due to its high expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts and low presence in healthy tissues. Among available FAP ligands, [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPi-46 has shown rapid tumor accumulation, low background uptake, and broad tumor applicability. This study reports the successful translation of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPi-46 from preclinical development to routine clinical radiopharmacy practice, detailing automated synthesis, quality control performance, radiochemical stability, and the first clinical imaging results. Methods: Automated radiolabeling of FAPi-46 with gallium-68 was performed using a synthesis module. Quality control included radiochemical purity assessments by iTLC, SPE, and RP-HPLC (pH, appearance, endotoxin levels, and membrane integrity testing). Radiochemical stability was evaluated in saline (up to 6 h) and human serum (up to 90 min). In vitro characterization included the partition coefficient and serum protein binding determination. A clinical evaluation was conducted in a woman with newly diagnosed lung adenocarcinoma who underwent both [¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT and [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPi-46 PET/CT. Results: Automated synthesis of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPi-46 achieved a high radiochemical yield (87.9 ± 1.3%) and radiochemical purity greater than 98%. All batches met release specifications for sterility, apyrogenicity, and physicochemical parameters. The radiotracer demonstrated high stability in saline and human serum, with radiochemical purity consistently above 95% at all evaluated time points. The compound showed a hydrophilic profile (LogP = −3.32 ± 0.14) and 40–60% serum protein binding. Clinically, [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPi-46 PET/CT provided superior lesion delineation compared to [¹⁸F]FDG, revealing additional mediastinal, supraclavicular, and brain metastases. Conclusions: [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPi-46 can be reliably synthesized using automated procedures under routine radiopharmacy conditions, meeting regulatory quality standards and demonstrating excellent stability. Its enhanced lesion detectability compared with [¹⁸F]FDG in the first patient case supports its potential value for oncological staging and clinical implementation. Full article

The persilylated Si₃–Si₇ analogues of the C₃–C₇ aromatic molecules and ions with all hydrogen or all fluorine atoms at silicon have been calculated at high levels of theory, up to MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ for all species and CCSD/6-311++G** for Si₃ and Si₄ species, both in the gas phase and in a polar solvent (water). The aromaticity of the calculated species was estimated using structural, energetic, and NMR criteria. (SiF)₃⁺ cations are more aromatic than (SiH)₃⁺ by the NICS (nuclear-independent chemoical shift) but less aromatic by the ASE (aromatic stabilization energy) criterion. Dications (SiX)₄²⁺ are planar (X = H) or slightly puckered (X = F); the ASE decreases by 4–5 kcal/mol upon going from gas to solution, or from X = H to X = F. Dianions (SiX)₄²⁻are nonplanar and antiaromatic. The ASE for the slightly distorted-from-planarity anion Si₅H₅⁻ is ~53 kcal/mol, vs. 85 kcal/mol for its carbon analogue. The structure of Si₆X₆ molecules strongly depends on the level of calculations. The NICS and ASE values have been calculated for planar Si₆H₆ and (SiH)₇⁺ but not for strongly distorted Si₆F₆ and (SiF)₇⁺ species. Full article

Although alcohol consumption is prohibited in Saudi Arabia, methanol poisoning outbreaks continue to occur, largely through surrogate or non-beverage alcohols. To date, systematic forensic documentation of methanol-related fatalities in Saudi Arabia remains limited. This study presents a comprehensive post-mortem series of methanol-related deaths investigated in Jeddah and characterizes the demographic patterns, circumstances of death, post-mortem interval (PMI), and methanol distribution across multiple biological matrices. In total, 34 post-mortem cases with toxicologically confirmed methanol exposure were retrospectively examined. Methanol and ethanol levels in blood, urine, vitreous humor, bile, gastric contents, and selected tissues were quantified using a validated headspace gas chromatography–flame ionization detection method. Decedents were aged 18–73 years (median, 34.5 years), with a marked predominance of young-to-middle-aged men. PMI ranged 1–15 days (median, 2 days), and evidence of putrefaction was present in approximately one-third of the cases. Most deaths were classified as accidental and primarily occurred in private residences. Two distinct outbreak periods (2018 and 2022) were identified; values tended to be higher in 2018, but the differences were not statistically significant. NaF-preserved blood, urine, and vitreous humor were informative in non-decomposed cases, whereas vitreous humor and solid organs, particularly the liver and kidneys, retained quantifiable methanol in putrefied bodies. Ethanol was detected in a minority of cases and was considered a secondary or contributory finding. This study provides an important forensic baseline dataset for methanol-related fatalities in Saudi Arabia and underscores the need for continued surveillance and preventive measures. Full article

Ensuring the structural integrity and operational safety of oil and gas pipelines is a critical challenge due to their extensive geographical coverage and exposure to environmental and anthropogenic risks. Traditional inspection approaches including ground patrols and manned aerial surveys are labor-intensive, costly, and often lack real-time responsiveness. While unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) enable flexible and high-resolution monitoring, their practical deployment requires lightweight, robust detection models capable of real-time inference on embedded edge hardware under heterogeneous environmental conditions. This paper presents an end-to-end, edge-deployable UAV inspection framework for simultaneous detection of above-ground pipelines and visually observable anomaly/leak indicators using the official Ultralytics YOLOv26n object detector. A curated dataset of 6127 UAV images acquired across desert, semi-urban, and industrial environments was annotated with two classes (Pipeline and Anomaly/Leak) and partitioned into training 87.5%, validation 8.3%, and testing 4.2% subsets. The detector was fine-tuned from COCO-pretrained weights for 300 epochs at 600 × 600 resolution and evaluated using COCO-style metrics. On the held-out test set, the proposed model achieved 92.4% mAP@0.5 and 75.0% mAP@0.5:0.95, with 89.7% precision, 90.2% recall, and 89.9% F1-score at the selected operating threshold. Optimized TensorRT deployment on an NVIDIA Jetson Xavier NX sustained real-time inference at 18 FPS, demonstrating suitability for onboard UAV processing. Rather than proposing a new detector architecture, the study contributes a domain-specific annotated UAV dataset, deployment-oriented benchmarking, and an end-to-end edge inference workflow for corridor-scale monitoring. The proposed framework can help reduce environmental contamination risk and improve personnel safety during pipeline inspection. Full article

The HVAC/R sector in Europe is undergoing significant transformation driven by climate policy, technological innovation, and increasing digitalization of industrial services. This study examines the sustainability and digital transformation of the Slovak business-to-business (B2B) HVAC/R market in the context of EU F-gas regulation and emerging workforce constraints. The research applies a qualitative–interpretive design supported by structured secondary-data analysis, a review of European and Slovak regulatory frameworks, comparative benchmarking against selected European markets, and exploratory semi-structured interviews with industry professionals. The analysis indicates that regulatory pressure associated with the phase-down of fluorinated greenhouse gases, rising demand for energy-efficient systems, and the growing role of digital communication channels are reshaping procurement behaviour and market competition. At the same time, the sector faces structural barriers, particularly the limited availability of certified technicians and uneven digital adoption among small and medium-sized enterprises. The findings suggest that firms integrating transparent sustainability communication, environmental performance indicators, and digital engagement strategies can strengthen their competitive positioning within the evolving European HVAC/R ecosystem. Full article

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of low-nitrogen (LN) tolerance in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is crucial for developing cultivars with improved nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE). In this study, a LN-tolerant cultivar (‘Xin Chun 29’, XC29) and a LN-sensitive cultivar (‘Xin Chun 11’, XC11) were used to investigate miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation under LN stress. A total of 822 miRNAs were identified across root and grain tissues, including 104 known miRNAs and several tissue-specific candidates. In roots, tae-miR395a and tae-miR444a were significantly upregulated in XC29 under LN stress, putatively targeting an F-box ubiquitin ligase gene and glutathione reductase gene, respectively. In grains, the tae-miR156/SBP module was upregulated in XC29, whereas tae-miR1118 and tae-miR9778 were downregulated in XC11, potentially suppressing a receptor kinase gene and calmodulin gene. KEGG analysis revealed that target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were significantly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, and nitrogen metabolism. Notably, within the hormone signaling category, the gibberellin (GA) branch was highlighted by the co-targeting of DELLA genes by tae-miR1130b-3p and tae-miR1120c-3p. To elucidate this regulatory hub, a putative miRNA-target network centered on DELLA proteins was constructed, further underscoring the centrality of gibberellin signaling in the LN adaptation process. These findings suggest potential key miRNA-target modules contributing to LN adaptive responses and may provide useful genetic resources for molecular design breeding of nitrogen-efficient wheat. Full article

The rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC^®) is a known model for research in rumen microbiology and fermentation. However, our research group observed inconsistencies in gas production across trials. This study investigated the effects of different gas outlet locations on digestibility, ruminal fermentation, gas production, and microbial protein synthesis. Fifteen fermenters tested three different gas outlet locations within the RUSITEC^® equipment: (1) gas outlet directly on the effluent vessel for output liquid (EV); (2) gas outlet directly on fermenter cap (F); and (3) gas outlet on both effluent vessel and fermenter cap (EVF). Data were analyzed using a completely randomized design in SAS (v. 9.4) with the MIXED procedure, and significance was set at p < 0.10. Results showed that altering the gas outlet location did not affect nutrient digestibility (p > 0.10), microbial protein synthesis (p > 0.10), and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production when expressed on a molar basis (p > 0.10). However, total gas production (p = 0.108) was higher in the EVF group and ammonia nitrogen produced in the fermenter was higher in group F (p = 0.081). Furthermore, methane (CH₄) production was underestimated when the gas outlet location was in just one of the locations when compared to the EVF group (p = 0.006). VFA proportion was also affected, with lower acetate (p = 0.005) and higher butyrate (p = 0.014) for group EV. These results indicate that the location of the gas outlet is an important methodological factor affecting fermentation measurements in the RUSITEC system, with outlets positioned in both the effluent and fermenter vessels enhancing gas recovery. Full article

Low-noise free-space laser communication has widespread applications in military and rescue fields, but atmospheric turbulence severely affects communication quality. This paper proposes an intelligent classification and adaptive noise reduction system that integrates genetic algorithms (GA), synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE), random forest (RF), and Kalman filtering, significantly improving turbulence channel interference classification accuracy and communication quality. Simulation results show that the system achieves a classification accuracy of 98.27%, with corresponding F1-score of 0.9732 and MCC of 0.9653, far exceeding algorithms such as SVM and KNN. After noise reduction, the average RMSE for 400 signal groups is 0.6983, with zero estimated delay, and the mean and standard deviation of the innovative sequence are −0.0049 and 0.6960, respectively, demonstrating excellent signal quality and efficient real-time processing capabilities. Beyond synthetic simulations, we conducted real-world FSO data studies to validate practical applicability. A 24-h field experiment collected 283 real FSO measurement windows, on which the proposed GA–SMOTE–RF method achieves 0.308 RMSE and 0.75% Average Regret in Kalman filter parameter selection, outperforming KNN and SVM, confirming practical applicability for real-world FSO systems. Full article

Recent studies on EEG-based automated depression detection have primarily depended on complex deep learning models. While these methods improve classification performance, their practical application is limited by high computational complexity, challenging training processes, and poor interpretability. This paper proposes an efficient method for depression recognition, which extracts multi-domain features from preprocessed EEG signals and selects the most discriminative feature subset by integrating the rapid preliminary screening capability of RankSearch with the interactive optimization ability of the Genetic Algorithm (GA). Our approach first eliminates redundant features efficiently through RankSearch, then deeply explores inter-feature relationships via GA, significantly enhancing classification performance while maintaining feature-level interpretability. Using the optimized feature subset, we evaluate performance with multiple machine learning classifiers (Decision Tree, KNN, Random Forest, SVM, XGBoost). Experiments on the public HUSM dataset demonstrate superior performance under rigorous cross-validation (accuracy = 95.08%, sensitivity = 95.99%, specificity = 94.30%, F1-score = 95%, AUC = 0.9514), with feature importance analysis further confirming interpretability. Compared to existing models, our method achieves lower computational complexity and higher clinical practicality, offering a more efficient technical solution for objective depression diagnosis. Full article

Background: Gumming disease caused by Fusarium tricinctum severely threatens Zanthoxylum bungeanum production. This study investigated the antifungal potential of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by an endophytic fungus, Schizophyllum commune, isolated from Z. bungeanum. Methods: A dual-culture assay evaluated VOCs inhibition against F. tricinctum. Compounds were identified using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the antifungal mechanism of this component was explored. Results: VOCs from S. commune significantly inhibited mycelial growth and sporulation of the pathogen. Among 53 identified compounds, 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom alcohol) was the most abundant (35.98% relative content) and exhibited strong antifungal activity with an EC₅₀ of 0.15 µL/mL against F. tricinctum. Mechanistically, 1-octen-3-ol disrupted cell membrane integrity by increasing alkaline phosphatase and β-1,3-glucanase activities, leading to enhanced permeability and content leakage. It also induced oxidative stress by promoting reactive oxygen species accumulation via elevated NADPH oxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, while suppressing antioxidant enzymes. Conclusions: 1-octen-3-ol inhibits F. tricinctum through membrane disruption and oxidative stress, offering a promising eco-friendly strategy for controlling gumming disease. Full article

The exceptional stability of C-F bonds renders PFAS highly persistent in aqueous environments, posing significant challenges for conventional treatment technologies. While plasma-based technologies show promise, their efficiency is often limited by poor gas–liquid mass transfer in bulk liquid. Here, an in-house constructed ultrasonic atomization–dielectric barrier discharge (UEN-DBD) system was developed to promote PFAS degradation under non-thermal plasma conditions. Ultrasonic atomization generated microdroplets, which promoted PFAS enrichment at the surface of microdroplets and facilitate interactions with plasma-generated reactive species. Using perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) as model compounds, degradation behavior was evaluated over an initial concentration range of 0.01–1.0 ppm. At 0.01 ppm, degradation efficiencies of 96.06% for PFOA and 94.86% for PFOS were achieved within 5 min. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy confirmed the formation of oxidative radicals (·OH) and suggested a mixed redox environment involving reactive species, potentially including superoxide (O₂·⁻) or hydrated electrons (e_aq⁻), in the discharge-treated system. High-resolution mass spectrometry results are consistent with a stepwise chain-shortening pathway dominated by successive –CF₂– scission, while fluoride-release measurements provided supporting evidence for partial defluorination. These findings advance the understanding of plasma-assisted PFAS degradation at the gas–liquid interface and provide a basis for the further development of plasma-assisted PFAS treatment strategies. Full article

The selective removal of HCl from industrial HCl/SiF₄ mixtures was investigated using a series of alcohol-based and deep eutectic solvents (DESs). Among them, glycerol (GL) exhibited superior selectivity for HCl despite a moderate total capacity. Absorption at 60 °C ensured stable operation with minimal foaming. Desorption analysis revealed that both HCl and SiF₄ underwent partial irreversible absorption under N₂ stripping, while staged vacuum desorption enabled efficient and selective recovery—SiF₄ was fully removed at 70 °C and 6 kPa, followed by nearly complete HCl desorption at 90 °C. Cyclic tests confirmed excellent solvent stability and rapid regeneration, with complete desorption achieved within 10–15 min. A conceptual process was proposed based on these findings, demonstrating a practical and energy-efficient route for selective HCl recovery from acid–gas mixtures. Full article

Pipelines play a vital role in transporting oil, gas, water, and other critical resources across vast distances. However, they are often exposed to harsh environmental conditions, aging, corrosion, and mechanical stresses that can lead to structural degradation or failure. Structural health monitoring (SHM) offers a proactive solution for ensuring the integrity and safety of pipeline systems through continuous or periodic assessment using advanced sensing technologies and analytical methods. This paper presents the use of Lamb waves to find surface cracks in pipelines. Finite element software, ABAQUS/CAE 2017, is used to simulate intact and damaged pipes. The Time of Flight (ToF) method is applied with two techniques. The first is based on the difference between the received waves for damaged and intact pipelines, while the second is based on the difference between two sensor reads in damaged pipelines. The effectiveness of SHM systems in detecting anomalies and guiding maintenance decisions is evaluated. The results demonstrate the potential of SHM to enhance pipeline reliability, reduce downtime, and support condition-based maintenance strategies. This research contributes to the development of smarter, safer, and more efficient pipeline monitoring systems. Full article