Search Results (97,144)

Fermentation has significant potential for valorizing de-oiled sunflower meal (DSM) protein for human consumption. Here, DSM extracts were fermented for 48 h with Lactobacillus helveticus B-4526 and Bacillus subtilis B-3387, and their nutritional, bioactive, and techno-functional properties were evaluated. DSM extract supported the growth of both organisms, with cell numbers increasing by >1.5 log CFU/mL for B. subtilis and approximately 1 log CFU/mL for L. helveticus. During fermentation, B. subtilis degraded protein bands in the 23–46 kDa range, whereas L. helveticus promoted protein aggregation due to acidification, which may have reduced protein solubility. Antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS, and CUPRAC assays) and ACE-inhibitory activity increased in both fermentations, with B. subtilis showing the strongest effect. FTIR analysis indicated fermentation-induced alterations in the protein secondary structure. The total amino acid content decreased after B. subtilis fermentation but remained similar after L. helveticus fermentation. Phytic acid present in the meal decreased as a result of extraction/fermentation workflow. B. subtilis fermentation improved solubility at pH 4.0 but reduced foaming and emulsifying properties. Both fermentations decreased the oil-holding and water-holding capacities. Overall, this study underscores the need to match the fermenting microorganism to the desired outcome, as enhancements in one property often involve trade-offs with others. Full article

For single-motor Formula Student Electric China (FSEC) race cars, current powertrain design methodologies commonly suffer from the disconnection among parameter matching, dynamic simulation, and structural optimization: gear ratio selection is mostly based on static theoretical calculations, lightweight design does not incorporate full-vehicle dynamic load spectra constraints, and the simulation toolchain (CarSim 2024, OptimumLap version 5, ANSYS 2022) lacks a standardized data closed-loop, leading to prolonged iteration cycles and unquantifiable reliability. To address these issues, this paper takes the Nanning University electric formula race car E66 as the research object and proposes a three-phase integrated design framework of “requirement-driven, multi-simulation co-validation, and lightweight iteration.” The study includes three core contributions: (1) establishing a powertrain parameter matching method based on power boundary calculations and multi-dimensional selection criteria, achieving the integrated selection of the Emrax 228 motor (power density 9.2 kW/kg, Emrax d.o.o., Kamnik, Slovenia) and the Unitek-D3 controller through comparative analysis with the JJE motor (5.7 kW/kg, Jing-Jin Electric Technologies Co., Ltd., Beijing, China); (2) constructing a co-simulation mechanism combining OptimumLap version 5 and CarSim 2024, completing the closed-loop optimization of the gear ratio from the range of 1.6–4.3 to the optimal value of 3.9 under the Hefei NIO track operating conditions, with a 75 m acceleration simulation result of 4.4 s and an endurance lap time of 86 s; (3) introducing ANSYS 2022 topology optimization technology to perform two-iteration lightweight design on the 7075 aluminum alloy main sprocket, achieving 35% mass reduction and 40% volume reduction while maintaining the maximum principal stress at 73.16 MPa (below yield strength). The expected outcome is a replicable development paradigm for single-motor powertrain systems, transforming drivetrain matching from experience-driven to simulation-driven, providing reliable data boundaries for physical vehicle commissioning, and effectively reducing trial-and-error costs. Full article

Combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) tri-generation systems can greatly improve comprehensive energy utilization efficiency thanks to their energy-cascade utilization concept. However, traditional fossil-fuel-based CCHP systems still suffer from intensive carbon emissions, hindering their further development in the current low-carbon scenario. To solve this issue, a new low-carbon CCHP system (LC-CCHP) integrating a calcium-looping, sorption-enhanced steam methane reforming (CL-SE-SMR) unit, a lithium bromide absorption chiller, and a hydrogen gas turbine is proposed in this work, and the corresponding system model is built to evaluate its performance. The proposed system features an innovative architecture that integrates carbon capture directly into the reforming process, which simultaneously enables a high hydrogen yield and low carbon-capture penalty. Moreover, instead of the widely used thermodynamic equilibrium assumption, a detailed kinetic model is employed for the CL-SE-SMR unit, which provides more realistic predictions and greater reference value for practical engineering applications. Then, multi-objective optimization is conducted using a particle swarm optimization algorithm to identify the optimal operating conditions. It is found that the proposed system performs best at a steam-to-carbon molar ratio of 4.37, a calcium-to-carbon mass ratio of 6.23, an air-equivalency molar ratio of 1.39 for a hydrogen gas turbine and a reaction temperature of 600 °C for SE-SMR. Under these operating conditions, the system can achieve a carbon-capture rate of 89.2%, an exergy efficiency of 45.7%, an energy efficiency of 95.4%, and a levelized cost of exergy of 0.109 $/kWh. Full article

The HAK/KUP/KT family represents a major group of plant potassium transporters involved in K⁺ uptake, ion homeostasis and stress responses. However, the accession-level diversity of HAK/KUP/KT genes in Brassica napus remains insufficiently characterized. In this study, we performed a pan-family analysis of HAK/KUP/KT genes across eight B. napus accessions. A total of 269 annotated HAK/KUP/KT family members were identified and classified into core, soft-core, dispensable and private orthogroups based on their representation across the analyzed genome annotations. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these proteins into four major clades together with reference HAK/KUP/KT members from Arabidopsis thaliana and rice. Ka/Ks analysis indicated that HAK/KUP/KT orthogroups were predominantly under purifying selection, while accession-variable orthogroups showed greater variation in sequence conservation. Gene structure, conserved domain, motif and predicted promoter cis-element analyses revealed conserved transporter-related protein features together with orthogroup-level structural and sequence variation. Expression profiling using the ZS11 BnIR dataset further revealed tissue-, hormone- and stress-responsive expression patterns among ZS11 HAK/KUP/KT genes. By integrating expression features, predicted promoter information, evolutionary characteristics, published salt GWAS context and BnVIR haplotype–phenotype information, BnaA08T0085800ZS was prioritized as a candidate locus located near salt-associated variation. This study provides a pan-genome perspective on HAK/KUP/KT family diversity in B. napus and establishes a framework for prioritizing candidate genes for future functional investigation. Full article

Food products containing plant ingredients are particularly vulnerable to economically motivated adulteration (EMA), which poses risks to consumer trust and regulatory compliance. While traditional methods—such as microscopy, chemical profiling or targeted PCR—struggle to detect adulterants in processed food products or complex mixes, DNA metabarcoding offers a non-targeted, high-throughput alternative. This study presents a nanopore sequencing-based technique that is easy to implement, cost-effective and sufficiently sensitive to detect substitutions, with a focus on spices and herbal teas as model matrices. The method was evaluated using eight single-species reference samples and five commercial multi-ingredient products. It reliably detected undeclared contaminants (e.g., mint in oregano) and species substitutions. Compared to single-barcode approaches, the combination of ITS2 + matK + trnH-psbA markers achieved higher sensitivity. The proposed workflow requires minimal infrastructure and a 2–4-day turnaround time. However, factors such as DNA degradation in highly processed foods, database gaps, and biological diversity limited detection in some cases. These findings demonstrate the workflow’s potential as a first-line screening tool for food authenticity testing, aligning with requirements such as EU regulation 1169/2011 on food labelling or the FDA’s Economically Motivated Adulteration (EMA) program. Future work should validate the method against regulatory thresholds and expand testing to a broader variety of species and matrices. Full article

Counting electricity connections is easy. Understanding what those connections actually do for people is harder—and more important. This study examines how a 450 kWp Smart Grid Hybrid Microgrid on Semau Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, shaped the daily lives and economic futures of a community in one of the country’s most geographically isolated 3T territories (Frontier, Outermost, Underdeveloped), using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design (SEM-AMOS, n = 123; key informant interviews, n = 4)—and we find that forty percent of households have shifted from passive consumption to productive agricultural use within five years of grid connection, a rate that challenges common assumptions about rural electrification in eastern Indonesia. The data also reveal a troubling pattern at the heart of Indonesia’s subsidy architecture: the 450 VA tier, which absorbs the highest per-kWh State Budget subsidy (IDR 10,518/kWh; 96.2% of Cost of Supply), is associated with the weakest welfare returns. Meanwhile, an estimated IDR 1.87 billion per year in lost capacity—a figure we term the Governance Maintenance Loss (GML)—is linked to governance shortfalls rather than hardware failure. SEM-AMOS results (χ²/df = 1.613; RMSEA = 0.049; CFI = 0.973; TLI = 0.983; SRMR = 0.043) indicate that, among the constructs examined, Energy Diversification Policy shows the strongest association with community welfare (β = 0.718, p < 0.001)—more so than the physical infrastructure itself. In response, this study proposes three governance instruments: the MIDEK framework, a Knowledge Transfer Mandate (KTM), and a Productive Energy Tariff (PET). Together, these tools offer a replicable, low-cost pathway for Indonesia’s 1200 planned island installations under Presidential Regulation No. 112/2022—one that is simultaneously revenue-positive for PLN, budget-positive for the State, and welfare-positive for the communities these systems are meant to serve. Full article

In the field of long-distance partial discharge (PD) detection for submarine cables, there is an urgent need for a remote demodulation distributed detection technology deployable at multiple critical locations to overcome the limitations of single-point measurement. Factory joints of high-voltage submarine cables are high-risk components for PD, and long-distance fiber optic acoustic sensing technology holds the greatest potential for online monitoring. However, due to the viscoelasticity of the joint’s polymer insulation structure, sound propagation distance is severely limited, and non-multi-point measurement cannot achieve effective coverage of the measurement area. This paper proposes a quasi-distributed remote demodulation sensing system, in which both the fiber optic interferometer and the distributed feedback fiber laser (DFB-FL) serve as sensors, enabling highly sensitive quasi-distributed PD detection. The DFB-FL itself is highly sensitive to strain, and the multiple fiber coils formed by the interferometer arms are also highly sensitive to strain. Both can be modulated by the micro-strain induced by the acoustic field generated from PD in the polymer solid, producing phase shifts of the optical waves, which are then intrinsically demodulated by the interferometer system to extract the vibration signals caused by the discharge. Theoretical analysis shows that the sensitivity increases with the length of the unbalanced arm, with the upper limit constrained by laser coherence and optical attenuation; for the PD frequency band, the optimal unbalanced length is below 200 m—this design rule is applicable to on-chip interferometric sensors. The interferometer coils employ bend-insensitive fibers to suppress optical loss and improve fringe visibility. Meanwhile, three fiber coil configuration schemes are constructed to enhance the detection sensitivity to acoustic signals. Simulation results generate frequency response contour maps based on Young’s modulus, indicating that the solid-wound coil achieves the highest amplitude and the broadest bandwidth, with an optimal response frequency of approximately 50 kHz. Experimental results demonstrate that among the three structure types, the solid-wound coil also achieves the largest response ratio. Finally, in tests performed on a 220 kV submarine cable intermediate joint (with the system installed inside the metallic sheath), the minimum detectable discharge level in the DFB-FL region reached 6.75 pC, while that for the fiber coil reached 12.66 pC; when installed outside the metallic sheath, the minimum detectable discharge levels were 53.2 pC for the grating region and 89.6 pC for the fiber coil. Full article

Background: Antimicrobial resistance mediated by ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae is an emerging concern in both human and veterinary medicine, with companion animals increasingly considered relevant within the One Health framework. This study aimed to investigate the fecal carriage of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae complex in cats from Italy and to characterize the strains by the phenotypic and genetic profile of ESBL production, virulent pathotypes, antibiotic resistance profile and biofilm production. Methods: Fecal samples collected from cats admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Milan (Italy) in 2020–2026 were bacteriologically and genetically analyzed. Results: All the Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated [4/200 (2%, 95% CI: 0.06–3.94%)] were ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae complex isolates harboring bla_CTX-M-15, bla_SHV, and bla_TEM genes. The isolates were detected with higher presence in cats with diarrhea and were found only in cats treated with antibiotics and hospitalized. All four ESBL-producing isolates were classified as the classical K. pneumoniae pathotype based on the negative string test results, the absence of reliable virulence genes used for pathotype identification (peg-344, iucA, rmpA and rmpA2), and the lack of K1 and K2 serotypes, despite the detection of terB and irp2 virulence genes in one and two isolates, respectively. All four ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae complexes were classified as multidrug-resistant, with resistance mainly observed to β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, quinolones and folate antagonists. All four ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae complexes demonstrated biofilm-forming abilities, with two isolates showing weak adhesion, one moderate adhesion, and one strong adhesion. Conclusions: The detection of ESBL genes together with the MDR pattern, biofilm-forming capacity and selected virulence determinants suggests the potential epidemiological relevance of cats in the dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant K. pneumoniae complexes, underscoring the need for strengthened surveillance and prevention strategies in veterinary settings to provide information to pet cat owners and children who may interact with stray cats, in full implementation of the One Health approach. Full article

Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA) is a technique in game design used to adapt challenge in real-time based on player performance with the goal of maintaining engagement. Existing DDA implementations are predominantly tied to specific game engines and rely on invisible static scaling. This paper presents a modular engine-independent DDA framework for boss battles that produces observable behavior adaptations. The framework integrates live telemetry of combat with an external Python-based adaptive controller. A dominance ratio difficulty model with exponential smoothing drives one-directional phase transitions that trigger behavioral changes without modifying the core game engine. The framework was evaluated through an exploratory study with 30 participants from varying skill levels completing 166 boss fight sessions in Skyrim. Post-test analysis combined self-reported Likert-scale survey data with quantitative K-means clustering on seven telemetry features yielding four unique profiles: Reckless, Struggling, Defensive and Dominant. Survey results indicated strong self-reported player engagement (96.7%), high perceived fairness (72.4%) and near-unanimous behavioral awareness (93.3%). An individual trace analysis illustrated that the DDA made contextually appropriate decisions across the observed sessions. These results demonstrate that modular, behavioral and transparent DDA are practically achievable and positively received with implications for adaptive game design beyond any single engine or title. Full article

In the present work, we study combined m-consecutive-k-out-of-n and consecutive k_c-out-of-n reliability systems under imperfect cold standby redundancy. The proposed framework extends the ordinary perfect standby assumption by allowing the activation of the spare system to be successful with a given coverage probability. The system-level redundancy policy is considered, while the classical perfect cold standby model is obtained as a special case. Exact reliability representations for the resulting structures are discussed through signature-based arguments. In particular, expressions for the reliability function, the Mean Time to Failure and the Mean Residual Lifetime are provided. Special emphasis is also placed on statistical inference under right-censored lifetime data. A numerical study is carried out to illustrate the effect of imperfect coverage, censoring, and design parameters on the performance of the proposed reliability schemes. Full article

The rapid expansion of photovoltaic (PV) systems poses significant challenges to grid stability. Hybrid Energy Systems (HES) are intended to alleviate this volatility, yet their coordinated dispatch often remains suboptimal due to communication delays and ramp-rate constraints. Accurate ultra-short-term PV power forecasting is therefore essential, as it enables preemptive control and timely dispatch adjustments that unlock the full potential of HES. In this study, we propose a novel AI hybrid forecasting framework that integrates a rule-based model with a Decomposition Linear (DLinear) Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) deep learning core, representing, to the best of our knowledge, a novel integration of a decomposition-based linear model (DLinear) with LSTM networks for ultra-short-term PV power forecasting. The DLinear component decomposes the time series into trend and remainder sequences, which are then independently modeled by separate LSTM networks to capture distinct dynamics. Using data from a 300 kWp PV power station, the framework achieves an average daily prediction accuracy exceeding 93% for both 5-min and 15-min horizons. The model reliably tracks power variations under sunny and rainy conditions, while under volatile cloudy weather its accuracy decreases but still captures essential fluctuation patterns. These results demonstrate the potential of the proposed framework for improving the dispatch and operational reliability of hybrid energy systems. However, further validation across additional seasons and sites is needed to establish broader generalizability. Full article

The burnt condition in tuna, known in the Japanese tuna industry as yake, is an abnormal post-capture quality deterioration characterized by muscle discoloration, softening, and off-odors; “burnt” does not indicate cooking or external burning. This exploratory study evaluated whether low-frequency A-mode ultrasound can provide objective, non-destructive information on the burnt condition in frozen yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). Ultrasound waveform characteristics were integrated with ATP-related compounds, K-value, physical properties, and color indices. Ultrasound waveform amplitude and attenuation in the 40–65 µs range differed clearly between fresh and burnt-condition samples. These characteristics also distinguished between two burnt-condition samples of differing severity (NF1 and NF2). Total ATP-related compound content did not differ between groups, whereas the K-value was consistently higher in burnt-condition samples. Physical properties (hardness, cohesiveness, and gumminess) and color indices ($a^{*}$, $b^{*}$, and R-value) were also significantly different between fresh and burnt-condition samples. Unlike ultrasound waveform characteristics, however, these parameters varied little between NF1 and NF2. Principal component analysis confirmed that ultrasound waveform amplitude was significantly correlated with the component separating fresh and burnt-condition samples. This variable also clustered with ATP degradation-related indices. These findings suggest that ultrasound waveform characteristics capture internal quality changes related to the degree of the burnt condition, which conventional physicochemical indicators cannot fully represent. This finding supports the potential for non-destructive frozen-state evaluation and sorting of yellowfin tuna. Full article

The complex and nonlinear load characteristics of Hall thrusters remain a key challenge in the design of propulsion power-supply output stages. In existing power-supply simulations for electric propulsion systems, the Hall thruster is often simplified as a fixed impedance or a prescribed current source, which makes it difficult to capture the time-synchronized interaction during simulation between the power-supply output stage and the thruster discharge process. To address this issue, this study encapsulates a one-dimensional discharge model as an externally callable thruster slave and proposes a HallThruster.jl–Simulink–Saber co-simulation method. The proposed method enables synchronized bidirectional exchange between the power-port voltage V_cmd and the thruster discharge current I_out. The results show that the discharge current under the co-simulation condition exhibits a sustained low-frequency response at approximately 15.0 kHz. Compared with a fixed-voltage standalone simulation, the co-simulation preserves the same principal oscillation band and overall internal-field structures, while small but observable differences remain in instantaneous phase, local waveform shape, harmonic amplitudes, and high-gradient regions of the internal fields. The proposed method provides a computational framework for investigating dynamically coupled port behavior between a Hall thruster and a representative power-supply output stage. Full article

Rapid transfer of large cryogenic models between ambient and cryogenic environments causes severe thermal shocks to the dry air system, threatening dew-point stability and equipment safety. Using CFD, this study builds a 1:1 model of a cryogenic transport isolation system, including the dry hall, model carrier, temperature-conditioning room, and test section plenum. Three scenarios are analyzed: static suspension, descent to the temperature-conditioning room, and descent to the test section plenum. The effects of descent speed (1.2 vs. 2.5 m/min) and makeup air flow (0–12,500 m³/h) on temperature distribution and cable safety are examined. Results show that after 10 min of static suspension, the carrier interior averages 192 K with strong stratification and a minimum of 170 K. During descent, higher speed and larger air flow improve thermal retention. At 2.5 m/min and 10,000 m³/h, cable-adjacent gas stays above −60 °C. For the plenum, descent-matched displacement ventilation (e.g., 6000 m³/h for 1.2 m/min) keeps both the cable and the plug-in unit safe. Including the cable thermal capacity gives a smaller actual temperature drop than conservative gas-temperature estimates. This work provides numerical guidance for dry system design, operation optimization, and cryogenic protection during rapid model transfer. Full article

The selection of a temperature probe for aerodynamic applications involves a critical trade-off between the measurement accuracy and structural robustness. While the existing literature typically treats thermal performance and structural limits as isolated problems, this study bridges this gap by introducing a novel coupled experimental framework in which the aerodynamic and structural performance of the probes are characterized and interpreted jointly. Three unshielded, cylindrical K-type thermocouples (diameters: D = 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mm) were tested in a freejet facility across a Mach number range of M = 0.05 to 0.50, corresponding to a probe Reynolds number range of Re_D≈ 500 to 16,200, at a free cantilever length of L = 70 mm for aerodynamic characterization and L = 20–70 mm for structural characterization. Tests were conducted at a total temperature of approximately T_o ≈ 291 − 294 K, continuously monitored throughout each run. The recovery factor was highest for the 0.5 mm probe (r ≈ 0.4–0.55) and comparable for the 1.0 mm and 1.5 mm probes (r ≈ 0.29–0.34), such that the largest diameter did not produce the lowest value. Structurally, the 0.5 mm probe reached its deflection limit at M ≈ 0.22, while the 1.0 mm probe remained stable to M ≈ 0.36, for a free length of 70 mm. By treating probe selection as a constrained selection problem rather than an ad hoc decision, this study provides a quantitative operational envelope—a critical, data-driven framework for researchers to balance sensor accuracy and physical viability in aerodynamic testing. Full article