Search Results (163)

The PZBLC glass system, with the molar composition 40P₂O₅–30ZnO–10BaF₂–18LiCl–2.0CdO (mol%), was fabricated and subsequently doped with Eu₂O₃ and Tm₂O₃ using a melt-quenching technique. The thermal stability (ΔT), glass transition temperature (T_g), and linear refractive indices of the fabricated glass were evaluated. The spectroscopic parameters Ω₂, Ω₄, and Ω₆, and the measured visible and near-infrared photoluminescence at the excitation wavelength depend on the type of rare-earth ions in the doped glasses and were estimated. The lifetimes of the relevant transition levels and the gain bandwidths (σ_em × Δλ_eff) of the fabricated glasses were evaluated. The PZBLC–Eu³⁺ glass, excited at 395 nm, exhibits an intense, high-purity red emission, whereas the PZBLC–Tm³⁺ glass, excited at 357 nm, shows a strong blue emission. The fabricated glasses are promising candidates as a solid source for visible-light emission with a high emission cross-section prepared by a low-cost technique. Full article

For continuous casting of strong reducing steels, the low-reactive aluminate-based mold flux consisting of CaO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃-CaF₂-Li₂O-B₂O₃-Na₂O with low SiO₂ content was designed. The correlation between the melt structure under high temperature and the crystallization phases during the cooling process and the change of viscosity was analyzed. The following conclusions were obtained. The polymerization degree of the mold flux consistently decreased as the w(CaO)/w(Al₂O₃) ratio increased from 0.93 to 1.65. Due to melt structure depolymerization, the viscosity at 1300 °C dropped from 0.132 Pa·s to 0.054 Pa·s. As the w(CaO)/w(Al₂O₃) ratio increases near the breaking temperature, the crystalline phases in the mold flux transition from LiAlO₂ to Ca₂Al₂SiO₇, and finally to a combination of Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₂F₂ and LiAlO₂. The rapid viscosity increase at the breaking temperature was primarily due to the precipitation of these phases. Furthermore, influenced by the changes in crystallization tendency and crystalline phase precipitation, the breaking temperature first decreased and then increased. Increasing the Li₂O mass fraction from 5% to 9% led to a decrease in the polymerization degree of the mold flux. Due to the depolymerizing impact of Li₂O on the slag network, the mold flux viscosity at 1300 °C decreased from 0.102 Pa·s to 0.047 Pa·s. The breaking temperature of the mold flux rose notably with a higher Li₂O mass fraction. At the breaking temperature, the crystalline phases in the mold flux transition from Ca₂Al₂SiO₇ to a combination of LiAlO₂ and Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₂F₂. The precipitation of these phases at the breaking temperature directly caused a rapid increase in viscosity. The results systematically reveal the coupling mechanism between melt structure, crystalline phase evolution, and viscosity variation of low-SiO₂ aluminate-based mold flux, which provides an important theoretical basis for composition design and performance regulation of mold fluxes for high-aluminum steel continuous casting. Full article

Spent lithium-ion battery electrolytes contain fluorine-, sulfur-, and phosphorus-bearing toxins, necessitating deep detoxification and directional conversion into C₁–C₆ light hydrocarbons. To elucidate the specific catalytic roles and sequential activation of cathode metals (Li, Ni, Co, Mn), this work systematically deconvolutes their mono- and multi-metallic migration mechanisms over a CaO-ZSM-5* catalyst during vacuum catalytic pyrolysis (530 °C, 100 Pa). Results reveal that Li⁺ and Ni²⁺ dominate C–O bond cleavage in carbonates and CaO-ZSM-5*-assisted decarboxylation and oxygen fixation, significantly increasing the relative hydrocarbon content. Conversely, Co^2/3+ and Mn⁴⁺ release reactive oxygen species, causing deep oxidation of hydrocarbons into CO₂ and antagonizing the targeted conversion. In multi-metallic systems, forming composite metal oxides (M_xN_yO_z) increases the energy barrier for releasing active catalytic ions, hindering carbonate cleavage and leaving unreacted carbonate feedstocks. For detoxification, F and P are effectively immobilized as CaF₂ and Ca₂P₂O₇. The relative content of detected gas-phase nitriles is minimized to <2% due to the strong antagonistic effect of Ni²⁺ on Li⁺-promoted hexanedinitrile cleavage, while sulfur species derived from 1,3-propane sultone are converted to SO₂ and ultimately mineralized as calcium and metal-sulfur salts. Mechanistically, product distributions and crystallographic properties suggest a hypothesized sequential activation model—Li⁺ → Ni²⁺ → Mn⁴⁺—governing reactivity, whereas Co^2/3+ does not participate in the synergistic detoxification and selective upgrading process. This migration–reaction coupling framework provides critical insights for cathode-assisted in situ catalytic pyrolysis and closed-loop electrolyte recycling. Full article

Improving the durability of reinforced concrete sleepers is essential for railway infrastructure exposed to dynamic loading, moisture, and repeated freeze–thaw action. This study proposes a material-level modification approach for heavy concrete for type 2 reinforced concrete sleepers based on the combined use of activated microsilica, a ferroalloy-production byproduct, electrolyzed mixing water, and a polycarboxylate superplasticizer. The novelty of the work lies in the preliminary electrochemical activation of microsilica in an alkaline medium and in the optimization of its joint use with KN-5 by means of second-order experimental design. The concrete was evaluated by compressive and bending strength tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water-penetration testing, and freeze–thaw resistance testing. All modified mixtures outperformed the reference concrete. The highest 28-day compressive strength reached 67.0 MPa, while bending strength reached 7.26 MPa. SEM observations showed a denser and more homogeneous cement matrix with reduced capillary porosity and improved interfacial transition zones. Water resistance improved from W8 for the reference mixture to W10–W14 for the modified concretes. Most modified mixtures achieved a frost resistance grade of F500, and the composition containing 15% activated microsilica and 1.0% superplasticizer reached F550. The proposed approach is effective at the material level for producing heavy concrete with enhanced strength and durability characteristics for reinforced concrete sleeper applications. Full article

This study is centered on REE distribution in several minerals exhibiting exceptionally rare mineralogical and chemical compositions in the 1.8 Ga Madeira albite-enriched granite (AEG). This is a peralkaline A-type granite and corresponds to the Madeira Sn-Nb-Ta-cryolite (REE, Th, U, Zr, Li) world-class deposit (195 Mt) (Amazonas, Brazil). The REE mineralization ranks among the major deposits associated with alkaline and peralkaline magmatism in intracontinental and extensional anorogenic environments in terms of tonnage and grades. However, with respect to REE paragenesis and structure, it differs from all other known REE deposits. The REE mineralization (xenotime, gagarinite, fluocerite, thorite, pyrochlore, zircon, fluorite, and cryolite) is disseminated and zoned. In addition, in the central part of the deposit, there is a massive hydrothermal cryolite body, whose feasibility for REE extracting has been demonstrated. The evolution of rare earth minerals followed a precise order, with minimal formation of compound minerals and minerals with compositions distinct from their typical occurrences. Small pegmatites very rich in xenotime and gagarinite occur in the core AEG. These characteristics are due to the very high F activity in the magma, buffered by cryolite crystallization, to progressive, undisturbed crystallization from the margins toward the center, and to minimal CO₂ activity. The alteration of primary REE minerals by F-rich hydrothermal fluids, the origin of these fluids, and the formation of secondary REE minerals are also discussed. Full article

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) pose a serious threat to public health, aquaculture, and coastal ecosystems, making the development of tools for their rapid and specific detection a high priority. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy enables the assessment of characteristic photosynthetic pigments, offering a pathway to automated, high-throughput monitoring systems. Here, we investigate the temperature dependency of LIF spectra in the range of 20–80 °C to establish stable fluorescence fingerprints for the harmful microalgae Alexandrium catenella. Critically, we demonstrate that the relationship between temperature and both fluorescence intensity and spectral position remains consistent over 35 days of cultivation, independent of culture age. We performed complementary flow cytometric and pigment analyses (HPLC) to characterize the culture’s physiological state. Over the 35-day period, cell concentration increased 20-fold, while cell size, granularity, and fluorescence spectra remained stable. A transient decrease in fluorescence intensity observed on day 10 coincided with a drop in peridinin concentration, confirming the link between the spectral signal and pigment composition. Obtained results validate the use of this fluorescence fingerprint for the reliable identification of A. catenella without prior knowledge of the culture’s age—a key advantage for field applications. Furthermore, these fingerprints remained clearly distinguishable even when the culture was diluted with seawater to just 3% of its original volume, underscoring the potential sensitivity of this approach for early warning systems. Full article

ZnFe₂O₄ is a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity, but its practical use is limited by poor conductivity and large volume changes during cycling. To address these issues, a ZnFe₂O₄-reduced graphene oxide (Z-F-rGO) composite was fabricated via solvothermal synthesis and calcination, with Z-F nanoparticles in situ anchored on rGO sheets. Characterizations (XRD, Raman, XPS, SEM, TEM) confirm the formation of highly crystalline spinel Z-F with good interfacial contact with rGO. The Z-F-rGO electrode shows excellent electrochemical performance, maintaining a reversible capacity of 985.4 mA h g⁻¹ after 100 cycles at 0.5 A g⁻¹, significantly higher than the 498.2 mA h g⁻¹ of the Z-F. At 1.0 A g⁻¹, the Z-F-rGO electrode retains 959.4 mA h g⁻¹ after 300 cycles, while the Z-F electrode shows a capacity of 441.3 mA h g⁻¹. CV analysis indicates good reversibility, while EIS and GITT reveal reduced charge-transfer resistance and enhanced Li⁺ diffusion. This work provides an efficient strategy for scalable Z-F-rGO composites, offering a promising approach for high-performance LIB anodes. Full article

The Mahuaping deposit is the largest Be-W-F deposit in the Jinshajiang–Ailaoshan metallogenic belt, Sanjiang region, SW China, with more than 72,700 t WO₃, 41700 t BeO and 2.3 Mt CaF₂. Despite recent studies, the ore-forming process of the Mahuaping deposit remains poorly understood, limiting further insight into its genesis. In this study, a new muscovite Rb-Sr age and elemental compositions of beryl have been reported to constrain the mineralization age and evolution of ore-forming fluids. Muscovite Rb-Sr isochron dating reveals the mineralization age of the Mahuaping Be-W-F deposit is 28.0 ± 1.5 Ma, indicating the formation of the Mahuaping deposit is probably related to the magmatism caused by the sinistral shearing of crust in the Oligocene. LA-ICP-MS elemental mapping and spot analysis suggest the mechanisms for the incorporation of trace elements into the beryl lattice primarily involve two substitution types: Be²⁺ ↔ Li⁺ + Na⁺/Cs⁺ in the crystal core, and Al³⁺ ↔ (Fe²⁺/Mg²⁺) + (Na⁺/Cs⁺/Rb⁺) occurring in both the core and rim. The enrichment of Fe²⁺ is responsible for the blue coloration observed in beryl. The compositional variation from core to rim in beryl crystal indicates the initial ore-forming fluid of the Mahuaping deposit is reducing and acidic, and dominantly originated from magmatic fluids derived from the highly evolved magma. During the evolution, in addition to the continuous mixing of meteoric water, due to pulsating exsolution, the magmatic fluids were also replenished into the ore-forming fluid, enhancing water/rock interaction. Full article

Both Co-free and lithium- and manganese-rich layered oxide Li(Li_0.2Mn_xNi_yFe_z)O₂ (MNF) cathodes have recently attracted attention in lithium-ion battery (LIB) research due to their high capacities of over 250 mAhg⁻¹, as well as being more eco-friendly and inexpensive than commercial NMC and LiCoO₂. However, they still suffer from lower experimental capacity as well as capacity decay, voltage fade, poor rate capability, and thermal instability. In this paper, fluorine (F)-doped Li_1.2(Mn_0.5Ni_0.2Fe_0.1)O_2(1−x)F_2x (MNF502010, x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1) cathode materials have been synthesized in the nanoscale via sol–gel and subsequent solid-phase calcination to address some of these problems. The resulting 5% F-doped MNF502010 cathode demonstrates the advantage of fluorine doping, which makes a significant contribution to the formation of a well-ordered layer structure with a minimal LiM₂O₄ spinel phase as an impurity. This composition achieves an initial discharge capacity of 252 mAhg⁻¹ (1C = 250 mAhg⁻¹) and a 156 mAhg⁻¹ discharge capacity at 0.3 C on the 100th discharge, with an average voltage fade of 0.24 V. The optimization of fluorine composition results in an enhancement in the activation of the Li₂MnO₃-type monoclinic phase, as well as an increase in the electronic conductivity compared to the fluorine-free cathode. To understand the structural origin of this improved performance, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements were carried out on pristine and cycled MNF electrodes. Full article

This study investigates the properties of concrete incorporating recycled aggregates (RAs) for rigid pavement applications. A 15-point three-level experimental design was used to vary three composition factors: Portland cement substitution with fly ash (FA), and dosages of a superplasticizer (SP) and polypropylene fibers (PFs). A set of experimental–statistical models (ES models) was developed to predict the concrete strength, abrasion and frost resistance (FR), water absorption (WA), and global warming potential (GWP). This study aimed to develop a material that achieves both adequate mechanical performance for pavement applications and enhanced environmental sustainability by incorporating RAs and FA. The results demonstrate that replacing up to 13% of cement with FA does not compromise the splitting tensile strength or FR. For non-fibrous concrete, this substitution increases FR by approximately 50 freeze–thaw cycles. Application of PFs (2.4–3 kg/m³) enhances splitting tensile strength by 14–16% and improves FR by about 50 cycles. Using response surface methodology (RSM), optimal concrete compositions were identified that meet all target criteria: compressive strength ≥ 40 MPa, flexural strength ≥ 5 MPa, FR ≥ F200 (cycles), and abrasion resistance (AR) ≤ 0.5 g/cm², while simultaneously minimizing GWP. An additional optimum composition was determined by imposing a constraint on splitting tensile strength of ≥4.5 MPa. This graphical optimization approach, utilizing two-factor interaction diagrams, provides an effective and visual methodology for practical concrete mixture design. The novelty of the method lies in the discretization of the factor space, which enables efficient identification of optimal concrete mixture compositions. Full article

New glass-free low-temperature co-fired microwave dielectric composites with compositions (1–4x/3)Ba₃(VO₄)₂–xBaWO₄–(2x/3)Li₃VO₄ (x = 0.3–0.7) were fabricated by reactive liquid-phase sintering of (1–x)Ba₃(VO₄)₂–xLi₂WO₄ mixtures at 850 °C. During sintering, Li₂WO₄ is fully consumed by reacting with Ba₃(VO₄)₂ to form BaWO₄ and Li₃VO₄ while providing a transient liquid phase that promotes densification. As a result, the sintered ceramics achieve high relative densities of ≈94–98% at 850 °C. The relative fractions of Ba₃(VO₄)₂, BaWO₄, and Li₃VO₄ can be systematically tailored by adjusting the initial Li₂WO₄ content, enabling effective control of the temperature coefficient of the resonant frequency (${\tau }_f$) and the quality factor (Q × f). With increasing Li₂WO₄ content, the ${\tau }_f$ values shift from +23.97 to −45.48 ppm/°C, owing to the increasing contributions of the negative ${\tau }_f$ phases BaWO₄ and Li₃VO₄, while the Q × f values increase moderately from 44,300 to 47,300 GHz. The optimal microwave dielectric properties are obtained for x = 0.5, meaning ${\epsilon }_r$ = 9.19, Q × f = 45,900 GHz, and ${\tau }_f$ = −1.15 ppm/°C when sintering at 850 °C for 1 h. Chemical compatibility tests confirmed that the composites exhibit no detectable reaction with Ag electrodes, indicating that the Ba₃(VO₄)₂–BaWO₄–Li₃VO₄ system is a promising glass-free dielectric for LTCC applications requiring low firing temperature, near-zero thermal drift, and reliable electrode compatibility. Full article

Human activity recognition (HAR) lies at the core of digital healthcare applications that monitor different types of physical activity. Traditional HAR methods often struggle to adapt to variable-length, real-world activity data and to generalise across cohorts (e.g., from young to old cohorts). Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate HAR using wearable sensor data, with a particular focus on cross-cohort evaluation. Each dataset included two accelerometers (right thigh and lower back) sampling at 50 Hz, capturing a range of daily-life activities that were annotated using video recordings from chest-mounted cameras synchronised with the accelerometers. Neural networks were trained on young cohorts’ data and tested on old cohorts’ data. The effects of network architecture, sampling frequency and sensor location on classification performance were investigated. Network performance was evaluated using accuracy, recall, precision, F1-score and confusion matrices. The gated recurrent unit architecture achieved the best performance when trained solely on young cohorts’ data, with weighted F1-score of 0.95 ± 0.05 and 0.93 ± 0.05 for young and old cohorts, respectively, resulting in a highly generalizable method. Classification performance across multiple sampling frequencies was comparable. The thigh-mounted sensor consistently achieved higher performance than the lower back sensor across activities except lying. Furthermore, combining datasets significantly improved performance on the old cohort (weighted F1-score: 0.97 ± 0.02) due to increased variability in the training data. This study highlights the importance of network architecture and dataset composition in HAR and demonstrates the potential of neural networks for robust, real-world activity recognition across age-defined cohorts, specifically between young and old cohorts. Full article

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial metabolic syndrome characterized by progressive skeletal muscle and adipose tissue loss, systemic inflammation, and poor clinical outcomes, and represents a major unmet clinical need in gastric cancer. Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15) is a key mediator of cachexia-associated anorexia and tissue wasting; however, the upstream mechanisms regulating its expression in gastric cancer remain poorly defined. Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF), a pleiotropic cytokine implicated in tumor progression and metabolic dysregulation, has emerged as a potential regulator of cachexia-related pathways. Here, we investigated the association between LIF in regulating GDF15 expression and its relationship with metabolic, inflammatory, and body composition alterations in gastric cancer. Transcriptomic profiling of paired neoplastic and non-neoplastic gastric mucosa from 61 gastric cancer patients revealed a significant upregulation of both LIF and GDF15 in tumor tissue, with a strong positive correlation between their expression levels. High GDF15 expression was associated with reduced overall survival, a finding validated in independent TCGA-STAD and ACRG cohorts. Intratumoral bile acid profiling uncovered a marked enrichment of primary bile acids and a depletion of secondary bile acids, resulting in reduced levels of bile acids with endogenous LIF receptor (LIFR) antagonist activity; elevated primary, LIFR non-antagonist bile acids were associated with worse survival outcomes. Clinically, increased LIF and GDF15 expression correlated with weight loss, heightened inflammatory burden, reduced serum protein and albumin levels, and impaired body composition in a sub-cohort of 19 patients. Notably, LIF expression showed a significant inverse association with both lumbar skeletal muscle index (L3SMI) and subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI). Mechanistically, experimental models demonstrated that LIF enhances proliferative activity in gastric cancer spheroids and exerts paracrine effects that impair myogenic differentiation and suppress hepatic metabolic gene expression. Collectively, these findings identify the LIF/GDF15 axis as a central driver of cancer-associated cachexia in gastric cancer and highlight LIF signaling as a potential therapeutic target. Full article

Lithium thermal batteries are primary reserve batteries utilizing solid molten salt electrolytes. They are regarded as ideal power sources for high-reliability applications due to their high power density, rapid activation, long shelf life, wide operating temperature range, and excellent environmental adaptability. However, existing electrode systems are limited by insufficient conductivity and the use of high-impedance MgO binders. This results in sluggish electrode reaction kinetics and incomplete material conversion during high-temperature discharge, causing actual discharge capacities to fall far below theoretical values. To address this, FeS₂-CoS₂ multi-component composite cathode materials were synthesized via a high-temperature solid-phase method. Furthermore, two distinct MgO binders were systematically investigated: flake-like MgO (MgO-F) with a sheet-stacking structure and spherical MgO (MgO-S) with a low-tortuosity granular structure. Results indicate that while MgO-F offers superior electrolyte retention via physical confinement, its high tortuosity limits ionic conduction. In contrast, MgO-S facilitates the construction of a wettability-enhanced continuous ionic network, which effectively reduces interfacial impedance and enhances system conductivity. This regulation promoted Li⁺ migration and accelerated interfacial reaction kinetics. This study provides a feasible pathway for improving the electrochemical performance of lithium thermal batteries through morphology-oriented MgO binder regulation. Full article

The integration of omics technologies, including genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics, has transformed sports science, particularly soccer, by providing new opportunities to optimize player performance, reduce injury risk, and enhance recovery. This systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines and structured using the PICOS/PECOS framework. Comprehensive searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to August 2025. Eligible studies were peer-reviewed original research involving professional or elite soccer players that applied at least one omics approach to outcomes related to performance, health, recovery, or injury prevention. Reviews, conference abstracts, editorials, and studies not involving soccer or omics technologies were excluded. A total of 139 studies met the inclusion criteria. Across the included studies, a total of 19,449 participants were analyzed. Genomic investigations identified numerous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning key biological pathways. Cardiovascular and vascular genes (e.g., ACE, AGT, NOS3, VEGF, ADRA2A, ADRB1–3) were associated with endurance, cardiovascular regulation, and recovery. Genes related to muscle structure, metabolism, and hypertrophy (e.g., ACTN3, CKM, MLCK, TRIM63, TTN-AS1, HIF1A, MSTN, MCT1, AMPD1) were linked to sprint performance, metabolic efficiency, and muscle injury susceptibility. Neurotransmission-related genes (BDNF, COMT, DRD1–3, DBH, SLC6A4, HTR2A, APOE) influenced motivation, fatigue, cognitive performance, and brain injury recovery. Connective tissue and extracellular matrix genes (COL1A1, COL1A2, COL2A1, COL5A1, COL12A1, COL22A1, ELN, EMILIN1, TNC, MMP3, GEFT, LIF, HGF) were implicated in ligament, tendon, and muscle injury risk. Energy metabolism and mitochondrial function genes (PPARA, PPARG, PPARD, PPARGC1A, UCP1–3, FTO, TFAM) shaped endurance capacity, substrate utilization, and body composition. Oxidative stress and detoxification pathways (GSTM1, GSTP1, GSTT1, NRF2) influenced recovery and resilience, while bone-related variants (VDR, P2RX7, RANK/RANKL/OPG) were associated with bone density and remodeling. Beyond genomics, proteomics identified markers of muscle damage and repair, metabolomics characterized fatigue- and energy-related signatures, and microbiomics revealed links between gut microbial diversity, recovery, and physiological resilience. Evidence from omics research in soccer supports the potential for individualized approaches to training, nutrition, recovery, and injury prevention. By integrating genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics data, clubs and sports practitioners may design precision strategies tailored to each player’s biological profile. Future research should expand on multi-omics integration, explore gene–environment interactions, and improve representation across sexes, age groups, and competitive levels to advance precision sports medicine in soccer. Full article