Search Results (37)

This paper presents a preliminary investigation into the aeroelastic behavior of a tailless flying wing equipped with a rotating wingtip. Based on the configuration of Innovative Control Effectors (ICE) aircraft, an aeroelastic model of the tailless flying wing with a rotating wingtip has been developed. Both numerical simulation and wind tunnel tests (WTTs) are employed to study the aeroelastic characteristics of this unique design. The numerical simulation involves the coupling of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and implicit dynamic approaches (IDAs). Using the CFD/IDA coupling method, aeroelastic response results are obtained under different flow dynamic pressures. The critical flutter dynamic pressure is identified by analyzing the trend of the damping coefficient, with a focus on its transition from negative to positive values. Additionally, the critical flutter velocity and flutter frequency are obtained from the WTT results. The critical flutter parameters, including dynamic pressure, velocity, and flutter frequency, are examined under different wingtip rotation frequencies and angles. These parameters are derived using both the CFD/IDA coupling method and WTT. The results indicate that the rotating wingtip plays a significant role in influencing the flutter behavior of aircraft with such a configuration. Research has shown that the rotation characteristics of the rotating wingtip are the primary factor affecting its aeroelastic behavior, and increasing both the rotation frequency and rotation angle can raise the flutter boundary and effectively suppress flutter onset. Full article

Consumer perceptions of upcycled foods, as well as the determinants of food choices, are still not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of psychological and personal traits on purchase intention (PI) towards upcycled foods of Italian consumers. Additionally, willingness to try (WTT), willingness to buy (WTB), and willingness to pay (WTP) for yogurt, bread, and biscuits made with by-products, namely, hazelnut skin and grape pomace powder, were collected. A web-based survey involving 505 consumers was conducted, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to evaluate the model. It resulted that food neophobia and attitude towards upcycled foods had a significant impact on PI. In turn, attitude was affected by food neophobia as well as by objective knowledge about food by-products. Unexpectedly, frugality and environmental concern did not affect PI. WTP was product-specific; when WTP was compared to a reference price, it was higher for the yogurt prototype, followed by the bread and biscuits prototypes. Food neophobia affected WTT, WTB, and WTP. This study contributes to providing new insights into the determinants of consumers’ purchase intention for upcycled foods, which are an emerging category of products. Full article

Insects have been proposed as a sustainable protein alternative to conventional meat sources. However, consumer acceptance of edible insects is still low in the Western Hemisphere. This study examined how product characteristics and consumer beliefs influence the liking and willingness to try cricket-based food products. An online survey was conducted in the province of Alberta, Canada. Alberta is a major site for beef production and plays a vital role in Canada’s agricultural and economic landscape. Participants (n = 548) were asked to indicate their overall liking (OL) and willingness to try (WTT) a cricket-based snack in a conjoint analysis experiment. A 2 × 2 × 5 design was used for the product characteristics (type of product, presence of an image of the product, and product benefit claims). Each participant was assigned five product profiles using a balanced incomplete block design. The type of product (cricket chips and whole roasted crickets) was the most important attribute for participants. Product benefit claims did not effectively increase the OL or WTT of the cricket-based snacks. Higher scores on the Entomophagy Attitude Scale and previous experiences consuming insect-based food products positively influenced WTT and OL. The findings of this study underscore the significance of the type of product and personal attitudes towards entomophagy in shaping consumer preferences for sustainable protein sources and offer valuable insights for the development and marketing of insect-based food products in a Western market where meat products are accessible and affordable for many. Full article

Battery electrical vehicle (BEV) ownership has increased in recent years. There is a general concern over the life cycle of the batteries used in such vehicles. This study provides a comprehensive overview of electric vehicles, encompassing their technical evolution, autonomy, and ownership. The analysis delved into the various types of batteries utilized in these vehicles, examining the composition of their constituent materials and the mechanisms underlying their operation. Additionally, it assessed their performance in terms of energy density storage, recharge capabilities, autonomy, and prospects. A critical evaluation of electric vehicles and their internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) counterparts, considering the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) criterion, was conducted. The LCA criterion encompasses emissions during the entire lifecycle, from the “cradle” to the “tank” (WTT) and the “tank” until the end of its cycle (TTW). The findings of this study indicate that BEVs consistently outperformed ICEVs in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in all the sizes of vehicles studied. Full article

Background/Objectives: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) can explain how genetics influence morbidity and mortality in children. However, it is unclear whether health providers will perceive and use such treatments. We conducted a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to understand Italian health professionals’ preferences for NGS to improve the diagnosis of paediatric genetic diseases. Methods: The DCE was administered online to 125 health professionals in Italy. We documented attributes influencing professionals’ decisions of NGS, including higher diagnostic yield, shorter counselling periods, cost, turnaround time, and the identification of fewer variants of unknown significance. Results: Results show that factors such as higher diagnostic yield, shorter counselling periods, lower costs, and faster turnaround times positively influenced the adoption of NGS tests. Willingness to pay (WTP) estimates varied from EUR 387 (95% CI, 271.8–502.9) for 7% increase in the diagnostic yield to EUR 469 (95% CI, 287.2–744.9) for a decrease of one week in the turnaround time. Responders would reduce diagnostic yield by 7% to decrease the turnaround time by one week in both the preference and the willingness to trade (WTT) spaces. Respondents prioritised diagnostic yield (RI = 50.36%; 95% CI 40.2–67.2%) compared to other attributes. Conclusions: therefore, health professionals value NGS for allowing earlier, more accurate genetic diagnoses. Full article

The combination of different wood-modification technologies to obtain improved performance is increasingly receiving attention in research. In this study, Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) sapwood was impregnated with furfuryl alcohol (FFA) in pure aqueous 20, 40, and 60% solution strength without adding any catalyst. In a second step, the FFA was polymerized while simultaneously performing thermal modification in a closed system at 130, 150, or 180 °C. After leaching and ageing tests, the nine different combinations were tested in use class 4 applications (in contact with or very close to the ground and frequently wet) according to CEN/TS 15083-2 (2005) decay laboratory test. It was noted that even the minimum-intensity combination of 20% FFA at 130 °C resulted in maximum durability class (DC) 1 performance. On the contrary, DC 4 was assigned to thermally modified control samples, even at the maximum intensity of thermal modification. Similarly, for FFA modifications, previous research has suggested that an uptake of 35% solution strength is required to obtain an adequate durability performance in use class 4 applications. High levels of resistance against termites were also noted by corresponding termite lab tests. Moisture studies showed the combined treatments resulted in improved stability and reduced moisture uptakes. Thus, the results obtained by this study revealed synergistic performance effects, which originate from the combined thermo-chemical modification approach, and which were higher than simple accumulation of the individual performance of purely thermally or chemically modified wood. Thus, the presented findings have provided positive implications for industrial applications of thermo-chemical modification techniques and offers an array of new research opportunities. Full article

The development of sustainable food production requires reducing the strain from present production systems on the environment using novel/disruptive technologies, one of which is to use grass as an abundantly available raw material, either minimally processed grass or grass-derived ingredients. With grass supplies readily available and the potentially significant carbon footprint reduction that this technology offers, this is an opportunity for sustainable production of much-needed food ingredients for human consumption. This study investigates UK consumers’ acceptance of grass-derived ingredients and examines the factors influencing their willingness to adopt these innovations as part of their diets. This study was conducted through a cross-sectional study in the UK, in which the participants were divided into three groups based on meat avoidance, i.e., meat reducers, meat avoiders, and meat consumers. The key findings emphasise the importance of education on grass-derived products to enhance consumer awareness and confidence. Other factors—such as age, meat attachment, grass-derived ingredients’ characteristics, social norms, and attitudes—have influenced willingness to try (WTT)/accept grass-derived ingredients. The findings suggest that while grass-derived ingredients in human diets may struggle to gain positive perceptions, targeted product development and marketing strategies tailored to highlight grass-derived ingredients’ nutritional benefits and safety are key to reshaping perceptions and fostering consumer readiness for novel food technologies in the UK. Full article

In calcium nephrolithiasis (CaNL), most calcium kidney stones are identified as calcium oxalate (CaOx) with variable amounts of calcium phosphate (CaP), where CaP is found as the core component. The nucleation of CaP could be the first step of CaP+CaOx (mixed) stone formation. High urinary supersaturation of CaP due to hypercalciuria and an elevated urine pH have been described as the two main factors in the nucleation of CaP crystals. Our previous in vivo findings (in mice) show that transient receptor potential canonical type 3 (TRPC3)-mediated Ca²⁺ entry triggers a transepithelial Ca²⁺ flux to regulate proximal tubular (PT) luminal [Ca²⁺], and TRPC3-knockout (KO; -/-) mice exhibited moderate hypercalciuria and microcrystal formation at the loop of Henle (LOH). Therefore, we utilized TRPC3 KO mice and exposed them to both hypercalciuric [2% calcium gluconate (CaG) treatment] and alkalineuric conditions [0.08% acetazolamide (ACZ) treatment] to generate a CaNL phenotype. Our results revealed a significant CaP and mixed crystal formation in those treated KO mice (KOT) compared to their WT counterparts (WTT). Importantly, prolonged exposure to CaG and ACZ resulted in a further increase in crystal size for both treated groups (WTT and KOT), but the KOT mice crystal sizes were markedly larger. Moreover, kidney tissue sections of the KOT mice displayed a greater CaP and mixed microcrystal formation than the kidney sections of the WTT group, specifically in the outer and inner medullary and calyceal region; thus, a higher degree of calcifications and mixed calcium lithiasis in the kidneys of the KOT group was displayed. In our effort to find the Ca²⁺ signaling pathophysiology of PT cells, we found that PT cells from both treated groups (WTT and KOT) elicited a larger Ca²⁺ entry compared to the WT counterparts because of significant inhibition by the store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) inhibitor, Pyr6. In the presence of both SOCE (Pyr6) and ROCE (receptor-operated Ca²⁺ entry) inhibitors (Pyr10), Ca²⁺ entry by WTT cells was moderately inhibited, suggesting that the Ca²⁺ and pH levels exerted sensitivity changes in response to ROCE and SOCE. An assessment of the gene expression profiles in the PT cells of WTT and KOT mice revealed a safeguarding effect of TRPC3 against detrimental processes (calcification, fibrosis, inflammation, and apoptosis) in the presence of higher pH and hypercalciuric conditions in mice. Together, these findings show that compromise in both the ROCE and SOCE mechanisms in the absence of TRPC3 under hypercalciuric plus higher tubular pH conditions results in higher CaP and mixed crystal formation and that TRPC3 is protective against those adverse effects. Full article

Due to the influence of multiple tectonic movements in rift basins, the sequence and sedimentary filling modes of continental petroleum reservoirs are complex, which makes it difficult to establish isochronous stratigraphic frameworks and thus affects the accuracy of subsequent predictions of effective sand bodies. Taking the Guantao Formation of the Binxian uplift and the surrounding areas as an example, this study established the sequence stratigraphic framework of the Guantao Formation and discussed the controlling effect of sequence stratigraphy on sedimentary filling. According to a combination method of seismic data, well log data, the wavelet transform technique (WTT), and Integrated Prediction Error Filter Analysis (INPEFA) methods, the Guantao Formation in the study area can be divided into 1 long-term cycle (LNG), 4 mid-term cycles (MNG1–MNG4, from bottom to top), and 11 short-term cycles (SNG1–SNG11, from bottom to top). Based on comprehensive analysis of geological and seismic data, three sedimentary facies can be classified: alluvial fan facies, braided fluvial facies, and meandering fluvial facies. The sequence stratigraphic style of the study area has a significant controlling effect on sedimentation and sand body distribution. Different levels of cycles have different impacts on sedimentary facies/microfacies types, the development degree of each sedimentary microfacies, and sand body distribution. The long-term cycle controls the distribution of sedimentary facies, while the mid-term and short-term cycles control the distribution of sedimentary microfacies. The bottom interface of the Guantao Formation (T1) served as the dominant migration channel in the study area, connecting the reservoir and source rocks. When the base-level was in the low stage (MNG1), a large amount of sand bodies developed, forming favorable reservoirs for petroleum. The interlayers at the top of the long- and mid-term cycles served as seal layers to prevent oil and gas from escaping. The MNG1 cycle has a good combination of reservoir and seal, resulting in the accumulation of oil and gas in the MNG1 strata, which became the main oil- and gas-producing layer in the area. These study results can provide effective guidance for future prediction of the distribution of sand bodies and high-quality reservoirs. Full article

The generalized Maxwell (GM) constitutive model has been widely applied to characterize the viscoelastic properties of asphalt mixtures. The parameters (Prony series) of the GM are usually obtained via interconversion between a dynamic modulus and relaxation modulus, and they are then input to a finite element model (FEM) as viscoelastic parameters. However, the dynamic modulus obtained with the common loading mode only provides the compressive and tensile properties of materials. Whether the compression or tensile modulus can represent the shear properties of materials related to flow rutting is still open to discussion. Therefore, this study introduced a novel method that integrates the Kriging model into the genetic algorithm as a surrogate model to determine the viscoelastic parameters of an asphalt mixture in rutting research. Firstly, a wheel tracking test (WTT) for AC-13 was conducted to clarify the flow rutting development mechanism. Secondly, two sets of the AC-13 viscoelastic parameters obtained through the optimization method and the dynamic modulus were used as inputs into the FEM simulation of the WTT to compare the simulation results. Finally, a sensitivity analysis of viscoelastic parameters was performed to improve the efficiency of parameter optimization. The results indicating the viscoelastic parameters obtained by this method could precisely characterize the development law of flow rutting in asphalt mixtures. Full article

Natural products such as domestic herbal drugs which are easily accessible and cost-effective can be used as a complementary treatment in mild and moderate COVID-19 cases. This study aimed to detect and describe the efficiency of phenolics detected in the galangal–cinnamon mixture in the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2’s different protein targets. The potential antiviral effect of galangal–cinnamon aqueous extract (GCAE) against Low Pathogenic HCoV-229E was assessed using cytopathic effect inhibition assay and the crystal violet method. Low Pathogenic HCoV-229E was used as it is safer for in vitro laboratory experimentation and due to the conformation and the binding pockets similarity between HCoV-229E and SARS-CoV-2 M^Pro. The GCAE showed a significant antiviral effect against HCoV-229E (IC₅₀ 15.083 µg/mL). Twelve phenolic compounds were detected in the extract with ellagic, cinnamic, and gallic acids being the major identified phenolic acids, while rutin was the major identified flavonoid glycoside. Quantum-chemical calculations were made to find molecular properties using the DFT/B3LYP method with 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set. Quantum-chemical values such as EHOMO, ELUMO, energy gap, ionization potential, chemical hardness, softness, and electronegativity values were calculated and discussed. Phenolic compounds detected by HPLC-DAD-UV in the GCAE were docked into the active site of 3 HCoV-229E targets (PDB IDs. 2ZU2, 6U7G, 7VN9, and 6WTT) to find the potential inhibitors that block the Coronavirus infection pathways from quantum and docking data for these compounds. There are good adaptations between the theoretical and experimental results showing that rutin has the highest activity against Low Pathogenic HCoV-229E in the GCAE extract. Full article

This paper presents a multidisciplinary approach to understand the impacts of temperature increase on the retention of particulate pollutants, such as heavy metals and microplastics, by the road pavement material. A soil with a particle size distribution similar to road dust was selected. A Wheel Tracking device was used to assess the permanent deformation behavior of prismatic specimens and the retention of the dust, at controlled temperatures of 40 °C and 60 °C, likely to occur on pavement in the future. The soil representing road pollutants was placed at the top of the slabs prior to the Wheel Tracking Test (WTT), based on the European Standard EN 12697-22:2020. After the WTT, two common methods were used, in order to evaluate the soil retention (pollution accumulation) on road pavement. The results confirm that the viscoelastic behavior of bituminous mixtures under increased temperatures can contribute to particle retention at the pavement. Future studies are needed to understand the phenomena, the retention characteristics by different bituminous mixtures, and the efficiency of pollutants capture. The work opens the opportunity to develop innovative road pavement bituminous mixtures that can reduce the discharge of road particulate pollutants, and have increased resilience and sustainability in extreme weather conditions. Full article

Lightning rod structures are susceptible to wind loads due to their high slenderness ratio, high flexibility, and light weight. The wind-induced dynamic response of a lightning rod is critical for structural safety and reliability. The traditional methods for this response, including observation and simulation, focus on structural health monitoring (SHM), wind tunnel tests (WTTs), or fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulations. However, all these approaches require considerable financial or computational investment. Additionally, problems such as data loss or data anomalies in the sensor monitoring process often occur during SHM or WTTs. This paper proposes an algorithm based on a long short-term memory (LSTM) network to predict the wind-induced dynamic response and to solve the problem of data link fracture caused by abnormal sensor data transmission or wind-induced damage to lightning rod structures under different wind speeds. The effectiveness and applicability of the proposed framework are demonstrated using actual monitoring data. Root-mean-squared error (RMSE), determination of coefficient (R²), variance accounted for (VAF), and the refined Willmott index (RWI) are employed as performance assessment indices for the proposed network model. At the same time, the random forest algorithm is adopted to analyze the correlation between the data of the different measurement points on the lightning rod structure. The results show that the LSTM method proposed in this paper has a high accuracy for the prediction of “missing” strain data during lightning rod strain monitoring under wind speeds of 15.81~31.62 m/s. Even under the extreme wind speed of 31.62 m/s, the values of RMSE, MAE, R², RWI and VAF are 0.24053, 0.18213, 0.94539, 0.88172 and 0.94444, respectively, which are within the acceptable range. Using the data feature importance analysis function, it is found that the predicted strain data of the measurement point on the top part of the lightning rod structure are closely related to the test strain data of the two adjacent sections of the structure, and the effect of the test strain data of the measurement points that are far from the predicted measurement point can be ignored. Full article

Vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines (ICE) are major contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. Alternatives such as electric, hydrogen fuel cell and biofuel-based propulsions are being considered as a replacement for the well-established ICE vehicles to reduce GHG emissions and provide sustainable transportation. This paper will compare various heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) propulsion combinations using a well-to-wheel (WTW) analysis, separated into two parts: Well-to-Tank (WTT) and Tank-to-Wheel (TTW). The WTW analysis of ICE HDV is based on a Euro VI heavy-duty test engine coupled to an engine dynamometer. The energy consumption and GHG emissions are measured, not estimated, providing a closer to real-life comparison. The paper will provide a detailed comparison of alternative propulsions to the internal combustion engine based on WTW analysis. Final results suggest, even with the EU’s fairly fossil energy carrier-dependent energy mix, the usage of electric propulsion systems can reach up to 56% of GHG emission cut compared to conventional ICE. Full article

The primary objective of this research was to open a promising avenue for designing new low-cost precipitation-hardened Al base alloys in semblance with the desired mechanical properties that can be exploited in the fabrication of lightweight exoskeleton frames, prosthetics, and wheelchair components. In multicomponent Al-Cu-based systems (2xxx), the substitution of elements such as copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), and akin Cu/Mg ratio are mainly manipulated to improve the mechanical strength of these alloys. Nonetheless, these kinds of alloying optimizations are not well suited from the cost and sustainability points of view. The starting point of the present work is to screen out the optimum value of the Ag/Sn ratio, which can be a potential substitute for the conventional Cu/Mg alloy ratio in Al-Cu-Mg-based ternary alloys without sacrificing its key features of mechanical properties. Based on our microstructural and mechanical results, it was found that the chemical composition and microstructure were the most important variables influencing the mechanical properties. The increase in the mechanical strength of our alloys was mainly attributed to the precipitation hardening phenomenon. Typically, at peak-aged conditions, the correlation between the mechanical and subsequent microstructural analysis revealed that the synergistic increase in Ag and Sn content in the Al-Cu-Mg-based alloy led to an improvement in the mechanical strength and its trade-offs by changing the shape and distribution of the micron-scaled second phase in the matrix. From optical microscopy and subsequent scanning electron microscopy analyses, this continuous precipitated phase in the matrix is identified as the Mg₂Sn phase, which is mainly elicited from the solid-state reaction during artificial aging treatment. Indeed, the presence of suitable microstructure at the peak aged condition that has uniformly dispersed, micron-scale Mg₂Sn phase proved to be very useful in blocking the dislocation glide and increasing the mechanical strength of the alloys during tensile testing. This combination of precipitation-hardening phases has not been previously observed in alloys with higher or lower Cu/Mg ratios. Among the studied alloys, the alloy having Ag/Sn ratio of 23 (and chemical composition of Al-4 Cu-0.5 Mg-0.7 Ag-0.03 Sn (wt.%)-T6 (denoted as Al-loy-4) exhibited an average ultimate tensile strength of 450 MPa which is almost four times larger than the pure aluminum having an ultimate tensile strength of 90 MPa currently used in healthcare and medical industries. Full article