Search Results (3,939)

The invasive plant Datura stramonium L. possesses strong reproductive capacity and ecological adaptability, showing a tendency to spread rapidly, especially in highly human-disturbed habitats. To explore its resource utilization pathway—turning waste into wealth—and to address toxic metal pollution in strongly human-disturbed areas (such as mining regions), this study evaluates its phytoremediation potential in contaminated soils on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. We established a non-planted control and three planting density treatments to compare the removal rates of Pb, Cd, Cr, and As. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess how planting density influences the multi-metal phytoremediation performance of this invasive species in a high-altitude plateau environment. The results showed that planting significantly increased toxic metal removal rates, with overall efficiency generally improving at higher densities, particularly for Cr. Analysis of bioconcentration and translocation factors revealed distinct element-specific accumulation patterns. Pb and As were primarily enriched and retained in the roots. Interestingly, while Cd exhibited a strong localized tendency to accumulate in the leaves, its overall root-to-shoot translocation remained relatively restricted at the whole-plant level, similar to Cr. Overall, D. stramonium functions primarily through root stabilization for Pb, As, and Cr, alongside partial aboveground accumulation for Cd. However, given its toxic and invasive nature, any practical phytoremediation application requires strict post-harvest biomass management and ecological monitoring to prevent secondary spread. Full article

Augmenting aquaculture feeds with black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae is an emerging solution to the industry’s fishmeal and fish oil dependence. However, the larva’s nutritional plasticity often results in bioaccumulation of metals from the rearing substrates. Larvae can be nutritionally enriched with microalgae, but research investigating growth impacts and metals uptake are lacking. In this study, a Stichococcaceae algae strain that is used to phycoremediate effluent from commercial anaerobic digesters was investigated as a rearing substrate. Larvae were reared on chicken feed enriched with stepped ratios of algae and spent coffee grounds (a reference waste feed). Growth, survival and metals content (ICP-OES) were recorded when 10% of larvae were prepupal. Survival was >98.5% across all treatments with a trend of increased growth with microalgal inclusion, and no significant impact of metals on growth. Metals uptake as determined by a bioaccumulation factor was significantly lower in the highest algae treatment compared to the coffee-only treatment. Larvae consistently accumulated cadmium and lead whereas arsenic bioaccumulation was only observed in three treatments. Cadmium had the highest bioaccumulation factor (up to 4.06) and arsenic the lowest (down to 0.41). Larvae did not exceed current European Union maximum metal ions levels for inclusion into aquafeeds. These findings highlight the potential of using Stichococcaceae to enrich black soldier fly larvae, offering a dual sustainable solution for wastewater remediation and aquaculture feed provision. Full article

Nickel (Ni) is a ubiquitous trace metal, yet its physiological dynamics and dose-dependent roles in skeletal biology remain unclear. Here we combined elemental mapping, cellular assays, multi-omics and mouse models to define how Ni availability modulates osteogenesis. Ni, together with Manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu), was readily detectable in serum from both mice and humans. In situ LA–ICP–MS further showed that Ni levels in embryonic calvaria rose significantly across stages and CaO exhibited a consistent upward trend, suggesting coordinated accumulation of Ni with cranial mineralization. In vitro, Ni exerted biphasic effects on bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs): high-dose Ni (100 μM) suppressed proliferation, elevated ROS, and induced time-dependent upregulation of Hmox1 and Nos2, consistent with escalating oxidative/nitrosative stress. By contrast, low-dose Ni (0.1 μM) enhanced matrix mineralization, whereas this pro-mineralization effect was attenuated at higher concentrations. In vivo, both Ni deprivation and Ni overload impaired bone formation: a Ni-free diet caused trabecular rarefaction and reduced mineral apposition, while high Ni hindered bone development of mice, especially in the early-stage intake. Mechanistically, RNA-seq and Ni-NTA proteomics identified Ni-driven osteogenic transcriptional remodeling and increased Ni-binding proteins, prioritizing integrin-linked kinase (ILK) as a Ni-inducible binder. ILK was required for osteogenic differentiation, and low-dose Ni activated AKT–mTOR signaling in an ILK-dependent manner. Finally, low-dose Ni-pretreated collagen scaffolds enhanced calvarial defect repair. Together, these findings define a narrow physiological window in which Ni supports osteogenesis via ILK–AKT–mTOR, whereas both deficiency and excess disrupt skeletal accrual. Full article

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) is a cost-effective and scalable technique for producing large metallic components; however, coarse columnar microstructures, strong crystallographic texture, and significant residual stresses limit its widespread adoption. Hybrid WAAM processes that integrate deformation-based techniques have been developed to address these limitations. This review provides an analysis of deformation-assisted WAAM, covering interlayer rolling, friction stir processing (FSP), machine hammer peening, laser shock peening, and ultrasonic-vibration-assisted techniques. These hybrid techniques introduce additional thermomechanical parameters (strain, strain rate, and applied stress) that significantly influence microstructure evolution. The governing physical metallurgy mechanisms are discussed in detail, including dislocation accumulation, recovery, static and dynamic recrystallization, and severe plastic deformation. Studies from 2022 to 2025 are critically reviewed, highlighting the effectiveness of hybrid WAAM in promoting columnar-to-equiaxed grain transformation, reducing anisotropy, mitigating defects, and improving mechanical properties across aluminum, titanium, steels, and nickel-based alloys. The integration of auxiliary processes such as in situ machining and heat treatment is also discussed. This review establishes a process–structure–property framework for hybrid WAAM and provides guidance for the development of advanced additive manufacturing systems for the production of near-net-shape components, with reported yield-strength gains of 20–40%, elongation gains of 10–30%, and fatigue-life improvements of up to 60% relative to as-built WAAM. Full article

High-frequency immersed plasma discharge represents an efficient method for the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in liquid media, leading to complex redox and oxidative processes in biologically relevant systems. Although plasma-generated reactive species in liquids have been widely investigated, it remains insufficiently understood how working-gas-dependent plasma chemistry translates into oxidative outcomes in iron-containing model systems, where plasma-derived species may interact with transition-metal redox cycling. The novelty of this study lies in the combined assessment of gas-dependent RONS accumulation, deoxyribose oxidative degradation, and plasma-induced changes in Fe(II) availability using a high-frequency immersed plasma discharge. Herein, we examined whether treatment with high-frequency immersed discharge influences the redox state of iron in a working gas-dependent manner, thereby affecting oxidative degradation in the deoxyribose model. Plasma treatment was performed under air and argon working gas conditions, and oxidative degradation was evaluated using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA-RS) assay. In parallel, the concentrations of long-lived reactive species, including hydrogen peroxide, nitrites, and nitrates, were determined spectrophotometrically. The results demonstrated a treatment-time-dependent increase in oxidative degradation and reactive species accumulation, with more pronounced oxidative effects observed under argon plasma conditions. In the presence of ferrous ions, plasma treatment resulted in a gas-dependent effect, characterized by a synergistic enhancement of oxidative degradation under argon and a biphasic effect under air. Most notably, in Fe(II)-containing samples, 10 min of argon plasma treatment increased TBA-RS formation to approximately 2.7-fold of the Fe(II) control, whereas air plasma produced a biphasic response, with an initial decrease followed by an approximately 40% increase at the longest exposure time. Additional experiments suggest that plasma may influence the redox state and availability of ferrous ions, thereby affecting their participation in Fenton-type reactions and radical-mediated processes. The findings suggest that the overall oxidative outcome in plasma-treated systems is governed not only by the concentration of plasma-generated reactive species but also by plasma-induced modifications of transition metal redox chemistry. These preliminary results on the combined roles of plasma-generated reactive species and transition-metal chemistry contribute to understanding plasma–liquid interactions in such systems. Full article

Marine macroalgae, microalgae, and associated microorganisms are increasingly recognised as valuable sources of bioactive compounds with applications across biotechnology and health. The environmental and ecological conditions they inhabit shape their metabolite diversity, leading to the production of high-value compounds such as sulphated polysaccharides, lipids, pigments, phenolics, and peptides. These compounds exhibit conserved biological activities that underpin potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, and pro-regenerative effects with strong potential for translation. Although external factors drive rich metabolite diversity, continual variation can also lead to translational constraints including heavy-metal accumulation, inconsistency in extract composition, and regulatory complexity. This review examines the environmental drivers of metabolite diversity and the functional potential of bioactives derived from marine algae. We focus on their translational application within four areas of growing interest: nutraceuticals, cosmetics, regenerative medicine, and oncology, where emerging evidence suggests their promise as next-generation bioactive ingredients and therapeutic leads. In addition, insights from Irish and Welsh Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are collated to identify key bottlenecks in commercialisation and the requirements for effective marine biodiscovery pipelines. We consider the importance of controlled cultivation, standardised analytics, preclinical testing platforms, and collaborative innovation ecosystems and highlight the need for coordinated scientific, technical, and regulatory advances to unlock the full translational potential of marine-derived compounds. Full article

Background. The highly mutable influenza virus causes severe annual infections worldwide and results in substantial socioeconomic losses. The spread of infection could be effectively controlled by cross-protective vaccines and universal diagnostic test systems based on the nucleoprotein (NP) as one of the most conserved viral antigens. However, NP also undergoes slow evolutionary changes, and little is known about the influence of these mutations on its antigenicity and immunogenicity. Methods. We expressed the full-length recombinant 6xHis-tagged NPs of ten evolutionary distant influenza A strains of different subtypes in E. coli BL21(DE3) cells and purified these proteins by immobilized metal affinity chromatography. The obtained antigens were identified by mass spectrometry and serological methods. NPs served as antigens for three immunizations of BALB/c mice (15 µg/animal at 14-day interval) and as capturing proteins in ELISA at 2 µg/mL, in order to study the effect of adaptive mutations on the antigenic and immunogenic properties of NPs. Results. A pronounced cross-reactivity of anti-NP antibodies induced in mice by immunization with different NPs was revealed. At the same time, we observed the differences in the humoral immunogenicity of NP, which are in line with the accumulation of evolutionarily driven NP mutations. In general, antibody affinity to heterologous NPs was reduced, indicating the differences in the specificity of anti-NP immunoglobulins, which may be caused by evolutionarily determined variability of immunogenic epitopes leading to the emergence of escape mutations. Conclusions. Overall, our results reflect the slightly evolving nature of the NP antigen, which influences the specificity spectrum of anti-NP antibodies and should be considered as a limitation for the development of NP-based cross-protective vaccines and test systems. Full article

Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity is a permanent, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss occurring in up to 80% of treated patients. Its defining and clinically challenging feature is the progressive worsening of auditory function that continues well after chemotherapy has ended, a trajectory that cannot be explained by cumulative dose alone. This article is a comprehensive review of the present research studies on mechanisms that are responsible for this post-treatment progression. The cochlea, unlike other organs, appears to be unable to eliminate platinum (the active divalent metal ion released from cisplatin and responsible for its cytotoxic and ototoxic effects): traces of it can be found in human temporal bone tissue even more than 18 months after last infusion, and bone might serve as a long-term systemic reservoir. Within the inner ear, platinum accumulates preferentially in the stria vascularis, impairing endocochlear potential and outer hair cell function. Retained platinum sustains cascading effects including sustained NOX3-dependent oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, ongoing genotoxic injury to non-regenerative cells, and the early loss of ribbon synapses that precipitates delayed spiral ganglion neurodegeneration. Pharmacogenetic variability in platinum transport and antioxidant metabolism further modulates individual susceptibility. These findings support lifelong audiological surveillance and provide a basis for designing strategies that can protect hearing without compromising the essential anticancer efficacy of cisplatin therapy. Full article

Hydrothermal activity plays a critical role in ancient oceanic environments, organic matter accumulation, and metallic ore deposit formation. During the Early Cambrian, the development of hydrothermal systems in the southern Anhui Province of the Lower Yangtze Block has long attracted geological attention. This study focuses on the Lower Cambrian black shales of the Hongtaocun (HTC) section in the southern Anhui Province, employing major- and trace-element analyses, rare earth element (REE) geochemistry, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) observations to identify evidence for Early Cambrian hydrothermal activity on the Yangtze Platform and its controls on mineralization. Our results demonstrate that major-element proxies classify the HTC samples as biogenic, but this classification is demonstrably incorrect given the mineralogical and REE evidence, which highlights the limitations of major-element discrimination alone. Hyalophane (Hy) occurrence records Ba-rich hydrothermal fluids, while positive Eu anomalies in the REE patterns further corroborate hydrothermal influence. We, therefore, emphasize that major-element chemistry alone is insufficient to reliably identify hydrothermal processes. These findings substantially advance the discrimination criteria for ancient seafloor hydrothermal activity. Full article

This paper develops a novel coupled model to predict the thermal behavior of a high-temperature fast heat storage unit, integrating Power-to-Heat technology with steam generation. A phase change material (PCM) made of a ZnAl₆ metal alloy is used for heat storage. Electricity is used to charge the battery, and the stored energy is used to produce superheated steam during discharge. The coupled model was based on a 3D multiphase CFD model of the heat storage unit and a 1D multiphase water boiling model implemented in Python language. The CFD model solves the transient conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy using the enthalpy–porosity method to describe phase change, while heat transfer to water is represented by a coupled 1D boiling model. The paper also presents a preliminary design, a computational strategy, and boundary conditions for the operating modes, providing an analytical foundation for detailed engineering, production, and implementation in real-world industrial environments. The presented results confirmed the correct operation of the model and enabled the evaluation of system performance, discharge behavior, and validation of the geometric assumptions required to achieve the target steam parameters. The proposed modular design allows for system scalability, while the entire system is a response to the daily variability of electricity prices resulting from periodic reductions in demand and overproduction of electricity from renewable sources. Estimated thermal behavior of the thermal storage unit for the discharging scenario allows reaching constant output power at the level of 200 kW for 85 min. Integration with a cooling reduction station allows constant system power output to be maintained by increasing the mass flow rate as the steam parameters decrease from over 400 ${}^{\circ }$C to 200 ${}^{\circ }$C with a lowering state of charge. Full article

Egypt’s largest coastal lagoon, Manzala Lagoon, has undergone severe degradation due to sediment infilling, aquatic vegetation proliferation, and untreated wastewater. It has shrunk from 805 km² in 1985 to 525 km² by 2017, with poor water quality and heavy metal accumulation. The 2017–2022 restoration project deepened the lagoon to 3–4 m, restoring 750 km² of open water and temporarily improving water quality. However, the reuse of dredged sediments to construct 13 elongated sand barriers and man-made islands inadvertently created semi-isolated sub-basins, disrupting east–west circulation, fostering localized stagnation, and coinciding with vegetation resurgence and seasonal algal blooms. This study employs coupled CMS-Flow and CMS-Wave modeling to evaluate hydrodynamic conditions and test innovative restoration strategies. Four scenarios were analyzed: pre-purification (2017), post-intervention project (2025), and two proposed interventions aimed at restoring connectivity, either through complete barrier removal or selective channel excavation, to enhance east–west water circulation and reduce stagnation. This study demonstrates that targeted, data-driven interventions can rapidly restore water circulation, revive ecological function, and optimize management strategies, providing a conceptually transferable framework for hydrodynamic assessment and sustainable management of coastal lagoons subject to similar anthropogenic pressures. Full article

The cohesion zone of a blast furnace is instrumental in determining the gas-dynamic regime and the efficiency of reducing gas utilization. The extent of this phenomenon is contingent upon the initial and final temperatures at which iron ore undergoes softening, which, in turn, are determined by the chemical and phase composition, as well as the degree of reduction of the charge. The present study investigated sinter with a basicity (CaO/SiO₂) ranging from 1.2 to 3.0 using a combination of methods. The experimental program involved the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD) with refinement using the Rietveld method, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and load-dependent softening tests. It was established that as the basicity increased, the content of the calcium–aluminum silicoferrite (SFCA) binder phase increased from 6.2 to 17.5 wt.%, whilst the amount of hematite decreased from 12.6 to 2.3 wt.%. The softening onset temperature increases from 1185 to 1260 °C, the softening end temperature from 1345 to 1415 °C, and the softening interval narrows from 160 to 155 °C. The evolution of the phase composition of sinter during controlled reduction (0–95%) has been investigated for the first time. It has been demonstrated that the maximum accumulation of wustite (FeO) is attained at a reduction degree of 40–60%, irrespective of the basicity of the substance. It is precisely in this range that the minimum softening start (1040–1065 °C) and end (1170–1210 °C) temperatures are observed, which is associated with the formation of low-melting eutectics. The sinter belongs to the CaO–SiO₂–FeO–Al₂O₃–MgO system, and the softening behavior is governed by the FeO–CaO–SiO₂ system where low-melting eutectics form. When the reduction rate exceeds 60%, the metallic phase becomes dominant, leading to an increase in softening temperatures and a narrowing of the cohesion zone. It is evident from the data obtained that the optimal basicity range of the sinter is 2.0–2.5. Furthermore, it is recommended that a reduction degree of at least 60% is implemented in order to improve gas dynamics and increase blast furnace productivity. The findings can be utilized to enhance the efficiency of charge materials and refine mathematical models of the blast furnace process. Full article

Accurate prediction of the behavior of alloys and metal matrix composites during high-temperature deformation requires strict consideration of the loading history. To address this problem, a hybrid rheological model for flow stress prediction has been developed, combining a phenomenological description of the yield stress with a recurrent neural network based on the NARX (Nonlinear AutoRegressive with eXogenous inputs) architecture. The memory effect is formed by expanding the input parameters with the response values from the previous step. The identification of the weight coefficients of the NARX neural network is implemented by training an equivalent multilayer perceptron. To improve the generalization ability of the model and eliminate its dependence on a fixed discretization step, the training dataset includes data obtained under non-monotonic changes in the strain rate over time and a variable time interval. The article justifies the structure of the model input parameters, excluding the accumulated strain from the input set due to its lack of informativeness during active softening processes. Verification of the hybrid model on the 7075/2.5% TiC composite in the temperature range of 300–500 °C demonstrated an average relative error of 1.5% when predicting modes that were not involved in the training. The predicted flow stress values fall within the experimental scatter interval of ±5% and accurately reproduce the local features of the flow stress curves. The proposed model and its identification technique provide correct consideration of the deformation history under the complex interaction of hardening and softening processes. Full article

Bivalves are widely used in aquatic monitoring, but the potential of their shells to provide comparative metal signatures remains insufficiently explored in the Caspian Sea. This study quantified major and trace elements in empty shells of five bivalve genera (Cerastoderma, Didacna, Dreissena, Hypanis, and Mytilaster) collected from a single shell accumulation site on the southern Caspian coast. The aim was to assess intergeneric variability and provide a preliminary comparative framework for shell-based metal profiling. Element concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and median concentrations, internal residual enrichment factors, relative concentration factors, a relative multielement loading index, and centered log-ratio principal component analysis were applied as within-dataset comparative tools. Significant differences among genera were found for most elements. Dreissena and Cerastoderma showed the highest relative multielement loading, with comparatively elevated values of Cr, Fe, and Hg, whereas Hypanis showed marked element-specific deviations, particularly for Cu and Co. In contrast, Mytilaster and Didacna generally showed lower overall relative loading, although Mytilaster also displayed a strong Co-specific pattern. PCA-clr analysis showed structured genus-related separation based on multielement shell composition, with contrasting associations among Al, As, Cr, Fe, Co, Cu, Hg, and carbonate- or shell-associated elements such as Ba, Mg, Sr, Ti, and Zn. Overall, the results indicate that Caspian bivalve shells display distinct genus-related multielement profiles. Within the limitations of a single-site shell-accumulation dataset and the absence of paired environmental, tissue, mineralogical, and microstructural data, these findings should be interpreted as a preliminary comparative assessment rather than as evidence of environmental contamination or validated bioindicator performance. The results identify genera and elements that may deserve priority in future shell-based biomonitoring studies after validation with living populations, broader spatial replication, and paired sediment, water, particulate, and soft-tissue data. Full article

Blueberry anthocyanins (BAs) exhibit strong antioxidant and lipid-regulating activities; however, their chemical instability and low oral bioavailability limit their practical application. In this study, two plant-based bilayer nanocarriers were developed using soybean lecithin as the lipid core and gum arabic (GA) or carrageenan (CGN) as the shell polysaccharide. The optimized systems achieved encapsulation efficiencies of 79.7% and 81.9%, respectively. Structural analyses showed that anthocyanins were stably incorporated into the carriers through multiple non-covalent interactions and transformed from a crystalline to an amorphous state. The two shell polysaccharides exhibited distinct conformation-dependent protective behaviors: GA provided better thermal protection, whereas CGN showed superior resistance to light, metal ions, ascorbic acid, and simulated intestinal digestion. After INFOGEST digestion, anthocyanin retention in the intestinal phase was 47% and 51% for the GA- and CGN-coated systems, respectively, and antioxidant activity was better preserved than in the free anthocyanin group. In an oleic-acid-induced HepG2 lipid accumulation model, the CGN carrier showed good biocompatibility and significantly enhanced the lipid-lowering effect of anthocyanins, with the most pronounced reduction in intracellular triglycerides. These results indicate that the CGN carrier has considerable potential for maintaining anthocyanin stability, modulating digestive behavior, and enhancing biological efficacy, and provide a reference for the design of plant-based delivery systems for bioactive ingredients. Full article