Search Results (351)

A modular strategy for the molecular design of silicone-based antifoaming agents was developed by precisely controlling the architecture of poly (methylhydrosiloxane) (PMHS). Sixteen PMHS variants were synthesized by systematically varying the siloxane chain length (L1–L4), backbone composition (D₃T₁ vs. D₃₀T₁), and terminal group chemistry (H- vs. M-type). These structural modifications resulted in a broad range of Si-H functionalities, which were quantitatively analyzed and correlated with defoaming performance. The PMHS matrices were integrated with high-viscosity PDMS, a nonionic surfactant, and covalently grafted fumed silica—which was chemically matched to each PMHS backbone—to construct formulation-specific defoaming systems with enhanced interfacial compatibility and colloidal stability. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization via FT-IR, ¹H NMR, GPC, TGA, and surface tension analysis revealed a nonmonotonic relationship between Si-H content and defoaming efficiency. Formulations containing 0.1–0.3 wt% Si-H achieved peak performance, with suppression efficiencies up to 96.6% and surface tensions as low as 18.9 mN/m. Deviations from this optimal range impaired performance due to interfacial over-reactivity or reduced mobility. Furthermore, thermal stability and molecular weight distribution were found to be governed by repeat unit architecture and terminal group selection. Compared with conventional EO/PO-modified commercial defoamers, the PMHS-based systems exhibited markedly improved suppression durability and formulation stability in high-viscosity environments. These results establish a predictive structure–property framework for tailoring antifoaming agents and highlight PMHS-based formulations as advanced foam suppressors with improved functionality. This study provides actionable design criteria for high-performance silicone materials with strong potential for application in thermally and mechanically demanding environments such as coating, bioprocessing, and polymer manufacturing. Full article

Calcium–magnesium (Ca–Mg) carbonates are among the most widely distributed carbonates in the Earth’s surface environment, and their formation mechanisms are of great significance for revealing geological environmental changes and carbon sequestration processes. In this study, the gas diffusion method was employed with L-glutamic acid, L-glycine, and L-lysine as nucleation templates for carbonate minerals to systematically investigate their regulatory effects on the mineralization of Ca–Mg carbonates. The results demonstrated that L-glycine, with the shortest length, was more conducive to forming aragonite, whereas acidic L-glutamic acid, which contains more carboxyl groups, was more beneficial for the structural stability of aragonite. The morphology of the Ca-Mg carbonate minerals became more diverse and promoted the formation of spherical and massive mineral aggregates under the action of amino acids. Moreover, the amino acids significantly increased the MgCO₃ content in Mg calcite (L-glutamic acid: 10.86% > L-glycine: 7.91% > L-lysine: 6.63%). The acidic L-glutamic acid likely promotes the dehydration and incorporation of Mg²⁺ into the Mg calcite lattice through the preferential adsorption of Mg²⁺ via its side-chain carboxyl groups. This study shows how amino acid functional groups influence Ca–Mg carbonate mineralization and provides insights into biogenic Mg-rich mineral origins and advanced mineral material synthesis. Full article

This paper presents a comprehensive statistical analysis of the Gumbel Type-II distribution based on joint progressive Type-II censoring. It derives the maximum likelihood estimators for the distribution parameters and constructs their asymptotic confidence intervals. It investigates Bayesian estimation using non-informative and informative priors under the squared error loss function and the LINEX loss function, applying Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. A detailed simulation study evaluates the estimators’ performance in terms of average estimates, mean squared errors, and average confidence interval lengths. Results show that Bayesian estimators can outperform maximum likelihood estimators, especially with informative priors. A real data example demonstrates the practical use of the proposed methods. The analysis confirms that the Gumbel Type-II distribution with joint progressive censoring provides a flexible and effective model for lifetime data, enabling more accurate reliability assessment and risk analysis in engineering and survival studies. Full article

To examine how reaction media influence the copolymerization processes of acrylamide-based copolymers, [BMIM]Oac and water were utilized as the reaction media. Four copolymers P(AM-SSS) (H₂O), P(AM-UA) (H₂O), P(AM-SSS) (ILs), and P(AM-UA) (ILs) were synthesized using the soluble monomer sodium p-styrene sulfonate (SSS), the insoluble monomer 10-undecylenoic acid (UA), and acrylamide (AM). The properties of the copolymers were characterized using infrared spectroscopy and ¹H NMR, and the copolymerization rates of the monomers and the segment sequences of the copolymers were calculated. The results indicated that copolymerization of SSS in ionic liquids could reduce the length of the continuous units of AM in the copolymer’s molecular chain from 231.2866 to 91.1179, with a more uniform distribution within the molecular chain. The thermal stability and micro-morphology of the copolymers were tested using a synchronous thermal analyzer and scanning electron microscopy, and the resistance of the copolymer solutions to temperature, salt, and shear were evaluated. Comparisons revealed that the three-dimensional spatial structure formed by the copolymers in ionic liquids is robust and loose. When AM and SSS polymerize in [BMIM]Oac, the resulting copolymer exhibits a higher viscosity retention rate in temperature and shear resistance tests, with a thermal decomposition temperature reaching 260 °C. Conversely, when AM and UA polymerize in [BMIM]Oac, the copolymer demonstrates good salt resistance, maintaining a viscosity retention rate of 259.04% at a Na⁺ concentration of 200,000 mg/L. Therefore, the ionic liquid [BMIM]Oac can enhance the various application performances of copolymers formed by monomers with different solubilities and AM. Full article

The signal-processing architecture of passive surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors presents significant implementation challenges due to its radar-like operational principle and the inherent complexity of discrete component-based hardware design. While System-in-Package (SiP) has demonstrated remarkable success in miniaturizing electronic systems for smartphones, automotive electronics, and IoT applications, its potential for revolutionizing SAW sensor interrogator design remains underexplored. This paper presents a novel architecture that synergistically combines time-domain ADC design with SiP-based miniaturization to achieve unprecedented simplification of SAW sensor readout systems. The proposed time-domain ADC incorporates an innovative delay chain calibration methodology that integrates physical unclonable function (PUF) principles during time-to-digital converter (TDC) characterization, enabling the simultaneous generation of unique system IDs. The experimental results demonstrate that the integrated security mechanism provides variable-length bit entropy for device authentication, and has a reliability of 97.56 and uniqueness of 49.43, with 53.28 uniformity, effectively addressing vulnerability concerns in distributed sensor networks. The proposed SiP is especially suitable for space-constrained IoT applications requiring robust physical-layer security. This work advances the state-of-the-art wireless sensor interfaces by demonstrating how time-domain signal processing and advanced packaging technologies can be co-optimized to address performance and security challenges in next-generation sensor systems. Full article

Background: This study is the first to investigate the association between colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and the hMLH1 −93G>A and hMSH2 1032G>A polymorphisms of mismatch repair (MMR) genes in the Azerbaijani population. Methods: Peripheral blood samples containing EDTA were collected from the study subjects (134 patients and 137 controls), and genomic DNA was extracted using the non-enzymatic salting-out method. Genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and the results were visualized through agarose gel electrophoresis. Results: Overall, no statistically significant correlation was observed between CRC risk and the hMLH1 −93G>A polymorphism in the heterozygous GA (OR = 0.760; 95% CI = 0.374–1.542; p = 0.446), the mutant AA (OR = 1.474; 95% CI = 0.738–2.945; p = 0.270), or the A allele (OR = 1.400; 95% CI = 0.984–1.995; p = 0.062). However, in contrast to the dominant model, a statistically significant association was found between the recessive model and an increased CRC risk, with an odds ratio of 1.788 (95% CI = 1.102–2.900; p = 0.018). The hMLH1 −93G>A polymorphism was identified at a significantly higher frequency across the TNM stages, with the distribution showing statistical significance (p < 0.05). Additionally, no statistically significant association was observed between the hMSH2 1032G>A polymorphism and CRC risk. Conclusions: Although no overall association was observed for hMLH1 −93G>A, our findings suggest a potential link with increased colorectal cancer risk under the recessive model in the Azerbaijani population. Further studies are warranted to confirm this model-specific association and investigate the underlying biological mechanisms. Full article

The Gumbel Type-II distribution is a widely recognized and frequently utilized lifetime distribution, playing a crucial role in reliability engineering. This paper focuses on the statistical inference of the Gumbel Type-II distribution under a random censoring scheme. From a frequentist perspective, point estimates for the unknown parameters are derived using the maximum likelihood estimation method, and confidence intervals are constructed based on the Fisher information matrix. From a Bayesian perspective, Bayes estimates of the parameters are obtained using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, and the average lengths of credible intervals are calculated. The Bayesian inference is performed under both the squared error loss function and the general entropy loss function. Additionally, a numerical simulation is conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed methods. To demonstrate their practical applicability, a real world example is provided, illustrating the application and development of these inference techniques. In conclusion, the Bayesian method appears to outperform other approaches, although each method offers unique advantages. Full article

The detection efficiency evaluation of sonars is crucial for optimizing task planning and resource scheduling. The existing static evaluation methods based on single indicators face significant challenges. First, static modeling has difficulty coping with complex scenes where the relative situation changes in real time in the task process. Second, a single evaluation dimension cannot characterize the data distribution characteristics of efficiency indicators. In this paper, we propose a multidimensional detection efficiency evaluation method for sonar search paths based on dynamic spatiotemporal interactions. We develop a dynamic multidimensional evaluation framework. It consists of three parts, namely, spatiotemporal discrete modeling, situational dynamic deduction, and probability-based statistical analysis. This framework can achieve dynamic quantitative expression of the sonar detection efficiency. Specifically, by accurately characterizing the spatiotemporal interaction process between the sonars and targets, we overcome the bottleneck in entire-path detection efficiency evaluation. We introduce a Markov chain model to guide the Monte Carlo sampling; it helps to specify the uncertain situations by constructing a high-fidelity target motion trajectory database. To simulate the actual sensor working state, we add observation error to the sensor, which significantly improves the authenticity of the target’s trajectories. For each discrete time point, the minimum mean square error is used to estimate the sonar detection probability and cumulative detection probability. Based on the above models, we construct the multidimensional sonar detection efficiency evaluation indicator system by implementing a confidence analysis, effective detection rate calculation, and a data volatility quantification analysis. We conducted relevant simulation studies by setting the source level parameter of the target base on the sonar equation. In the simulation, we took two actual sonar search paths as examples and conducted an efficiency evaluation based on multidimensional evaluation indicators, and compared the evaluation results corresponding to the two paths. The simulation results show that in the passive and active working modes of sonar, for the detection probability, the box length of path 2 is reduced by 0∼0.2 and 0∼0.5, respectively, compared to path 1 during the time period from T = 11 to T = 15. For the cumulative detection probability, during the time period from T = 15 to T = 20, the box length of path 2 decreased by 0∼0.1 and 0∼0.2, respectively, compared to path 1, and the variance decreased by 0∼0.02 and 0∼0.03, respectively, compared to path 1. The numerical simulation results show that the data distribution corresponding to path 2 is more concentrated and stable, and its search ability is better than path 1, which reflects the advantages of the proposed multidimensional evaluation method. Full article

Starch is one of the leading nutritional carbohydrates in the human diet; its characteristics, such as digestion rate, depend on molecular structure, and in particular, the molecular composition, type and length of amylopectin chains, which are known to present a parabolic behavior with respect to digestion rate. Amylopectin with a higher density of small branches (Chains A) and those abundant in long chains (B2/B3) often present a marked resistance to digestion and could be a challenge in bread production since both fermentation and digestion could be further modulated in the presence of hydrocolloids or gluten. The objective of this work was to analyze different mixtures of starches (rice, potato, and corn) with hydrocolloids (guar and xanthan gum) and vital gluten to understand the relationship between chain length and molecular characteristics with respect to speed of digestion and glycemic index, and their incorporation into a bread loaf at 50 and 100% wheat flour substitution. A Plackett–Burman design was used to design the mixtures. Mixtures were characterized in terms of amylose/amylopectin content, fast, slow, and resistant (SDS, RS) starch digestion fractions, in vitro glycemic index, molecular weight (Mw), radius of gyration (Rz) of amylopectin, chain length distribution, and textural analysis. In the bread, a tendency to increase the SDS was observed when the mixtures included rice or potato, which can be related to the relationship between Mw and size and the prevalence of B2 and B3 chains. The Rz and RS content were related to average chain size and amylose content. The use of vital gluten was a determinant in achieving volume and textural characteristics in the final products and significantly affected the proportions of SDS and RS. By combining the molecular characteristics of starch with hydrocolloids, we can obtain food ingredients for specific applications, such as gluten-free products. Full article

The head rice rate, defined as the proportion of milled grains retaining at least three-quarters of their original length, has become a limiting factor that restricts the improvement of rice quality in China in recent years. Here, we characterized the role of ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE FACTOR34 (OsERF34), an APETALA2 (AP2/ERF) family TF, in the grain morphology, physiochemical properties, and processing quality of rice. Through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout (Oserf34) and overexpression (OsERF34-OE) in the japonica cultivar ZH11, we demonstrate that OsERF34 exerts dose-dependent effects on grain morphology and processing traits. Oserf34 mutants exhibited significantly elevated chalkiness levels, with a 52.0% increase in percentage of grains with chalkiness(PGWC) and a 65.4% enhancement in chalkiness degree, with disordered and enlarged starch granules, reduced amylose content and skewed chain-length distribution (A/B1 chains increased but B2/B3 chains decreased), and displayed heightened starch solubility and swelling power but diminished milling resistance (shear hardness having fallen by 12.7–16.1% and compression hardness having fallen by 11.2–16.4%), culminating in doubled breakage rates and lower head rice rate (decreased by 6.7–9.0%) during processing. Strikingly, both mutants and OE lines showed analogous grain narrowing, yet the processing quality diverged. Mutants suffered structural fragility, while the OE lines enhanced mechanical robustness (compression hardness increased by 11.4–12.1%). The OsERF34-OE lines achieved 6.5–7.1% higher head rice rates. Our work positions OsERF34 as a dual-function regulator that governs grain morphology, regulating appearance and processing quality. These insights suggest that an overexpression of OsERF34 could improve processing efficiency, potentially laying a foundation for precision breeding. Full article

This study elucidated the mechanistic interplay between the extrusion parameters (temperature and screw speed), starch molecular architecture (chain-length distribution), and key physicochemical properties of wheat flour extrudates. Four wheat flours with varied amylose contents were extruded, where the average hydrodynamic radius ($\stackrel{\mathrm{-}}{R_h}$) was reduced by 75.5% in normal wheat (e.g., CM55), while waxy wheat (WW) exhibited higher $\stackrel{\mathrm{-}}{R_h}$. Crispness correlated negatively with long amylopectin branches (36 < X ≤ 100), with WW displaying superior crispness (12.22 N/mm). Short amylopectin chains (X 6–36) increased under thermomechanical stress, enhancing the expansion index (SEI), whereas long chains (X > 100) restricted expansion. Temperature may modulate color difference (ΔE) via Maillard reactions, while higher specific mechanical energy (SME) intensified browning. Higher temperatures (>170 °C), rather than SME, caused significant changes in the proportion of short branches and long branches, with SME exhibiting a negative correlation with $\stackrel{\mathrm{-}}{R_h}$, indicative of substantial molecular degradation. The starch chain-length distribution, rather than amylose content alone, dictates extrudate functionality. Full article

The force chain network within asphalt mixtures serves as the primary load-bearing structure to resist external forces. The objective of this study is to quantitatively characterize the contact force distribution and force chain topology structure. The discrete element method (DEM) was employed to construct simulation models for two stone matrix asphalt (SMA) and two open-graded friction course (OGFC) mixtures. Load distribution characteristics, including average contact force, load bearing contribution and contact force angle, and force chain topological network parameters, clustering coefficient, edge betweenness and average path length, were analyzed to elucidate the load transfer mechanisms. The findings of the present study demonstrate that the average contact force between aggregate–aggregate contact types in specific particle sizes significantly exceeds the average contact force of the same particle size aggregates. For SMA16 and OGFC16 asphalt mixtures, the load-bearing contribution of aggregates initially increases and then decreases with decreasing particle size, peaking at 13.2 mm. SMA13 and OGFC13 mixtures demonstrate a consistent decline in load bearing contribution with decreasing aggregate size. The analysis of the force chain network topology of the asphalt mixture reveals that SMA mixtures exhibited higher average clustering coefficients in force chain topological features in comparison to OGFC mixtures. It indicates that SMA gradations have superior skeletal load-bearing structures. While the maximum nominal aggregate size minimally influences the average path length with a relative change rate of 3%, the gradation type exerts a more substantial impact, exhibiting a relative change rate of 7% to 9%. These findings confirm that SMA mixtures have more stable load-bearing structures than OGFC mixtures. The proposed topological parameters effectively capture structural distinctions in force chain networks, offering insights for optimizing gradation design and enhancing mechanical performance. Full article

“Edible wild shrimp” play a crucial role in marine ecosystems and food chains, yet research on microplastic (MP) impacts on the dominant shrimp species of the Haizhou Bay Marine Ranch remains scarce. This study examined shrimp from Haizhou Bay, evaluating the distribution, nutritional characteristics, and health risks associated with microplastics in their tissues. Analytical techniques included Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the hot needle method, stable isotope analysis, and microplastic risk assessment. The results revealed that microplastics comprised 40.93% of all particles identified, with Oratosquilla oratoria exhibiting the highest intestinal contamination, followed by Alpheus distinguendus. Most MPs were fibrous (86.3%), predominantly blue (57.32%), and approximately 80% consisted of Polyethylene Terephthalate. Significant interspecies differences were observed in the gastrointestinal distribution of MPs, while individuals of the same species showed no notable differences across body-length groups due to molting. The estimated daily intake and margin of exposure for human consumers remained well below the no-observed-adverse-effect level, suggesting negligible health risks. These findings provide a theoretical and empirical basis for understanding the migration, sources, and ecological implications of microplastics in shrimp, offering valuable insights for assessing nearshore environmental pollution and food web dynamics. Full article

Heart failure (HF) is a complex disease and a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Natriuretic peptides (NPs) are involved in the pathogenesis of HF, but their activity may be modified by polymorphisms in the genes encoding them. Aim: To examine the associations of NPPA:rs5065 and NPPB:rs198389 polymorphisms with the risk of HF and cardiovascular phenotypes in Polish patients with HF. The study group comprised 330 HF patients, and the control group comprised 206 healthy newborns. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood, and genotyping of both polymorphisms was performed using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism. There were no significant differences in the distributions of NPPA and NPPB genotypes between HF patients and controls. Within the HF group, there were no significant associations between the frequencies of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, or categories of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the NPPA or NPPB variants. However, LVEF was significantly higher in NPPA CC homozygotes than in carriers of at least one T allele. The results of our study did not confirm an association between the NPPA:rs5065 or NPPB:rs198389 polymorphisms and predisposition to HF or HF intermediate phenotypes, except for LVEF. Full article

If lettuce is contaminated in the field, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O157:H7 can survive through the distribution chain. Prolonged cold storage during transportation may impact pathogen physiology, affecting subsequent stress survival and virulence. Greenhouse-grown Romaine lettuce, inoculated with three STEC O157:H7 strains, was harvested after 24 h and stored at 2 °C for 5 d following 4 h at harvest temperature (9 °C or 17 °C). Culturable, persister, and viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells were quantified. Virulence was evaluated using Galleria mellonella and acid tolerance at pH 2.5 and tolerance to 20–25 ppm free chlorine were quantified. Colder harvest temperature (9 °C) before cold storage led to greater transformation of STEC O157:H7 into dormant states and decreased virulence in most cases. Increasing length of cold storage led to decreased virulence and acid tolerance of STEC O157:H7 on lettuce, while having no significant effect on chlorine tolerance. These findings highlight that entry of STEC O157:H7 into dormant states during harvest and transportation at cold temperatures leads to decreased stress tolerance and virulence with increasing cold storage. Changes in STEC O157:H7 physiology on lettuce during cold storage can be integrated into risk assessment tools for producers, which can assist in identifying practices that minimize risk of STEC O157:H7 from consumption of lettuce. Full article