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33 pages, 2028 KB  
Review
Regional Cultivation Forms of Hericium erinaceus Across China’s Climatic Zones: A Scoping Review and Analytical Lens for Climate-Adaptive Production
by Dongting Yang, Lin Zhu and Qiaoping Zheng
J. Fungi 2026, 12(4), 285; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12040285 - 17 Apr 2026
Viewed by 245
Abstract
The cultivation of Hericium erinaceus in China accounts for about 85% of the global supply. Its decentralized production systems have developed across diverse climate zones, leading to distinct, location-specific practices recorded in local technical standards. This scoping review synthesizes these empirical protocols from [...] Read more.
The cultivation of Hericium erinaceus in China accounts for about 85% of the global supply. Its decentralized production systems have developed across diverse climate zones, leading to distinct, location-specific practices recorded in local technical standards. This scoping review synthesizes these empirical protocols from five agro-climatic regions. It illustrates how adaptive strategies such as cold-tolerant strains in the northeast and market-driven precision in the subtropics are associated with yield stability. These practices reflect two interconnected forms of diversity. One is the diversity of cultivation systems themselves, from forest-based methods to industrial-scale production systems. The other is the diversity of locally adapted strains developed for specific environments. We use the Intelligent Germplasm–Cultivation–Processing–Market (GCPM) Integration framework to connect local practices with broader questions of systemic resilience. The evidence draws on field-validated standards, not controlled experiments, reflecting the current state of research. This work presents China’s practical knowledge as a reference for designing context-sensitive, climate-resilient cultivation systems elsewhere, suggesting that resilience may depend more on intelligent adaptation to local conditions than on one-size-fits-all solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Utilizing Fungal Diversity for Sustainable Biotechnology)
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18 pages, 3674 KB  
Article
Stress-Modulated Structural and Electronic Evolution in Metals with Different Crystal Structures
by Shushan Hu and Gang Huang
Crystals 2026, 16(4), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst16040267 - 16 Apr 2026
Viewed by 203
Abstract
While macroscopic stress significantly impacts the performance of metallic components, the underlying atom–electron coupling mechanisms governed by distinct crystal symmetries remain insufficiently understood. To address this gap, this work systematically investigates the structural and electronic evolution of representative metallic materials under applied stress. [...] Read more.
While macroscopic stress significantly impacts the performance of metallic components, the underlying atom–electron coupling mechanisms governed by distinct crystal symmetries remain insufficiently understood. To address this gap, this work systematically investigates the structural and electronic evolution of representative metallic materials under applied stress. Experimentally, X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed complex macroscopic residual stress distributions in cold rolled titanium alloy and silicon steel. Motivated by these engineering observations, first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to uncover the underlying physical mechanisms. Specifically, the responses of face-centered cubic (FCC) aluminum and copper, body-centered cubic (BCC) iron, and hexagonal close-packed (HCP) titanium crystals were investigated under tension and compression using the RPBE functional. Stress-dependent elastic properties, density of states (DOS), band structures, and phonon spectra were calculated. Results show that tension softens all metals (Al becomes mechanically unstable), whereas compression stiffens their lattices. Electronically, tensile loading sharpens DOS peaks near the Fermi level and shifts conduction bands closer to it, whereas compression smooths DOS peaks and shifts bands away. Phonon analysis indicates Cu and Ti remain dynamically stable, while Al and Fe exhibit phonon mode softening under high tension. These stress-induced changes highlight crucial atom–electron coupling mechanisms, providing a theoretical basis for tailoring metallic performance via stress engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)
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20 pages, 6071 KB  
Article
Intelligent Interface Detection of Frozen Rock Masses Using Measurement While Drilling Data and Change-Point Analysis
by Fei Gao, Hui Chen, Xiujun Wu, Huijie Zhai and Yuanxiang Mu
Sensors 2026, 26(8), 2397; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26082397 - 14 Apr 2026
Viewed by 296
Abstract
To address the critical challenges of lithology acquisition and low blasting refinement under extreme low temperatures and varying thermal conditions in high-altitude environments, this study develops a real-time dynamic identification method for rock-like interfaces using Measurement While Drilling (MWD) technology. The scope of [...] Read more.
To address the critical challenges of lithology acquisition and low blasting refinement under extreme low temperatures and varying thermal conditions in high-altitude environments, this study develops a real-time dynamic identification method for rock-like interfaces using Measurement While Drilling (MWD) technology. The scope of this research involves the use of a self-developed indoor digital drilling experimental platform to simulate both ambient and freezing (−20 °C) conditions. Procedures included conducting comprehensive comparative drilling experiments on various rock-like materials with distinct strength levels to evaluate their mechanical responses during penetration. The major findings reveal a significant influence of low-temperature hardening effects on MWD parameters; specifically, the frozen state notably increases drilling torque and feed pressure while simultaneously decreasing the stable rotational speed of the drill bit. To resolve the feature parameter drift induced by temperature variations, a novel interface recognition algorithm is proposed that integrates Z-score normalization, change-point detection, and multi-dimensional spatial clustering. Through a dual-detection mechanism involving both single-point and cumulative features, the algorithm effectively captures precise mutation information during rock layer transitions. It further incorporates multi-dimensional indicators, such as consistency, change intensity, and point density, to perform comprehensive weighted scoring. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm effectively eliminates the systematic offset of parameters caused by temperature fluctuations. The prediction error at both “strong-weak” and “weak-strong” transition interfaces is maintained within 1.5 mm, which significantly improves the accuracy and robustness of interface recognition under complex and varying working conditions. These key conclusions provide essential technical support for the implementation of differentiated charging and green refined mining operations, ensuring greater energy efficiency and environmental protection in cold-region engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Intelligent Sensors)
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17 pages, 3450 KB  
Article
Beyond the Comfort Zone: Elevation, Temperature, Fatigue and Pain Perception
by Łukasz Kryst, Magdalena Żegleń, Julia Badzińska, Adrianna Dzidek, Weronika Bogusz, Agnieszka Witkowska and Teo Klos
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(8), 3810; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16083810 - 14 Apr 2026
Viewed by 231
Abstract
This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of environmental stressors and physical exertion on human nociceptive processing across multiple ecologically relevant conditions. Using a repeated-measures design, participants (N = 45) completed up to five controlled laboratory (thermoclimatic chamber) sessions (baseline, simulated [...] Read more.
This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of environmental stressors and physical exertion on human nociceptive processing across multiple ecologically relevant conditions. Using a repeated-measures design, participants (N = 45) completed up to five controlled laboratory (thermoclimatic chamber) sessions (baseline, simulated altitude at 4200 m asl, heat at +42 °C, cold at −10 °C, and exertion). Participants were tested by using electrical stimuli. Linear mixed-effects models with participant-level random intercepts, alongside estimated marginal means and bootstrap derived effect sizes, enabled robust characterization of within-subject differences. Thermal stress emerged as the strongest modulator of nociception. Heat exposure significantly elevated sensory and pain thresholds compared with all other conditions, whereas tolerance thresholds peaked during cold exposure, yielding the largest observed effects. Altitude consistently produced the lowest thresholds across all modalities. These contrasts were confirmed statistically in the mixed-effects models, and effect-size analyses indicated substantial within-subject differences between the thermal extremes. By integrating three distinct nociceptive modalities and extreme environment simulations, this work offers novel and informative insights into how environmental stressors shape pain processing. The discovery of opposing thermal effects on sensory/pain versus tolerance thresholds—within the same cohort and design—reveals modality-specific patterns not previously documented and suggests that hypoxia may further modulate these responses. Full article
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32 pages, 2407 KB  
Article
Continuous-Time Scheduling of Berths and Onshore Power Supply in Cold-Chain Logistics: A Chance-Constrained Stochastic Programming Model and RL-ALNS Algorithm
by Zheyin Zhao and Jin Zhu
Mathematics 2026, 14(8), 1292; https://doi.org/10.3390/math14081292 - 13 Apr 2026
Viewed by 168
Abstract
Amid tightening emission rules and growing cold-chain demand, ports face complex multi-objective scheduling under dual uncertainties in vessel arrivals and operations. This work develops a multi-objective chance-constrained stochastic MILP model for joint berth, QC, and OPS scheduling. Heavy-tailed operational delays are managed via [...] Read more.
Amid tightening emission rules and growing cold-chain demand, ports face complex multi-objective scheduling under dual uncertainties in vessel arrivals and operations. This work develops a multi-objective chance-constrained stochastic MILP model for joint berth, QC, and OPS scheduling. Heavy-tailed operational delays are managed via chance constraints, converting Weibull distributions to time buffers, while convex formulations allow piecewise cargo damage penalties to be computed linearly. A reinforcement learning-based adaptive large neighborhood search (RL-ALNS) algorithm is proposed to solve this NP-hard continuous-time problem, integrating a spatiotemporal decoder and an MDP-based selector to ensure microgrid limits and efficiency. Simulations demonstrate RL-ALNS’s superior Pareto convergence versus conventional heuristics. The model cuts the 95th-percentile tail risk by 46.59% and actual costs by 24.44% under mild delays, compared to deterministic scheduling. Overall, it quantifies the non-linear cost–emission–reliability trade-off, providing a robust tool for port decision-making. Full article
18 pages, 2645 KB  
Article
Cold-Forging Die Optimization Using Experimental and Finite Element Analysis
by Deivi Damián-Sánchez, Pedro Yáñez-Contreras, Benito Aguilar-Juárez, Martín Alberto Chimal-Cruz and Francisco Javier Santander-Bastida
Technologies 2026, 14(4), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies14040224 - 13 Apr 2026
Viewed by 296
Abstract
This study presents an integrated technological approach for improving the service life and operational stability of a P6 die used in the cold-forging production of automotive brake connectors. The work was conducted in an industrial environment characterized by high production volumes and recurrent [...] Read more.
This study presents an integrated technological approach for improving the service life and operational stability of a P6 die used in the cold-forging production of automotive brake connectors. The work was conducted in an industrial environment characterized by high production volumes and recurrent premature die failure. A hybrid methodology combining Shainin’s dominant-variable methodology with controlled experimentation and finite element analysis (FEA) was implemented to identify and optimize the dominant process variables affecting die durability. The attack angle, chamfer length, and machine rotational speed were determined to be the primary factors influencing stress distribution and fatigue behavior. The optimized configuration (16° attack angle, 1.4 mm chamfer length, and 88 RPM) increased die service life by 416%, improving production throughput from approximately 60,000 to over 250,000 parts per cycle. Numerical simulations confirmed that the geometric redesign effectively reduced localized Von Mises stress concentrations, contributing to enhanced structural reliability. The results demonstrate that integrating empirical industrial methodologies with numerical modeling provides a practical and replicable framework for technological improvement in high-volume cold-forging operations. The proposed approach is transferable to similar tooling optimization challenges in the automotive manufacturing sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Manufacturing Technology)
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18 pages, 2946 KB  
Article
The RUS1 (ROOT UVB SENSITIVE 1) Protein Is Required for Cold Resistance in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
by Yulong Wang, Du Cao, Kangning Guo, Tingting You, Penghao Yang and Xiaobo Li
Cells 2026, 15(8), 670; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15080670 - 10 Apr 2026
Viewed by 403
Abstract
Low temperature critically influences cellular metabolism by impairing processes such as membrane fluidity, enzyme activity, and protein folding. However, the comprehensive genetic landscape and regulatory mechanisms governing cold acclimation remain poorly understood. Here, we performed high-throughput, pooled genetic screening in the model alga [...] Read more.
Low temperature critically influences cellular metabolism by impairing processes such as membrane fluidity, enzyme activity, and protein folding. However, the comprehensive genetic landscape and regulatory mechanisms governing cold acclimation remain poorly understood. Here, we performed high-throughput, pooled genetic screening in the model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii) to identify genes essential for cold acclimation. Our screening revealed numerous candidate genes implicated not only in early cold response pathways but also in core cellular processes, including DNA dynamics, protein homeostasis, metabolic regulation, and substrate transport. Notably, we identified a member of the RUS (ROOT UVB SENSITIVE) family, encoding a conserved DUF647 domain protein, designated CrRUS1. CRISPR-generated rus1 mutant alleles in C. reinhardtii display a phenotype consistent with our screening: the mutants did not exhibit any visible growth defects, but show severe growth defects at low temperature. Interestingly, the cold-induced phenotypic changes in rus1 can be reversed by dark conditions, suggesting that CrRUS1 likely promotes cold acclimation in C. reinhardtii through a light-dependent pathway. Our work provides novel genetic resources and mechanistic insights into cold acclimation in C. reinhardtii, with potential translational relevance for enhancing cold tolerance in crop species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Plant, Algae and Fungi Cell Biology)
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27 pages, 1880 KB  
Article
Hierarchical Acoustic Encoding Distress in Pigs: Disentangling Individual, Developmental, and Emotional Effects with Subject-Wise Validation
by Irenilza de Alencar Nääs, Danilo Florentino Pereira, Alexandra Ferreira da Silva Cordeiro and Nilsa Duarte da Silva Lima
Animals 2026, 16(8), 1148; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16081148 - 9 Apr 2026
Viewed by 219
Abstract
Automated pig-welfare monitoring needs scalable, non-invasive signals that work across ages and individuals. A key methodological contribution of this study is the use of subject-wise validation, which ensures generalization to unseen animals and prevents inflated accuracy caused by growth-related and individual ‘voice’ differences. [...] Read more.
Automated pig-welfare monitoring needs scalable, non-invasive signals that work across ages and individuals. A key methodological contribution of this study is the use of subject-wise validation, which ensures generalization to unseen animals and prevents inflated accuracy caused by growth-related and individual ‘voice’ differences. Vocalizations can help, but growth and individual “voice” differences can confound distress patterns and overstate accuracy without subject-wise validation. In our study, we explicitly accounted for individual variability by including animal identity as a random effect in mixed models and by using grouped cross-validation, where models were tested only on pigs not seen during training. This approach ensures that the reported accuracy reflects generalization across different individuals rather than memorization of specific vocal signatures. We analyzed 2221 vocal samples from 40 pigs (20 males, 20 females) recorded across four growth phases (farrowing, nursery, growing, finishing) under six conditions (pain, hunger, thirst, cold stress, heat stress, normal). Acoustic features extracted in Praat included energy, duration, intensity, pitch, and formants (F1–F4). Using blockwise variance decomposition, we quantified contributions of distress exposure, growth phase, and sex, and estimated the additional variance explained by animal identity. Distress exposure dominated intensity and spectral traits, particularly Formant 2, whereas the growth phase produced systematic shifts in duration and pitch. Animal identity added a modest but consistent increment in explained variance (~+0.02–0.03 R2 beyond sex, phase, and distress). For prediction, we used 5-fold cross-validation grouped by animal. A Random Forest achieved a modest balanced accuracy of 0.609 and macro-F1 of 0.597; pain was most separable (recall 0.825), while other states showed moderate recall, indicating overlap. These results support hierarchical acoustic encoding of distress and establish a benchmark for precision welfare monitoring. Furthermore, they highlight that resolving complex physiological overlaps, such as heat stress and resource competition, requires a shift from unimodal acoustic models to multimodal Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) systems that integrate bioacoustics with continuous environmental and behavioral data streams. Full article
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15 pages, 14935 KB  
Article
Evolutions in Microstructure and Properties of Cu-Ni-Si-Mg-Mn Multi-Element High-Solute Alloy During a Short-Time Solid Solution Treatment, Aging, and Cold-Rolling
by Yuhang Zhang, Xiaolong Feng, Qingke Zhang, Xiang Lu, Cheng Xu, Xinli Zhang, Feng Liu and Zhenlun Song
Materials 2026, 19(8), 1485; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081485 - 8 Apr 2026
Viewed by 318
Abstract
To obtain ultrahigh strength Cu alloy strip for board-to-board connectors, a CuNiSiMgMn multi-element high-solute alloy was designed, and high-temperature short-time solid solution was utilized to optimize the properties of this alloy. The evolution in microstructure and properties of the cold-rolled CuNiSiMgMn alloy strip [...] Read more.
To obtain ultrahigh strength Cu alloy strip for board-to-board connectors, a CuNiSiMgMn multi-element high-solute alloy was designed, and high-temperature short-time solid solution was utilized to optimize the properties of this alloy. The evolution in microstructure and properties of the cold-rolled CuNiSiMgMn alloy strip during high-temperature short-time solid solution, aging, and further cold-rolling are investigated. The results reveal that there are high-density NixSi precipitates and deformation defects in the original cold-rolled CuNiSiMgMn alloy strip. During a solid solution at 1000 °C, recrystallization primarily occurs between 15 and 30 s, while precipitate decomposition starts at a solid solution time of ~30 s and is almost complete 10 s later. With further increase in the solid solution time, the grain size of the alloy grows rapidly, but the residual precipitate particles exhibit little change. Upon aging at 500 °C for 2 h and a further 80% cold-rolling, nano-sized precipitates are formed, yielding high-strength alloy strips. The 80% cold-rolling increases the microhardness by 12% and decreases the electrical conductivity by 3% IACS. The strip solid solution-treated for 35 s exhibits the maximum strength, with a tensile strength of >950 MPa and a conductivity of >30% IACS. Further extension of the solid solution time decreases both the tensile strength and elongation. This work clarifies the critical time of recovery, recrystallization, and precipitate decomposition of the CuNiSiMgMn alloy during high-temperature solid solution and provides guidance for industrial production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Metals and Alloys)
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22 pages, 10898 KB  
Article
Comprehensive Characterization of the TCP Gene Family in Punica granatum: Insights into Their Roles in Developmental Dynamics and Stress Adaptation
by Mingzhu Wang, Jing Xu, Xueqing Zhao and Zhaohe Yuan
Horticulturae 2026, 12(4), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12040460 - 8 Apr 2026
Viewed by 255
Abstract
The plant-specific TCP transcription factor family plays crucial roles in morphogenesis and stress adaptation. While characterized in many species, this family remains unstudied in Punica granatum. We performed the first genome-wide analysis of the TCP family in pomegranate, identifying 24 PgTCP genes [...] Read more.
The plant-specific TCP transcription factor family plays crucial roles in morphogenesis and stress adaptation. While characterized in many species, this family remains unstudied in Punica granatum. We performed the first genome-wide analysis of the TCP family in pomegranate, identifying 24 PgTCP genes classified into the PCF, CIN, and CYC/TB1 subclades, supported by conserved gene structures and motifs. Evolutionary analysis indicated segmental duplication and purifying selection shaped this family. Expression profiling revealed distinct spatiotemporal patterns: PgTCP2/9/14/21 were highly expressed in flowers, with PgTCP21 also notably abundant in fruit tissues (seed coats and pericarp), suggesting roles in reproductive development. PgTCP19, an ortholog of the branching suppressor BRC1, showed dominant expression in dormant buds, implicating it in shoot architecture regulation. Furthermore, PgTCP5 and the miR319-targeted PgTCP22 were leaf-predominant, indicating a function in leaf development. Under abiotic stress, PgTCPs displayed dynamic, treatment-specific responses. A subset of genes was rapidly induced by cold, while PgTCP14 and PgTCP23 showed sustained upregulation during drought. Several light-responsive PgTCPs were suppressed under shading. This study provides a foundational resource, functionally classifies the PgTCP family, and identifies key candidates regulating organ development and stress resilience for future functional validation and molecular breeding in pomegranate. This work provides the first comprehensive overview of the TCP gene family in pomegranate and offers candidate genes for future functional studies related to development and stress responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Genetics, Genomics, Breeding, and Biotechnology (G2B2))
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23 pages, 1486 KB  
Article
The Impact of Material on Environmental Indicators: An LCA Analysis of 30 Variants of Pitched Roofs
by Jana Budajová, Katarína Harčárová, Veronika Merjavá, Eva Krídlová Burdová, Svitlana Delehan, Sérgio Lousada and Silvia Vilčeková
Buildings 2026, 16(7), 1449; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16071449 - 6 Apr 2026
Viewed by 354
Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of 30 variants of pitched roofs compositions, focusing on global, regional, and local environmental indicators. The aim of this study was to quantify the environmental footprint of roof structures, comparing traditional technical solutions with [...] Read more.
This study presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of 30 variants of pitched roofs compositions, focusing on global, regional, and local environmental indicators. The aim of this study was to quantify the environmental footprint of roof structures, comparing traditional technical solutions with modern systems using bio-based materials. The results show that the integration of solid wood elements and bio-based insulations significantly increases carbon sequestration potential, with the best identified composition showing a significantly negative GWP-total. A dynamic analysis of the optimal variant over time horizons of 50, 100 and 150 years, confirming the stability of environmental benefits in the long term, is presented. In order to achieve a global character, the best composition is modified and optimized for mild, cold and warm climate zones. The work provides important background for decarbonization of the construction sector and the design of adaptive, low-emission building envelope structures. Full article
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14 pages, 1429 KB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of the PYL Gene Family in Watermelon Under Abiotic Stresses
by Guangpu Lan, Yidong Guo, Jun Hu, Jincan Huang, Ziye Pan, Yingda Chen, Xian Zhang, Zhongyuan Wang, Yongchao Yang and Chunhua Wei
Genes 2026, 17(4), 426; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes17040426 - 4 Apr 2026
Viewed by 412
Abstract
Background: PYR/PYL/RCAR proteins are core abscisic acid (ABA) receptors that play essential roles in ABA signal transduction, plant growth and development, and abiotic stress responses. However, the PYL gene family in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) has not been systematically characterized, limiting our [...] Read more.
Background: PYR/PYL/RCAR proteins are core abscisic acid (ABA) receptors that play essential roles in ABA signal transduction, plant growth and development, and abiotic stress responses. However, the PYL gene family in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) has not been systematically characterized, limiting our understanding of ABA-mediated stress adaptation in this economically important crop. Methods: A genome-wide analysis was performed to identify ClPYL genes in watermelon using a hidden Markov model search. Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using the maximum likelihood method. Segmental duplication events were analyzed using synteny analysis. Conserved motifs, gene structures, and promoter cis-acting elements were characterized using MEME and PlantCARE. Expression profiles under drought, salt, and cold stresses were examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) with three biological replicates. Results: In this study, 15 ClPYL genes were identified in watermelon through genome-wide analysis. Phylogenetic reconstruction classified these genes into four subfamilies, with subfamily II being exclusively present in cucurbits—a lineage-specific feature not observed in Arabidopsis. Synteny analysis revealed eight segmental duplication events involving members of subfamilies I, III, and IV, while subfamily II members were not associated with these duplications. Members within the same subfamily share similar exon-intron structures and conserved motifs. Promoter analysis revealed that ClPYL genes are enriched with various cis-acting elements associated with hormone signaling and abiotic stress responses. Expression profiling demonstrated that ClPYL genes exhibit diverse and dynamic expression patterns under drought, high-salinity, and cold stresses. Notably, genes such as ClPYL5 under drought, ClPYL02 under salt, and ClPYL15 under cold stress displayed persistent stress-responsive expression. Conclusions: These findings reveal the evolutionary conservation and diversification of the PYL family in watermelon and provide a set of candidate genes for functional studies aimed at dissecting ABA-mediated stress adaptation. This work establishes a genomic framework for developing stress-resilient watermelon varieties through molecular breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Vegetable Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, 2nd Volume)
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14 pages, 3147 KB  
Article
Improving the Environmental Safety of Transport Equipment Using Biodiesel Produced from Waste Vegetable
by Sergey N. Krivtsov, Nina V. Nemchinova, Andrey A. Tyutrin, Daniil Iakovlev, Dmitry A. Tikhov-Tinnikov, Sergey P. Ozornin, Andrei V. Negovora and Filipp A. Vasilev
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 3487; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073487 - 3 Apr 2026
Viewed by 376
Abstract
Issues related to the environmental safety of transport vehicles, the operation of which leads to environmental pollution, continue to be highly relevant. In this work, we consider the use of biofuel mixed with diesel fuel for internal combustion engines operating at low temperatures. [...] Read more.
Issues related to the environmental safety of transport vehicles, the operation of which leads to environmental pollution, continue to be highly relevant. In this work, we consider the use of biofuel mixed with diesel fuel for internal combustion engines operating at low temperatures. This approach does not reduce the efficiency of transport, while also solving the issue of organic waste recycling. In this work, we address the possibility of reducing environmental pollution using carbon-neutral blended fuels based on esters of waste cooking oil (WCO), biobutanol, and diesel fuel for transport, tractor, and other equipment powered by a diesel internal combustion engine. In terms of the rate of biofuel implementation, Russia is still lagging behind the EU, China, and Japan, largely due to, inter alia, its climatic conditions with cold and long winters. The article also provides data on the possibility of using mixed biofuels under sub-zero temperatures. The process of forming a volumetric fuel supply through the common rail injector of the D4CB engine under changes in fuel pressure and drive pulse duration was also investigated, with the corresponding regression dependencies being presented. The losses of heat supplied into the cylinder when using a blend of diesel fuel and biodiesel (with 20 wt% butanol) in comparison with diesel fuel were analytically calculated. This made it possible to identify a function for adjusting fuel supply to compensate for power losses. The lubricity of fuel blends was assessed using the HFRR method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Ecology Science and Engineering)
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17 pages, 6790 KB  
Article
Characterizing Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer Performance of a Novel Liquid Cooling Plate with Vein Flow Channels
by Rong Huang, Shuo Zhou, Yinyu Liao, Chongming Lin, Hao Zhang, Xiang Chen, Yixian Ou, Zhiwen Zhou, Yerui Feng, Zejian Ye, Shiwei Zhang, Yong Tang and Likuan Zhu
Processes 2026, 14(7), 1148; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14071148 - 2 Apr 2026
Viewed by 369
Abstract
To improve the thermal management level of power battery packs for new energy vehicles, a novel cooling plate with vein flow channels was proposed. The vein flow channel structure includes bilaterally symmetrical vein-shaped branches, a dovetail-shaped outlet branch, and a side collecting branch. [...] Read more.
To improve the thermal management level of power battery packs for new energy vehicles, a novel cooling plate with vein flow channels was proposed. The vein flow channel structure includes bilaterally symmetrical vein-shaped branches, a dovetail-shaped outlet branch, and a side collecting branch. This study conducted a comparative analysis on the hydrodynamic characteristics, heat transfer performance, and pumping power consumption of the novel cold plate, while investigating the influence of flow channel structure on the working fluid distribution and cooling performance of the liquid cold plate (LCP). The results indicate that the dovetail-shaped outlet branch can significantly enhance the flow distribution capacity of the tail branch channels of the LCP, the side collecting channel can improve the overall flow distribution capacity of the branch channels by reducing flow resistance, and the converging main channel can effectively compensate for the insufficient flow distribution capacity at the front part of the LCP by mitigating the uneven distribution at the tail. Additionally, the results demonstrate that the optimized design achieves a 9.5 °C (21%) reduction in the maximum temperature and a 6.3 °C (32%) reduction in the temperature difference. Full article
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32 pages, 2911 KB  
Article
End-to-End Personalization via Unifying LLM Agents and Graph Attention Networks for Entertainment Recommendation
by Danial Ebrat, Sepideh Ahmadian and Luis Rueda
Information 2026, 17(4), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/info17040344 - 2 Apr 2026
Viewed by 597
Abstract
Recommender systems are central to helping users navigate the rapidly expanding entertainment ecosystem, yet achieving strong personalization with limited feedback while maintaining interpretability remains difficult, particularly under cold-start conditions and heterogeneous item metadata. This work presents an end-to-end hybrid recommendation framework that unifies [...] Read more.
Recommender systems are central to helping users navigate the rapidly expanding entertainment ecosystem, yet achieving strong personalization with limited feedback while maintaining interpretability remains difficult, particularly under cold-start conditions and heterogeneous item metadata. This work presents an end-to-end hybrid recommendation framework that unifies a Large Language Model (LLM) with Graph Attention Network (GAT)-based collaborative filtering to improve both ranking accuracy and explanation quality across movies, books, and music. LLM-based agents first transform raw metadata such as titles, genres, descriptions, and auxiliary attributes into semantically grounded user and item profiles, which are embedded and used as initial node features in a user–item bipartite graph processed by a GAT-based recommender. Model optimization relies on a hybrid objective combining Bayesian Personalized Ranking, cosine-similarity regularization, and robust negative sampling to better align semantic and collaborative signals. Finally, in the post-processing stage, an LLM-based agent re-ranks the GAT outputs using a proposed Hybrid Confidence-Weighted Binary Search Tree, and another LLM-based agent that produces natural-language justifications tailored to each user. Experiments on diverse benchmark datasets and extensive ablations demonstrate that the proposed methodology increases precision, recall, NDCG, and MAP across various values of K. In addition, the post processing step is especially effective in cold-start scenarios, consistently strengthening recommendation metrics and enhancing transparency at smaller values of K. Overall, integrating LLM-enriched representations with attention-based graph modeling enables more accurate and explainable entertainment recommendations. Full article
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