Search Results (3,506)

Cermet tools possess favorable mechanical and tribological properties and are widely adopted for machining hard-to-cut materials. However, their performance can further be enhanced with different cooling and lubrication techniques. In this study, the tool wear mechanisms of cermet tools during hard turning of AISI 4340 alloy steel are investigated under dry and minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) environments to identify the prevalent causes of tool failure through comprehensive analysis of tool wear progression, chip temperature, and chip morphological analysis. The results revealed that the application of MQL exhibited prolonged and stable steady-state tool wear progression with retained cutting-edge geometry, thus demonstrated 30.27% improvement in tool life compared to dry cutting. On the contrary, a rapid increase in tool wear due to excessive friction and higher thermal load is noticed with dry cutting in the absence of any heat-dissipating medium. Chip temperature measurements supported these observations, as chip temperature increases sharply from 358 °C (with a fresh tool) to about 1090 °C (with a worn tool) under a dry environment. Conversely, with MQL, the corresponding increase was in the range between 294 °C and 843 °C with a fresh and worn tool, respectively. Chip analysis revealed a serrated type of chip morphology. Dry cutting exhibited intensified feed marks, indicative of severe tool–chip friction, whereas MQL demonstrated smoother morphology with closely spaced saw-tooth patterns. Tool wear mechanisms indicate abrasion, adhesion, and edge chipping as dominant wear mechanisms under both environments; however, in the absence of any lubricant, these mechanisms were more intensified with higher crater formation. Full article

Thamnaconus septentrionalis is an economically important marine aquaculture species in China. However, the acceptance rate of formulated feeds in commercial farming is only 30–40%, substantially lower than the 80–90% achieved with fresh feeds, which severely constrains the intensive development of this industry. The gut microbiota-mediated regulatory mechanisms underlying the effects of different feed types on growth performance remain unclear, limiting the precise development of efficient formulated feeds. This study established four feed types (commercial pellet feed K, custom-formulated feed P, frozen shrimp X, and fresh fish meat Y) through a 60-day feeding trial. Growth performance data, 16S rRNA sequencing, and untargeted metabolomics were analyzed. Random Forest-Partial Least Squares Regression models were employed to identify key microbial-metabolite features. Results indicated that the Y group exhibited the optimal feed conversion ratio (1.14), with intestinal Firmicutes abundance (45.3%) significantly higher than the K group (28.5%). Short-chain fatty acid levels increased by more than 350-fold, enriching short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Faecalibacterium. The P group, formulated with high fishmeal content (40%), achieved performance levels comparable to the Y group across most indicators. Machine learning models identified key microbial-metabolite features predicting growth performance, providing a multi-omics framework for developing efficient formulated feeds for marine carnivorous fish. Full article

The extensive production and use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) over recent decades have resulted in their pervasive distribution in environmental compartments worldwide. PFAS concentrations in soil and biota near fluorochemical manufacturing facilities tend to be typically higher near hotspots, which suggests that the consumption of home-produced foods near such hotspots most likely results in higher human exposure. One prominent European hotspot is located near the 3M fluorochemical production facility in Zwijndrecht (Belgium), where the relative contributions of different exposure pathways remain insufficiently characterised. This study therefore aimed to assess the PFAS concentrations and compositional profiles in serum, dwellings and gardens of teenagers residing near this hotspot. Serum samples from teenagers, along with multiple environmental matrices (i.e., soil, compost, vegetables/fruits/nuts, chicken eggs, rainwater and indoor house dust) were analysed for 21 selected PFAS. Additionally, potential determinants of PFAS occurrence and distribution across matrices were investigated using detailed questionnaire data. We found perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) to be the predominant compound in both soil and serum, while perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) was most dominant in rainwater, compost, house dust and pods. Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) was most abundant in fruits and chicken eggs, while perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) was predominant in rooting vegetables and nuts. N-methylperfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (MePFOSAA) was the dominant compound in fruiting, stem, and leafy vegetables. These results indicate differences in accumulation pathways among the different media and/or differences in affinities of different PFAS in the matrices. Additionally, several environmental and behavioural factors were identified as determinants for PFAS in soil, compost, tree fruits, fruiting vegetables, chicken eggs and house dust, providing insight into potential drivers of exposure variability. The most important factors were related to the soil characteristics, the composting of grass and weeds, the chicken feed (i.e., bread, commercial feed), the type and frequency of ventilation and the frequency of cleaning. Full article

Neonatal puppies and kittens face a critical period after birth, during which their health depends heavily on the microorganisms they acquire from their mothers and environment. These microorganisms, known as the gut microbiota, help newborns develop their immune systems, digest nutrients, and protect against disease. This review explores how these microorganisms are transferred from the mother to her offspring before, during, and after birth, including the process of delivery, nursing, and maternal care. It also examines how factors such as birth type, hygiene, feeding, and maternal health can influence the development of these microbial communities. When this process is disrupted, it may lead to health problems such as infections, diarrhea, and immune disorders. Understanding how and when these microbes are passed to newborns, and how to support this process, is essential to improving survival rates and long-term health in puppies and kittens. Full article

Ambient temperature is a continuous environmental input that affects energy homeostasis through integrated physiological programs. In mammals, thermal cues detected by cutaneous and visceral sensors are conveyed through spinal, vagal, and sympathetic pathways. They are complemented by circulating mediators from the gut, liver, and adipose tissue. These signals converge on brainstem–hypothalamic networks, including the preoptic area and arcuate nucleus, to coordinate feeding behavior, thermogenesis, vasomotor tone, and endocrine outputs. Recent circuit-mapping and single-cell approaches have refined the cellular logic governing the distinct architectures of cold- and heat-defense programs. This review synthesizes these advances to illustrate how a plastic effector network maintains systemic energy homeostasis. Finally, we highlight the translational implications of these thermosensory mechanisms for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes. Full article

Background: Nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) has emerged as a promising platform for localized drug delivery in biomedical implants owing to its tunable nanoscale pore structure and biocompatibility. However, achieving the desired pore characteristics currently relies on time-consuming trial-and-error adjustments of anodization parameters. Methods: We developed a comprehensive data-driven machine learning framework using a feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN) with three hidden layers (64-32-16 neurons) trained on 77 samples from a compiled dataset of 99 anodization experiments spanning 1995–2025. The model predicts the NAA pore diameter based on anodization conditions (electrolyte type, concentration, voltage, temperature, and time). Results: The ANN achieved R² = 0.803, root mean square error (RMSE) = 25.83 nm, and mean absolute error (MAE) = 17.05 nm on training data; however, 5-fold cross-validation revealed moderate generalization (CV R² = 0.471 ± 0.078). Multiple linear regression showed comparable training performance (R² = 0.804) but superior cross-validation (CV R² = 0.729 ± 0.083). Feature importance analysis identified anodization voltage (29.15% ANN importance) and electrolyte type (30.23%) as the most influential factors. Coupling ANN-predicted pore dimensions with Higuchi diffusion modeling demonstrated that the pore diameter increased from 50 to 100 nm, nearly doubling the initial release rates (8 to 11 h⁻¹) and reducing the time to 50% release from 39.1 to 20.7 h. Conclusions: This data-driven approach offers a powerful tool to reduce experimental iteration and accelerate the development of advanced drug-delivery implants by enabling the rational design of NAA pore structures for optimized drug loading and release kinetics. Full article

The proliferation of renewable energy resources has brought numerous challenges to conventional power systems, as grid integration is predominantly achieved through inverter-interfaced technologies such as photovoltaic (PV) plants and Type-IV wind turbines. Unlike synchronous generators (SGs), inverter-based resources (IBRs) exhibit fundamentally different fault behavior by limiting fault current magnitudes, typically within 1.0–1.2 per unit. Furthermore, the phase angle and sequence composition of the injected fault current are largely dictated by the inverter control strategy rather than by the network impedance. Consequently, distance protection schemes developed under assumptions of system homogeneity, a fixed source-to-impedance ratio (SIR), high fault current contribution, and large inertia may exhibit unreliable performance in inverter-dominated power networks. In this work, the influence of IBRs on key distance protection elements, such as starting elements, fault classification techniques, and impedance calculation with or without inter-feed, is reviewed and evaluated using simulations in PSCAD 5.0 software. Further, reduced grid inertia introduces operational limitations in power swing blocking (PSB) schemes, which are discussed in this paper. This work presents an overview of IBR fault responses and critically summarizes prior work on distance protection in IBR-dominated grids, highlighting key challenges, probable solutions, and the current research status to enhance understanding for further research. Full article

Canola meal, with environmentally friendly attributes, lower cost, and previous studies, is an interesting proteic source to partially replace the soybean meal for poultry nutrition. For that, in this work we aimed to investigate canola meal as a partial replacement of soybean meal in finishing poultry diets (21 to 49 days) on the productive performance, also including the impact on the quality, nutritional attributes and antioxidative status of valuable cuts of meat. Ninety-six 21-day-old chickens were assigned to four experimental diets (24/diet), with increasing doses of canola meal (CM 0, 2.5, 5 and 10%). Daily consumption, weekly live weight and post mortem carcass weight and yield were determined. At 24 h post mortem, pH, color (CIE L, a*, b*) and drip loss were measured in the breast, drumstick and thigh cuts. Fatty acid composition and health lipid indexes were also determined in the fresh cuts. The oxidative status of lipids and proteins, polyphenol and flavonoids content in fresh and in stored (7 days-display at 4–6 °C) in vacuum packaged cuts were determined. Including CM, up to 10%, the feed intake and growth of birds was not affected (p = 0.74 and p = 0.87 respectively). In meat, CM significantly decreased the drip loss (p < 0.05), the pH in breast and thigh (p = 0.01 and p = 0.05 respectively), a lower L and b in thigh and increased PUFAs in more oxidative cuts, with a strong interaction between dose and muscle type. There was no effect on lipid oxidation while carbonyls decrease at a 2.5% dose in fresh and stored cuts but there is an increase with higher ones. Flavonoids raise the maximum deposition in meat at 5% CM. In conclusion, CM can be included in finishing poultry diets, but high doses must to be adequately managed if performance and quality of meat criteria are considered together. Full article

Urbanization threatens amphibians through habitat loss and fragmentation. The critically endangered Hynobius yangi, endemic to Korea, faces severe habitat destruction from urban development. No previous study has simultaneously assessed physicochemical habitat quality and larval feeding ecology across restored and alternative wetlands for this species using fecal DNA metabarcoding. We compared 25 H. yangi spawning sites in Sasong New Town through long-term monitoring (April 2021–September 2024; 364 surveys) and fecal DNA metabarcoding (18S V9, COI313, and blocking primers) from 60 larvae. Egg sac abundance showed negative associations with habitat area (r = −0.21), pH (r = −0.23), and conductivity (r = −0.21); however, none retained significance after Bonferroni correction, and each explained only 4–5% of variance, indicating exploratory associations. Associated conditions included area 115.5 ± 16.2 m² (mean ± SE), circularity 44.2 ± 2.4%, pH 7.55 ± 0.10, and conductivity 53.0 ± 2.7 μS/cm. Dietary analysis identified 17 prey taxa. Larvae in alternative areas showed generalist feeding favoring Perlidae and Tubificidae, while restored-area larvae showed specialist patterns dominated by Chironomidae, Nematocera, and Psychodidae. Both habitat types supported H. yangi populations. These preliminary findings suggest that appropriately designed alternative areas may complement traditional restoration, pending multi-site validation. Full article

Hybrid rocket technologies are gaining recognition as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional propulsion systems. Utah State University’s Propulsion Research Laboratory has developed a High-Performance Green Hybrid Propulsion (HPGHP) technology, leveraging 3D-printed ABS fuel for reliable, low-energy ignition. Among tested materials, only ABS shows suitable electrical-breakdown properties for arc ignition. Unfortunately, due to the proprietary formulations in commercial ABS blends, and its limited use as a rocket-propellant, related composition and combustion data are limited. This study uses spectroscopic evaluation and bomb calorimetry to estimate material compositions, enthalpies of formation, and combustion energies for multiple commercially available 3-D print feed stock ABS types, finding minimal differences amongst the samples tested. Based on these test results, “representative” ABS properties including chemical formula, mean molecular weight, enthalpy of formation, and Higher Heating Value, is recommended. Follow-on tests with 5 alternative, commonly used, 3D-printable thermoplastic feed stocks demonstrate that ABS has significantly higher energy content. This result supports ABS’s advantages and utility as a conveniently fabricated hybrid rocket fuel. Full article

Tool wear remains a critical limiting factor in machining performance, particularly in dry cutting conditions where friction and tribological interactions dominate. This study investigates the influence of a 5–8 μm PVD-deposited TiN coating on the wear behavior of high-speed steel (HSS) end mills during milling of three representative wood species (oak, beech, and fir). A spatially resolved wear evaluation methodology was employed, based on ten measurement points distributed along a 20 mm active cutting edge, enabling simultaneous assessment of mean wear and maximum localized wear (Umax). A factorial experimental design combining material type and feed rate (1500–2500 mm/min) was analyzed using two-way ANOVA with effect size quantification (η²). The results reveal a statistically significant reduction in mean wear for TiN-coated tools (F = 7.46, p = 0.0195, η² = 0.34), corresponding to an average decrease of approximately 46% compared to uncoated tools. Maximum wear was influenced by both coating (F = 14.73, p = 0.0028, η² = 0.399) and material (F = 4.37, p = 0.040, η² = 0.237). The experimental findings are interpreted through a tribological framework, indicating a transition from abrasion- and micro-chipping-dominated degradation in uncoated tools to a controlled wear regime in TiN-coated tools, characterized by reduced asperity penetration, delayed crack initiation, and limited tribochemical interactions. These results demonstrate that coating effects dominate global wear evolution, while material properties influence localized degradation. The proposed combined experimental–statistical–mechanistic approach provides a robust framework for understanding and optimizing tool performance in dry machining environments. Full article

Surface quality of machined wood-based panels plays a key role in subsequent processing and product performance; however, its formation during CNC edge milling remains insufficiently understood, particularly for materials with different structural characteristics, including recycled content. This study investigates the influence of feed per tooth, milling strategy, and material structure on surface quality during CNC edge milling of particleboards manufactured from alternative lignocellulosic resources. Six board variants were experimentally produced and machined on a five-axis CNC machining center Morbidelli m100 using a single-edge milling cutter, with feed per tooth varied at three levels and both climb and conventional milling strategies applied. Surface quality was evaluated using a non-contact 3D optical profilometer Keyence VR-6000, and roughness (R_a) and waviness (W_z) parameters were analyzed. The results showed that surface roughness increased with increasing feed per tooth for all materials, with an increase of approximately 30%–70%. Statistical analysis confirmed a significant effect of feed per tooth and material type, while milling strategy and its interaction with material were not statistically significant. Materials with higher surface heterogeneity (CVR_a) showed increased roughness and greater sensitivity to feed. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between surface heterogeneity (CVR_a) and roughness sensitivity (ΔR_a), indicating that materials with higher surface heterogeneity (CVR_a), which likely reflects variability in their internal structure, are more sensitive to changes in feed per tooth. Full article

Background: The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) produces and distributes serotonin, while the hypothalamus (HYP) uses serotonergic signals to regulate physiological processes in chickens. Coconut oil (COCO), rich in medium-chain fatty acids, is rapidly absorbed without re-esterification. Methods: Day-old broilers (Ross 708 male, n = 160) were distributed into two dietary treatments with five replicates of 16 birds each. The birds were fed a corn–soybean meal (SBM) basal diet supplemented with 3% of poultry fat (CON) or coconut oil (COCO). The body-weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded over a 3-week period, and the data were subjected to a t-test. Untargeted metabolomic analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-MS) was used to evaluate the influence of the type of dietary fat on metabolite profiles in the DRN, HYP, and plasma of broiler chickens. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify unique metabolites, and ANOVA was used to identify the metabolites that were significantly abundant (p < 0.05). The metabolites were then annotated using the KEGG and HMDB databases. Results: Birds in the COCO treatment gained more weight on average (0.8446 kg/bird) than birds in the CON group (0.8132 kg/bird; p = 0.0496). Five metabolites associated with multiple significant cellular processes, such as brain function, energy metabolism, and neurotransmission, showed similar differential expression patterns, while two metabolic pathways (butanoate metabolism and alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism) were identified. Conclusions: The dietary inclusion of COCO improves BWG in poultry and enhances their overall well-being by modulating metabolite profiles, supporting neurotransmission, and enriching the metabolic pathways essential for growth and brain function. Full article

Background: Glutaric acidemia type 1 (GA1) is an autosomal recessive neurometabolic disorder caused by pathogenic variants in glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH), with variable clinical severity despite early biochemical detectability. Population-specific mutational spectra and genotype–phenotype correlations remain insufficiently defined in infantile-onset disease. Therefore, this study aimed to define the GCDH variant spectrum in GA1 patients with mild hepatopathy and assess genotype–phenotype correlations. Methods: We performed integrated clinical, biochemical, and molecular characterization of 15 unrelated patients with infantile-onset GA1. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed for all participants, and the resulting data were compared with the reference sequence of the GCDH gene. Results: All patients presented within the first 6 months of life with macrocephaly, seizures, dystonia, and feeding difficulties. Neurological impairment and mild hepatopathy were variably observed, and one patient developed an acute encephalopathic crisis. Six homozygous GCDH variants were identified, predominantly missense. A common variant, c.541G>C (p.Glu181Gln), accounted for 73.3% of cases and defined a consistent phenotype of early macrocephaly and movement disorder with frequent mild hepatic involvement, suggesting regional enrichment and raising the possibility of a founder effect that warrants confirmation in future haplotype studies. A truncating variant, c.382C>T (p.Arg128Ter), was associated with severe early encephalopathy. Exon 6 represented a mutational hotspot. Biochemically, all patients showed elevated urinary glutaric and 3-hydroxyglutaric acids, increased glutarylcarnitine, and low-to-normal free carnitine, with higher metabolite levels in clinically more severe cases. All variants were pathogenic or likely pathogenic and extremely rare in population databases. Conclusions: This cohort reveals a striking predominance of the GCDH c.541G>C variant and establishes a clear biochemical signature with genotype-associated clinical patterns in infantile-onset GA1. These findings support a population-specific mutational spectrum, refine genotype–phenotype correlations, and underscore the importance of early molecular diagnosis to guide targeted neurological and hepatic monitoring as well as regional screening strategies. Full article

Feed availability and quality remain major constraints to ruminant productivity in West Africa, where livestock systems rely heavily on locally available resources such as natural forages, crop residues and agro-industrial by-products. However, reliable ration formulation requires accurate information on feed chemical composition, while existing data are fragmented and highly variable. This study conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2025 to synthesize available data on the chemical composition of ruminant feeds in West Africa. Following PRISMA guidelines, 44 studies reporting quantitative feed composition data were retained. Feed resources were classified into agro-industrial by-products, agricultural by-products and forages, and descriptive statistics were calculated for key nutritional parameters. The results revealed substantial variability in nutrient composition across feed types and even within the same feed resource. Cottonseed cake emerged as a major protein-rich supplement, legume haulms showed higher nutritional value than cereal residues, and several browse species such as Moringa oleifera and Leucaena leucocephala demonstrated high protein potential. These findings highlight that fixed feed composition values are poorly suited to heterogeneous tropical feeding systems. The reference ranges established in this review provide a more reliable basis for feed evaluation and ration formulation and can support the development of locally adapted feeding strategies and decision-support tools for West African livestock systems. Full article