Search Results (1,074)

Background: Physical inactivity is a major contributor to cardiometabolic disease and mortality. Although mitochondrial dysfunction characterizes overt pathology, whether sedentarism constitutes a distinct and measurable bioenergetic disease state, rather than simply reduced fitness, has not been established. Methods: Nine sedentary (SED) and ten physically active (AC) healthy males (42 ± 14 yr) were studied. Skeletal muscle bioenergetics were assessed using high-resolution respirometry, fluxomics, metabolomics, and protein expression analyses. Whole-body physiology was evaluated using cardiopulmonary exercise and lactate testing (CPELT). Results: At rest, SED exhibited marked reductions in mitochondrial capacity, including Complex I (−36%), Complex II (−28%), electron transport system capacity (−34%), and ATP-synthase-coupled respiration (−30%, all p < 0.01). The most pronounced alteration was a 49% reduction in mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC1) expression, which closely correlated with reduced pyruvate oxidation (−37%, p = 0.006) and lower TCA intermediates. SED also showed reduced MCT1 abundance, impaired fatty-acid oxidation capacity (−32% to −35%), decreased CPT1 activity (−51%), altered cardiolipin composition, and elevated ROS/O₂ flux ratios. During exercise, SED demonstrated lower VO₂max (−38%), reduced fat oxidation (−35%), and higher blood lactate accumulation (>60%, p < 0.001). Mitochondrial function was strongly associated with exercise performance (r = 0.57–0.78, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Healthy sedentary adults displayed a coordinated reduction in tissue-level mitochondrial oxidative capacity, substrate-handling markers, cardiolipin abundance, and metabolic flexibility. These findings should be interpreted as an integrated per-mg skeletal-muscle bioenergetic phenotype in which lower mitochondrial density may account for much of the observed reduction. Within this phenotype, the 49% reduction in MPC1 alongside preserved GLUT4, LDHA, and LDHB abundance represents an outstanding differential observation that future studies with direct mitochondrial-content normalization should test. CPELT-derived fat oxidation and blood lactate responses reflected this tissue-level bioenergetic phenotype, providing candidate noninvasive physiological markers for future longitudinal and interventional studies. Full article

The mechanical properties and real-time damage evolution of sustainable concrete (SC) containing 100% recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) under the combined action of hybrid steel and polyolefin fibers were studied. Inspired by solving the massive effects on the environment from construction waste, as well as to improve the lower mechanical performance of lower-grade RCA, the effect of combining high-stiffness hooked-end steel fibers and flexible macro-polyolefin fibers within RCA was investigated. Six different mix designs were considered: plain, single-fiber (100% steel and 100% polyolefin) and three hybrid composites with varying fractions of the steel/polyolefin fibers (25/75, 50/50, and 75/25). Compressive, tensile and flexural strengths were determined by mechanical testing. During compressive testing, the damage evolution was monitored using low-cost acoustic emission (AE) as a non-destructive technique. Cumulative hits analysis, amplitude distributions, and the statistical b-value parameter were used for damage characterization. The results show that steel fiber significantly increased compressive strength (an increase of up to 13.8%), and the 50/50 hybrid mix showed a high synergistic effect, yielding the highest tensile (4.86 MPa) and flexural (25.54 MPa) strengths. AE analysis identified different damage fingerprints: Based on amplitude analysis, steel-fiber composites exhibited high-amplitude events (which may be attributable to fiber pull-out); polyolefin-fiber composites generated medium-amplitude events (may have resulted from distributed microcracking); and hybrid mixes displayed a mixed amplitude distribution. The b-value analysis provided insight into progressive damage and revealed that the hybrid fibers induce stable, diffuse damage that prevents the brittle failure of plain recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). The results show that hybrid fiber reinforcement can be a reliable approach to enhance the mechanical performance and crack resistance of RAC. Furthermore, low-cost acoustic emission (AE) serves as an effective non-destructive method for monitoring damage progression within the material. Full article

The paper conducts a comparative analysis of the flexibility of land-use planning systems in relation to four southern European countries: Cyprus, France, Greece and Italy. It examines how their respective institutional settings and legal frameworks allow for different levels of flexibility at different stages of the local land-use planning process. After analyzing the substance of the land-use planning system in each country—including constitutional and legal provisions, the degree of local autonomy, and the nature of land-use planning instruments—the paper explores the flexibility vs. rigidity dichotomy in the practice of land-use zoning across three dimensions. The first dimension relates to land-use regulations that allow for dynamic land-use changes and flexible zoning capable of better addressing urban challenges. The second dimension concerns the ease with which land-use plans can be updated to adapt to the changing needs. The third dimension deals with the process of development control over land uses. The results of the analysis display differential flexibility among the countries under investigation, which may be imputable to the nature of the legal framework and the different administrative and planning traditions. While no one-size-fits-all local spatial planning model exists, a set of good practices are presented that aim at balancing regulatory control with flexibility in urban land-use planning in different contexts. Full article

South Africa’s power system has been characterised in recent years by declining coal fleet performance, accelerated renewable energy deployment because of system unreliability, and persistent delays in transmission expansion to replace ageing infrastructure (and enable new generation). These structural pressures have created a growing need for grid flexibility, particularly as renewable energy becomes the dominant source of new generation. This paper presents a techno-economic assessment of battery energy systems (BESSs) within a constrained national context, using three scenarios: a policy-aligned baseline (0), high-demand/moderate renewable growth (1), and a constrained transition pathway (2). They were modelled using a validated least-cost capacity expansion and dispatch framework incorporating updated assumptions on coal availability, transmission delivery constraints, renewable build caps, and demand trajectories. The results show that each scenario produces a distinct system stress mechanism. In Scenario 1, rapid renewable expansion leads to surplus-driven curtailment and increased flexibility requirements, with BESS delivering substantial operational value. In Scenario 2, coal fleet underperformance, procurement limits, and transmission congestion create energy-deficit conditions despite low demand, resulting in the highest unserved energy and congestion-driven curtailment. However, Scenario 0 is comparatively less stressed, but displays minor energy adequacy shortfalls after 2030, indicating that the baseline is not fully adequate under strict planning criteria. Ultimately, across all scenarios, storage and transmission expansions are shown to be complementary investments, which are jointly required to mitigate system-wide inefficiencies. Full article

This article is concerned with proposing a discrete version of a competing risks model, namely, the Pham–Burr XII distribution, via the general approach of discretization. The proposed model’s probability mass function displays decreasing, unimodal and decreasing–unimodal patterns, while its hazard rate and alternative hazard rate functions exhibit different and important shapes, which are decreasing, bathtub (Vtub), modified bathtub and unimodal shapes. Through these shapes, the flexibility and diversity in shapes of the characteristic functions of the discrete Pham–Burr XII distribution can be demonstrated. Therefore, the discrete Pham–Burr XII distribution can provide a better fit for several types of discrete data and count data. The main characteristic functions of the discrete Pham–Burr XII distribution are derived, and its properties are studied. Moreover, the parameters and the main characteristic functions of the discrete Pham–Burr XII distribution are estimated via the maximum likelihood method. Also, the asymptotic confidence intervals and percentile bootstrap confidence intervals are considered. Moreover, point and interval estimation of some entropy measures is discussed. Furthermore, a simulation study is achieved to assess the performance of the delivered maximum likelihood estimates. Finally, the applicability of the discrete Pham–Burr XII distribution is examined though different applications. Full article

Nitrogen (N) availability fundamentally shapes the community structure and competitive dynamics of floating macrophytes in paddy ecosystems. This study investigated the competitive interactions between Azolla and Lemna by applying a gradient of N concentrations (0–12 mg L⁻¹) across two experimental periods (November–January and March–May). Our results demonstrate a clear divergence in resource-use strategies between the two species: Azolla exhibited stronger stoichiometric homeostasis and a more conservative growth profile, retaining a competitive advantage under N-limiting conditions. Conversely, Lemna displayed a more opportunistic strategy, gaining a competitive advantage in N-rich environments through greater morphological plasticity and luxury nutrient uptake. This nitrogen-driven shift in competitive balance was associated with differences in root traits and stoichiometric flexibility. Stoichiometrically, Lemna exhibited greater flexibility in nutrient balance, including higher phosphorus accumulation under N-rich conditions, which may support rapid biomass expansion. Differences between the two experimental periods were also associated with variation in trait expression, suggesting that temporal context influenced how the two species responded to N enrichment. These findings highlight the importance of nitrogen management in steering floating-plant communities in paddy ecosystems: low-N inputs may help maintain Azolla-dominated communities with biofertilizer potential, whereas high-N conditions may favor Lemna and its rapid nutrient uptake. Full article

The tale commonly known as “Hunter Catches Birds” circulates widely across South Asia, the Islamicate world, and insular Southeast Asia. Despite linguistic, religious, and cultural differences, the narrative architecture of the Hunter Catches Birds tale displays remarkable continuities across Buddhist, Persian, Malay, Indonesian, and Javanese traditions. Its persistence across radically different religious and cultural settings raises a broader question of how narrative meaning remains recognizable through continual reinterpretation. In early Malay renderings, particularly within the Hikayat Bayan Budiman tradition, oral materials are reorganized into framed and nested literary structures. These forms enable both textual and visual interplay while supporting ethical instruction alongside aesthetic elaboration. Frequently positioned as an introductory episode in parrot-cycle literature, the story integrates motifs such as collective escape, feigned death, interspecies conflict, and the tension between loyalty and betrayal. These narrative elements remain open to reinterpretation in different moral and cultural settings. Drawing upon Sanskrit, Persian, Uyghur, Malay, Indonesian, and Javanese materials, this study examines how the tale moved across oral, manuscript, and visual traditions. Rather than treating the narrative as a fixed folktale type, the article approaches it as a flexible modular structure whose ethical meanings were continually reshaped across changing religious and social environments. These interactions generate layered systems of meaning in which image and text jointly shape narrative tension, vulnerability, and strategic judgment. In Persian miniature traditions, scenes of entrapment, sacrifice, and escape are organized through sequential composition and spatial tension, allowing conflict, vulnerability, and narrative causality to be experienced visually as well as textually. By tracing these transformations, this study argues that the enduring vitality of the Hunter Catches Birds tradition may lie less in narrative stability than in the sustained reinterpretation of repeated narrative structures across textual and visual cultures. Full article

This paper presents a modular FPGA-based Smart Multi-Functional Display (SMFD) architecture designed for low-power and real-time avionics applications. Conventional SMFD systems are typically based on tightly coupled monolithic architectures, which limit scalability, maintainability, and subsystem flexibility while increasing system complexity and power consumption. To address these limitations, the proposed architecture separates processing, display, and communication functions into independent hardware modules, enabling flexible system integration and subsystem-level optimization. It consists of four primary modules: an FPGA-based Programmable Logic Device (PLD) module for deterministic video processing and display timing control, an NXP i.MX8X CPU module for application-level management, a high-resolution LCD module, and a dedicated I/O module supporting avionics communication interfaces, including AFDX and RS422. The architecture combines FPGA-assisted real-time processing with power-aware task partitioning strategies to improve both timing predictability and energy efficiency. Experimental evaluation performed on the implemented hardware prototype demonstrates that the proposed architecture achieves approximately 40% reduction in power consumption compared to a conventional baseline configuration while maintaining real-time operational capability with an average processing latency of 12.7 ms. In addition, the FPGA-based implementation enables dynamic display reconfiguration with a measured switching time of approximately 235 ms. The results indicate that the proposed modular architecture provides an effective balance between power efficiency, real-time performance, scalability, and system flexibility for next-generation avionics display applications. Full article

Ether lipids in varying amounts are membrane constituents and storage material in the protist and animal kingdoms, but are largely absent from fungi and plants. Their biosynthesis pathway starts in the peroxisome and involves a set of well-conserved enzymes. Only one step, the reduction of alkyl-dihydroxyacetone-phosphate to alkyl-glycerol-3-phosphate, is mediated by so-called short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases, which are members of huge protein families. Here, using GFP fusions, we identify a peroxisomal enzyme in Dictyostelium, as well as a highly related protein residing in the endoplasmic reticulum. Single-gene knockouts indicate that these enzymes largely compensate for one another, suggesting a flexible redistribution of lipid metabolites between these organelles. The double knockout, however, is severely affected in ether lipid composition and displays a clear growth retardation. The defects can also be reverted by expression of the cognate yeast enzyme, demonstrating conservation of this metabolic step across kingdoms of life. Full article

High-power 355 nm ultraviolet (UV) lasers, leveraging their short wavelength, high photon energy, and high absorption across a broad range of materials, have become indispensable light sources for precision manufacturing, semiconductor processing, and laser direct imaging (LDI). In this paper, we demonstrate a high-power 355 nm UV laser system based on a narrow-linewidth polarization-maintaining (PM) Yb-doped fiber laser and cascaded frequency conversion. A single-frequency semiconductor laser is employed as the seed source, with its spectral linewidth broadened to 0.32 nm (full width at half maximum, FWHM) via phase modulation to suppress stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). Through a PM master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) architecture, a maximum average output power of 899 W at 1064 nm is achieved with a beam quality factor of M² = 1.12 (M²_x = 1.11, M²_y = 1.13). By employing lithium triborate (LiB₃O₅, LBO) crystals for extracavity cascaded second-harmonic generation (SHG) and sum-frequency generation (SFG), a maximum green output power of 613.7 W at 532 nm is obtained, corresponding to a SHG conversion efficiency of 68.2%, and a maximum UV output power of 227.1 W at 355 nm is achieved, with a total conversion efficiency of 25.2%. At the maximum output power, the UV beam quality factors are M² = 1.16 (M²_x = 1.24 and M²_y = 1.09), and the power fluctuation is better than ±1.5% root-mean-square (RMS) over 8 h of continuous operation. These results indicate that the cascaded frequency conversion approach based on narrow-linewidth PM fiber lasers possesses the capability for further scaling to higher-power single-path high-brightness UV output and can provide high-brightness UV sources for applications such as flexible printed circuit (FPC) laser cutting, flat-panel display laser direct imaging, and semiconductor wafer scribing. Full article

There is a growing demand for extreme miniaturization and enhanced sensitivity in next-generation sensing systems, including wearable devices and bioelectronics. Such advanced platforms require highly conductive, biocompatible, and mechanically robust architectures capable of conforming to dynamic surfaces. Conventional metallic thin-film fabrication techniques have reached their fundamental physicochemical limits, often suffering from suboptimal mechanical strength, complex multi-step processing, and high costs. In contrast, additive manufacturing methodologies offer streamlined microfabrication, yet traditional printing methods frequently struggle with low-viscosity constraints, insufficient metal loading, and significant material losses. This paper covers the morphological fidelity, mechanical resilience, and electrical performance of rheologically tailored, high-concentration (above 90%) gold nanoparticle paste deposited via Ultra-Precise Dispensing (UPD) technology. The capability of the UPD system to print complex, high-density fractal geometries with linewidths down to 5 μm is evaluated on both rigid and flexible substrates, glass and polyimide, respectively. The mechanical structural integrity of these conductive traces is characterized under initial 360-degree bending tests. Finally, the electrical stability and thermal response of a printed proof-of-concept temperature sensor are evaluated. The printed fractal microstructures exhibit good resolution and the fabricated sensor demonstrates good stability, displaying a linear thermal response with a temperature coefficient of resistance of 1.98·10⁻³ °C⁻¹, validating this combined material-deposition approach for microelectronics. Full article

Background/Objectives: BRI is a synthetic arylamide polymer designed to mimic the electrostatic and amphiphilic features of defensin-type antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), although its molecular organization and activity have not been experimentally validated. This study presents the first integrated computational and experimental characterization of BRI to define the physicochemical basis of its AMP-like behavior and membrane interactions. Methods: Molecular modelling was used to evaluate the structural and electrostatic properties of BRI. Model lipid membranes were used to study membrane interactions. Fluorescence spectroscopy, electrochemical measurements, and ζ-potential analyses were performed to characterize membrane insertion, aggregation, ionic conductance, and membrane resistance. Microbiology assays evaluating synergy with azole were also assessed. Results: Molecular modelling showed that BRI is a flexible molecule with cationic and hydrophobic surfaces, a strong amphiphilic dipole, and a dominant +4 charge state, explaining its sensitivity to ionic strength and membrane interactions. BRI displayed two membrane-dependent mechanisms of action. In zwitterionic phospholipid membranes, BRI resembled canonical AMPs, showing membrane insertion, pore formation, and increased ionic conductance. In anionic ergosterol-containing membranes mimicking fungal cells, BRI exhibited sterol-dependent insertion, in-plane aggregation, and modulation of membrane resistance without pore formation. Fluorescence, electrochemical, and ζ-potential measurements supported BRI–BRI interactions at the membrane interface and sensitivity to lipid domain organization. BRI also synergized with azole antifungal drugs, suggesting a mechanistic role for ergosterol in its antifungal activity. Conclusions: These findings reveal a sterol- and domain-mediated mechanism for arylamide polymers and identify lipid organization as a key determinant of antifungal activity. The dependence of BRI activity on ergosterol content provides a mechanistic explanation for its synergy with azole antifungals and supports further investigation of BRI as a membrane-active antifungal agent. Full article

Recently, conductive hydrogels have gained extensive applications in flexible wearable electronics and have garnered considerable attention. However, their inherent swelling behaviour and limited mechanical strength have hindered their further development. In this study, a polyacrylamide/sodium alginate (PAM/SA, PS)-based hydrogel with high mechanical strength and anti-swelling properties was prepared by combining mechanical stretching–drying pretreatment with a bimetallic ion (Li⁺/multivalent metal ion) post-soaking strategy. Among multivalent metal ions (Ca²⁺, Al³⁺, and Zr⁴⁺), the Al³⁺-crosslinked hydrogel (PS-Al³⁺) demonstrated outstanding overall performance. It exhibited excellent mechanical properties, with tensile strength, elongation at break, and impact strength reaching 9.71 MPa, 993.53%, and 75 MJ/m³, respectively. Its dense network structure also gave it excellent anti-swelling properties (swelling ratio of 14%). As a strain sensor, the PS-Al³⁺ hydrogel displayed good conductivity (1.33 S/m), high sensitivity (GF = 2.25), fast response (response time of 403 ms), and negligible hysteresis (recovery time of 407 ms). Benefiting from its exceptional resistance to expansion, the material’s sensor response signals in underwater environments are highly consistent with those in air. Furthermore, this sensor has been successfully applied to swimming motion monitoring and data transmission in underwater environments. This study proposes a novel, low-cost, and simple approach for developing flexible sensors suitable for underwater environments. Full article

This study investigates agar–starch composite bioplastic films formulated with five agar-to-starch ratios (1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, and 5:1) to evaluate how composition influences material performance. Films were produced by solution casting with glycerol as a plasticizer and characterized through tensile testing (ASTM D882-18), DSC, TGA, FTIR, water absorption measurements, physical property assessment, and biodegradability tests including water, UV, and soil degradation. Mechanical results showed that the 3:1 formulation (A3S1) exhibited the highest tensile strength (2.78 MPa) with moderate elongation (57.25%), while the 1:1 formulation (A1S1) showed the greatest flexibility (76.38% elongation) but lower strength (2.07 MPa). Thermal analysis indicated improved thermal stability with increasing agar content, with onset degradation temperatures ranging from 42.89 °C to 51.84 °C and melting points from 99 °C to 108 °C. FTIR spectra showed no new major absorption bands, with only minor shifts in selected bands, indicating component interactions without evidence of new chemical bond formation. Films with higher starch content displayed increased thickness, weight per area, and water absorption. Overall, adjusting agar–starch ratios produced distinct combinations of mechanical, thermal, and physical properties, with the 3:1 ratio offering the best balance of strength and water resistance. All formulations showed measurable biodegradation under water, UV, and soil conditions, indicating environmental degradability. Full article

Voltage-gated ion channels are central regulators of cardiac, neuronal, and skeletal muscle excitability, and their dysfunction underlies a wide spectrum of channelopathies, including arrhythmias and neuromuscular disorders. While conventional ion channel therapeutics typically target a single pore-binding site, emerging evidence supports the therapeutic potential of polypharmacological compounds capable of modulating multiple channel subtypes. ARumenamides represent a novel class of sulfonamide-based ligands originally identified as fenestration-targeting sodium channel modulators; however, their cross-family binding mechanisms and multitarget potential remain incompletely defined. Here, we employed an integrated structure-based computational workflow combining molecular docking, in silico ADMET profiling, and long-timescale (250 ns) molecular dynamics simulations to systematically evaluate 20 ARumenamide derivatives across 15 voltage-gated sodium, calcium, and potassium channel structures. Docking analyses revealed broad multitarget binding profiles, with several compounds exhibiting high predicted affinity across cardiac, neuronal, and skeletal muscle channel isoforms. ADMET predictions demonstrated favorable intestinal absorption and metabolic safety for most candidates, although solubility and mutagenicity liabilities were identified for select derivatives. Detailed molecular dynamics simulations of prioritized compounds (AR-310, AR-769, and AR-946) uncovered site-specific binding behaviors and conformational effects. AR-769 exhibited exceptional stability at both fenestration and central pore sites of Cav1.2, associated with persistent hydrogen-bond networks, reduced protein flexibility, and a well-defined free energy minimum. In contrast, AR-310 and AR-946 displayed selective stability within Nav1.4 fenestrations and the Kv4.3 central pore, respectively, highlighting how subtle chemical features bias binding site preference and dynamic retention. Collectively, these findings establish a structure–dynamics framework for rational design of ARumenamide-based multitarget ion channel modulators. Our results demonstrate that fenestration-focused binding can support sustained ligand engagement without obligatory pore occlusion, offering a mechanistically distinct strategy for developing next-generation polypharmacological therapeutics for cardiac and neuromuscular disorders. Full article