Search Results (51,121)

The transition towards data-driven energy management requires predictive frameworks capable of handling the nonlinear and non-stationary nature of natural gas consumption. Traditional static models often struggle to adapt to rapid regime shifts in liberalized markets. To address this forecasting problem, this study proposes a convex ensemble weight optimization framework. Moving beyond simple model averaging, we formulate the ensemble weighting problem as a constrained convex optimization task on the unit simplex. We utilize the Frank–Wolfe algorithm (Conditional Gradient) to dynamically optimize the weights of a heterogeneous set of base learners, including SARIMAX, XGBoost, N-HiTS, and Temporal Fusion Transformers (TFTs). Our results on the Czech gas market dataset demonstrate that this mathematically grounded approach achieves a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 4.25%, which compares favorably to individual models such as N-HiTS (5.31%) and static averaging (6.74%). While the accuracy gain over greedy ensemble selection is marginal, the proposed convex formulation offers improved stability and interpretability, which are practical advantages for operational deployment. Full article

This study aimed to develop a solvent removal-based in situ forming gel (ISG) loaded with salicylic acid (SAL) using myristic acid (MYR) as a matrix-forming agent. SAL-loaded MYR-based ISGs were prepared using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvents and evaluated for physicochemical properties, matrix formation behavior, mechanical characteristics, and in vitro drug release. Increasing MYR content influenced viscosity, gel formation kinetics, and depot integrity, resulting in prolonged SAL release of up to 20 days in DMSO-based formulations. The release kinetics were best described by the Peppas–Sahlin model, indicating diffusion-dominated drug transport. The selected formulation containing 30% w/w SAL and 20% w/w MYR exhibited acceptable injectability, reproducible in situ matrix formation, and sustained drug retention. Antimicrobial testing confirmed that SAL retained biological activity against oral pathogens following incorporation into the ISG system, although solvent contributions to antimicrobial effects were also observed. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of a MYR-based ISG system in which SAL contributes to both therapeutic activity and matrix formation, supporting its potential for localized oral drug delivery. Full article

Hybrid tractors operating in hilly terrain often suffer from reduced overall performance due to unregulated slip rate variations. To address this issue, this paper proposes a hierarchical cooperative control strategy that jointly optimizes traction efficiency and energy consumption. First, a traction force–slip rate coupling model is developed, and an adaptive slip rate control method is designed to determine the optimal traction force distribution range, thereby improving traction efficiency. Next, an equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS) is formulated to minimize equivalent fuel consumption, using the torque coupler ratio and torque distribution ratio as optimization variables. These two methods are then integrated through slip rate and traction force as transfer variables, forming a hierarchical cooperative control framework that simultaneously considers both objectives. The proposed method is validated under plowing conditions through MATLAB simulations and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) tests, using a fixed coordinated traction force allocation method as a benchmark. Results show that, compared to the benchmark, the proposed method reduces slip rate loss by 29.6%, increases traction efficiency by 8.7%, and decreases equivalent fuel consumption by 14.4%. This study provides new insights into improving the energy efficiency of hybrid tractors in complex terrains. Full article

Fractal dimension is widely used as a quantitative descriptor of structural complexity in digital images. However, its practical implementation often involves methodological and computational trade-offs. The compression-based estimator provides an information-theoretic formulation that operates directly on grayscale images without mandatory binarization. Although the method is theoretically grounded and has been applied in real-world scenarios, its implementation-level behavior and computational characteristics have not been systematically analyzed under controlled conditions. To address this gap, this work presents a structured GPU-enabled validation framework for this estimator using synthetic Julia sets with known theoretical fractal dimensions. By focusing on their planar boundaries, which enable direct ground-truth comparison across multiple resolutions, numerical accuracy, statistical stability, and execution time are jointly evaluated across CPU and GPU implementations. Furthermore, additional experiments assess sensitivity to progressive Gaussian blur and exploratory behavior on grayscale textures from the Brodatz dataset, revealing that boundary-dominated fractals consistently yield dimensions between 1 and 2, whereas volumetric textures produce values greater than 2 without modifying the estimation framework. Performance profiling identifies distinct computational regimes and highlights a trade-off between robustness and execution time in the double-compression GPU configuration. This approach establishes a reproducible evaluation framework that supports the practical deployment of compression-based fractal dimension estimation in large-scale and time-constrained image analysis systems. Full article

Background/Objectives: Poor aqueous solubility and limited nasal permeability remain key challenges in the intranasal delivery of carbamazepine. In this study, biocompatible bovine serum albumin nanoparticles functionalized with sulfobutyl-β-cyclodextrin (SβCD-BSA NPs), comprising individually cytocompatible components with confirmed physical interactions), were formulated for intranasal delivery of carbamazepine (CBZ). Methods: The ethanolic desolvation method was utilised for the preparation of the nanoparticles, with the functional moiety incorporated during nanoparticle preparation. The effects of different molar ratios of SβCD-BSA and different ethanol volume ratios were studied. For crosslinking, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC), a non-toxic crosslinker, was utilised. To determine the role of the SβCD, two preparation samples were formulated, with and without SβCD. Results: The formulation without SβCD incorporation had a mean particle size of 125 ± 0.64 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.34, encapsulation efficiency (EE%) of 61.5 ± 1.40%, and drug-loading ratio (DL%) of 31.9 ± 1.50%. Conversely, the SβCD-functionalized formulation showed a mean particle size of 128 ± 2.12 nm, PDI of 0.21 ± 0.03, EE of 64.6 ± 0.35%, and DL of 34.28 ± 1.60%. Statistical analysis revealed that the incorporation of SβCD resulted in a statistically significant increase in both DL% and EE% (p < 0.05). Conversely, the observed differences in particle size and PDI were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). This addition provides precise context regarding the comparability of the formulations while highlighting SβCD’s functional benefits in solubility and permeation. The interaction between CBZ and SβCD-BSA was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Lastly, the prepared formulations were characterised by their physicochemical attributes and in vitro biopharmaceutical studies. It was discovered that SβCD plays a dual role, enhancing the solubility of CBZ in one scenario while promoting its nasal permeation, suggesting its potential use in epilepsy treatment. Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential of SβCD-BSA NPs as a versatile pharmaceutics platform for the intranasal delivery of poorly soluble CNS drugs. Full article

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hemp protein addition on the structural, rheological, textural, color, and bioactive properties of gelatin hydrogels. Composite systems containing 0–20% hemp protein were analyzed to clarify the mechanism of interaction with the gelatin matrix and to determine whether hemp protein acts as a passive filler or an active structure-forming component. In all formulations, the gelatin concentration was kept constant at 5% (w/w), while hemp protein was added at increasing levels without replacing the gelatin phase, resulting in systems with increasing total solid content. The addition of hemp protein significantly enhanced water-holding capacity and gel strength, as confirmed by rheological measurements and texture profile analysis. Thermorheological analysis revealed a gradual transition from a classic thermoreversible gelatin gel to reinforced composite networks, with the viscoelastic response increasingly governed by the hemp protein structure at higher concentrations (15–20%). Frequency- and amplitude-sweep tests demonstrated improved mechanical stability and reduced frequency dependence. FTIR analysis indicated reorganization of hydrogen bonding and an increasing contribution of hydrophobic interactions related to the lipid fraction of hemp protein. Furthermore, the addition of hemp protein led to a marked increase in antioxidant activity (ABTS and FRAP) and significant changes in color parameters. These results demonstrate that hemp protein functions as an active structural and functional component in gelatin hydrogels, enabling the development of materials with tailored mechanical properties and enhanced bioactivity. Full article

Opalinus Clay (OPA) is a key host rock for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste in Switzerland and is also under investigation in Germany. Reliable prediction of the long-term performance of deep geological repositories requires constitutive models capable of capturing the coupled hydro-mechanical (HM) behaviour of the host rock, including mechanical anisotropy, strain-dependent stiffness, suction effects, and stress-dependent failure. This study presents a hydro-mechanically coupled constitutive model incorporating anisotropic yield behaviour, hardening/softening, and strain-dependent permeability. The model is calibrated against laboratory triaxial, Brazilian tensile strength (BTS), and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) tests on OPA, with bedding orientations between 0° and 90°. Implemented in OpenGeoSys (OGS), the model represents bedding-controlled plastic anisotropy using a microstructure tensor approach. The simulations reproduce key experimental trends relevant to repository-induced perturbations, including bedding-dependent strength and stiffness, suction effects on UCS, and the orientation-dependent tensile strength observed in Brazilian tests. Remaining discrepancies under high confining stress indicate the need for improved regularization and dilatancy formulations. Overall, the proposed framework provides a robust building block for HM process modelling and long-term safety assessments of deep geological repositories. Full article

Backyard chicken farming is a longstanding practice in Romania, with over 13 million birds raised in such systems to provide households with essential sources of eggs and meat. Despite advantages such as low production costs and the potential for organic husbandry, backyard poultry remains highly vulnerable to parasitic infections due to limited biosecurity measures and minimal regulatory oversight. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a plant-based anthelmintic product in naturally infected backyard flocks. Among the 35 backyard farms examined, 24 (68.6%) tested positive for helminth infections, with prevalence rates of 51.4% for Ascaridia galli/Heterakis gallinarum, 57.1% for Capillaria spp., and 40% for Strongyloides avium. Positive households were assigned to three groups: untreated control, fenbendazole-treated, and herbal product-treated. The plant-based formulation consisted of alcoholic extracts from seven locally sourced plants, Thymus serpyllum, Calendula officinalis, Inula helenium, Tanacetum vulgare, Origanum vulgare, Artemisia annua, and Artemisia absinthium, and was administered via drinking water at a dose of 5 mL/L for seven consecutive days. Anthelmintic efficacy was assessed using the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). Fecal samples were collected before treatment and on days 7, 14, and 21 post-treatment, and examined using flotation and the McMaster technique. Both the plant-based and fenbendazole-treated groups exhibited significant reductions in egg counts for A. galli/H. gallinarum (p ≤ 0.00001), although neither treatment reached the 90% efficacy threshold required for reliable parasitic control in poultry. The herbal formulation achieved a 91.33% reduction in fecal egg counts overall and a complete (100%) efficacy against Strongyloides avium at 7 and 21 days post-treatment, respectively. At 14 days post-treatment, the mean FECRT values across all parasite species ranged from 13.64% in the untreated control group to 71.86% in the fenbendazole-treated group and 67.11% in the herbal-treated group. The highest reduction was observed in the fenbendazole group against Ascaridia galli/Heterakis gallinarum (85.22 ± 11.86), while the lowest was recorded in the control group against S. avium (–31.63 ± 96.64). Overall, our findings indicate that plant-based anthelmintics are a promising, environmentally friendly option for organic backyard poultry systems, offering a viable alternative to conventional chemical treatments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Selection of polymer carriers for targeted drug delivery is typically guided by material availability or trigger responsiveness rather than disease-specific evidence. However, successful preclinical formulations may already encode implicit design rules linking polymer composition to particular pathological environments. This study aimed to identify reproducible material-disease associations across biodegradable polymer systems and to derive formulation-oriented guidance for disease-calibrated carrier selection. Methods: A structured synthesis of 65 preclinical in vivo studies (2020–2025) covering inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, cardiovascular inflammation, and solid tumors was performed. Extracted variables included polymer family, backbone chemistry, stimulus responsiveness, disease model, and reported therapeutic benefit relative to controls. Associations between polymer composition, trigger mechanisms, and disease categories were analyzed using cross-tabulation, chi-square statistics, Cramér’s V, and direction-of-effect synthesis. Results: Distinct material-disease clustering patterns emerged. Ionizable polysaccharide and methacrylate systems (e.g., alginate, chitosan, Eudragit) were strongly associated with intestinal inflammatory models, reflecting reliance on pH- and ion-mediated mechanisms. Enzyme-degradable hyaluronic acid matrices were concentrated in joint and cartilage disorders characterized by protease overexpression. Oxidation-sensitive polyether systems (e.g., PEG-PPS) and redox-active hybrid platforms predominated in atherosclerosis and tumor models, where oxidative stress is a defining pathological feature. Composite and multi-responsive systems were disproportionately represented in tumors, consistent with microenvironmental heterogeneity. Across studies, therapeutic improvement was consistently reported when polymer functional motifs aligned with dominant biochemical drivers of the disease. Conclusions: Successful biodegradable polymer carriers exhibit disease-specific compatibility patterns rather than universal applicability. These recurring associations suggest that polymer selection can be guided by pathological context even in the absence of direct outcome comparisons. The resulting formulation-oriented framework supports rational carrier choice for personalized drug delivery based on disease-specific microenvironment signatures. Full article

Background: Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) is a medicinal plant traditionally used for its antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. Recent evidence supports its expanding applications in dermatology and dermocosmetics. Purpose: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the skin-related biological activities of pomegranate extracts, identify the key bioactive compounds involved, and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms relevant to skin health and aging. Methods: A total of 732 studies were screened using AIReviewer clustering. Fifty-four original articles were selected on the basis of inclusion criteria prioritizing molecular evidence, in vitro and in vivo assays, and clinical relevance. Results: Pomegranate extracts exhibit a broad range of dermocosmetic properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, wound healing, moisturizing, photoprotective, and collagen-preserving effects. These effects are primarily attributed to ellagitannins (punicalagin and punicalin), ellagic and gallic acid, triterpenoids (oleanolic, maslinic, and asiatic acids), flavonoids (quercetin and catechins), anthocyanins, and fatty acids (punicic acid). Pomegranate extracts modulate oxidative stress by scavenging reactive oxygen species and upregulating Nrf2-mediated antioxidant pathways. They inhibit matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1 and MMP-3), suppress proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6), and stimulate fibroblast proliferation, extracellular matrix remodeling, and hyaluronic acid synthesis. Their photoprotective activity provides enhanced UVB resistance and higher SPF values. Recent advances in fermentation and nanotechnology have been shown to increase the bioavailability and stability of compounds found in pomegranate, offering new formulation strategies. Conclusions: Pomegranates are a promising source of multifunctional phytochemicals with validated dermocosmetic applications. Their incorporation into advanced delivery systems may increase their therapeutic potential for skin protection, regeneration, and antiaging interventions. Full article

This study investigated the effects of bovine colostrum and whey protein concentrate (WPC) on the physicochemical, functional, microbiological, and sensory properties of fermented milk beverages formulated with different ingredient compositions and starter culture variants. Four formulations were evaluated during two weeks of refrigerated storage. WPC addition markedly reduced viscosity, with the lowest value observed in WPC enhanced samples (0.26 Pa·s), whereas skimmed milk powder contributed to a more balanced texture. Syneresis was highest in the WPC-rich formulation (6.9 mL) and lower in colostrum-containing samples (3.2–4.9 mL), indicating improved water-holding capacity. Colostrum enhanced antioxidant activity, with ABTS values reaching approximately 240–250 µM Trolox/mL during mid-storage, followed by a decline on day 14. Sensory evaluation showed the highest consumer acceptance for samples containing balanced proportions of colostrum and WPC, while formulations with high WPC content scored lower due to inferior texture and appearance. The applied formulations also supported the viability of Bifidobacterium spp. during refrigerated storage, maintaining counts at levels considered adequate for probiotic dairy products. Overall, the combined use of bovine colostrum and WPC resulted in fermented milk beverages with improved functional properties, structural stability, probiotic viability, and sensory acceptability. Full article

(1) Background: Starch-based breads can closely mimic wheat bread in texture and appearance; however, their nutritional value must be improved while maintaining their inherent bread-like characteristics. The objective of this study was to incorporate whole-grain pearl millet flour (PMF) into a starch-based bread formulation to enhance its dietary fiber and protein content. (2) Methods: The PMF was obtained using a combination of laboratory rollers and hammer mills, as well as appropriate sieves to obtain a particle size ≤ 250 µm. The incorporation of PMF affected the properties of the base flour (BF), dough, and gluten-free bread (GFB). (3) Results: In the BF, setback viscosity was significantly reduced from 6379 to 1354 mPa·s. Similarly, in the freshly kneaded dough, both the elastic and viscous moduli decreased, from 168.3 to 17.8 kPa and from 36.3 to 4.3 kPa, respectively. During fermentation, dough-specific volume increased from 0.76 to 1.73 cm³/g. In the GFB, the moisture content decreased from 47.9 to 42.2%, bread specific volume varied from 2.13 to 2.68 cm³/g, and crumb hardness increased from 12.8 to 25.3 N. PMF incorporation segmented bread consumers into two preference-based clusters, characterized by lower (1) and higher (2) PMF levels. (4) Conclusions: Incorporating 30% PMF increased the fiber and protein contents of the starch-based bread by 4.9% and 2.2%, respectively, without compromising specific volume (2.56 g/cm³) or overall acceptance, which remained comparable to that of a commercial gluten-free bread (7.30 and 6.32 for clusters (1) and (2), respectively). Full article

Pediatric respiratory diseases are a leading cause of hospital admissions and childhood mortality worldwide, highlighting the critical need for accurate and timely diagnosis to support effective treatment and long-term care. Chest radiography remains the most widely used imaging modality for pediatric pulmonary assessment. Consequently, reliable AI-assisted diagnostic methods are essential for alleviating the workload of clinical radiologists. However, most existing deep learning-based approaches are data-driven and formulate diagnosis as a black-box image classification task, resulting in limited interpretability and reduced clinical trustworthiness. To address these challenges, we propose a trustworthy two-stage diagnostic paradigm for pediatric chest X-ray diagnosis that closely aligns with the radiological workflow in clinical practice, in which the diagnosis procedure is constrained by evidence. In the first stage, a vision–language model fine-tuned on pediatric data identifies radiological findings from chest radiographs, producing structured and interpretable diagnostic evidence. In the second stage, a multimodal large language model integrates the radiograph, extracted findings, patient demographic information, and external medical domain knowledge with RAG mechanism to generate the final diagnosis. Experiments conducted on the VinDr-PCXR dataset demonstrate that our method achieves 90.1% diagnostic accuracy, 70.9% F1-score, and 82.5% AUC, representing up to a 13.1% increase in diagnosis accuracy over the state-of-the-art baselines. These results validate the effectiveness of combining multimodal reasoning with explicit medical evidence and domain knowledge, and indicate the strong potential of the proposed approach for trustworthy pediatric radiology diagnosis. Full article

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, affecting not only humans but also companion animals such as dogs and cats. Although traditional rodent models have long served as the foundation of preclinical oncology research, their limited ability to replicate the complexity of spontaneous human cancers has driven interest in comparative oncology. Dogs and cats develop naturally occurring tumors that closely resemble human malignancies in histopathology, molecular alterations, tumor microenvironments, and treatment response. These species also share exposure to environmental carcinogens and demonstrate conserved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profiles of several chemotherapeutic agents. This review provides a comprehensive comparison of cancer epidemiology, tumor biology, pharmacologic treatment modalities, drug formulation challenges, and regulatory considerations in humans, dogs, and cats. Key molecular targets such as TP53, HER2, EGFR, and PD-L1 exhibit cross-species conservation, supporting the relevance of companion animals in biomarker discovery and drug screening. However, interspecies differences in drug metabolism, enzyme expression (e.g., CYP450), and drug tolerability underscore the importance of species-specific dosing strategies and therapeutic drug monitoring. Advanced delivery platforms—including liposomes, nanoparticles, and antibody–drug conjugates—have also been successfully translated into veterinary oncology. Comparative analyses across humans and companion animals may inform biomarker prioritization, PK/PD modeling, and formulation design; however, species-specific differences require cautious interpretation and veterinary-centered dosing and safety considerations. Companion animals serve not only as valuable models for cancer research but also as direct beneficiaries of precision oncology. Future work should prioritize harmonized veterinary trial designs and improved cross-species data standards, with translational applications considered as a downstream benefit. Full article

We present a covariant geometric extension of General Relativity formulated within a controlled effective field theory framework. The gravitational action is supplemented by curvature-dependent operators parametrized by three coefficients $\alpha$, $\beta$, and $\gamma$, chosen such that the resulting field equations remain second order in time derivatives and free of Ostrogradsky instabilities. In a homogeneous and isotropic cosmological background, the modified dynamics generically replaces the classical Big Bang singularity with a smooth, nonsingular bounce driven by a repulsive curvature core proportional to $a^{-6}$. A distinctive feature of the framework is the presence of a geometric slip term proportional to $\dot{H}$, which encodes curvature-memory effects at the level of the background evolution without introducing additional propagating degrees of freedom. This term dynamically correlates the expansion rate with its temporal variation, leading to effective ultraviolet damping and enhanced dynamical stability across the high-curvature regime. As a consequence, the cosmological solutions admit the definition of an intrinsic relational time variable that is strictly monotonic throughout the evolution, including across the bounce. The emergent temporal ordering arises purely from geometric dynamics and does not rely on matter clocks, nonlocality, or fundamental violations of time-reversal or CPT symmetry. We discuss the consistency of the framework within its effective field theory domain of validity and comment on its implications for the conceptual problems of singularity resolution and the emergence of time in cosmology. Full article