Search Results (1,914)

The development of lithium-ion batteries necessitates cathode materials that possess excellent mechanical and thermal properties in addition to electrochemical performance. As a prominent functional ceramic, the properties of spinel LiMn₂O₄ are governed by its atomic-level structure. This study systematically investigates the impact of Ni doping concentration on the mechanical and thermal properties of spinel LiNi_xMn_2−xO₄ via first-principles calculations combined with the bond valence model. The results suggest that when x = 0.25, the LiNi_xMn_2−xO₄ shows excellent mechanical properties, including a high bulk modulus and hardness, due to the favorable ratio of bond valence to bonds length in octahedra. Furthermore, this optimized composition shows a lower thermal expansion coefficient. Additionally, Ni doping concentration has a very minimal influence on the maximum tolerable temperature of the cathode material during rapid heating. Therefore, from the perspective of mechanical and thermal properties, this composition could be beneficial for improving the cycling life of the battery, since comparatively inferior mechanical properties and a higher thermal expansion coefficient make it prone to microcrack formation during charge–discharge cycles. Full article

In recent years, the response mechanism of Pleurotus ostreatus to abiotic stress has received widespread attention. MnSOD is an important antioxidant enzyme that has been widely studied in animals and plants because of its functions. However, there is little research on the function and regulatory mechanism of MnSOD in the growth and development of edible fungi. This study investigated the role of Mnsod3 in the growth and development of P. ostreatus. The results showed that during the nutritional growth stage, heat stress can cause the cell wall of mycelia to shrink and the cells to exhibit cytoplasmic wall separation. RNA-seq revealed that Mnsod3 interference is strongly correlated with increased transcript levels of cell wall synthase genes and with increased tolerance to cell wall disruptors. During the primordium formation stage, the mycelial cell wall also significantly wrinkled under cold and light stresses. RNAi of Mnsod3 alleviated the cell wall wrinkling caused by cold and light stress, restored the smoothness of the cell walls, and increased mycelial tolerance to abiotic stress. This may be related to the slower formation rate of primordia, but the specific molecular mechanism still needs further research. and slowed the rate of primordium formation. In summary, Mnsod3 plays an important role in the growth and development of P. ostreatus under abiotic stress and plays a critical regulatory role in cell wall remodeling under abiotic stress. Full article

Understanding the molecular basis of heat tolerance in microalgae is crucial for developing resilient strains for industrial biotechnology. This study identified two desert Chlorella strains, XDA024 (thermotolerant) and XDA121 (heat-sensitive), through short-term thermal screening. The thermotolerant strain XDA024 survived exposure to 50 °C for 3 h, whereas XDA121 succumbed within 1 h at 40 °C. Physiological analyses revealed that the superior heat resistance of XDA024 was associated with enhanced activities of key antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase, which effectively mitigated oxidative damage, alongside an elevated proline content contributing to osmoregulation. Transcriptomic profiling under acute heat stress (45 °C, 3 h) revealed that the unique thermotolerance of XDA024 was underpinned by the upregulation of genes related to photosystem stability and lipid synthesis, processes supported by activated calcium signaling and antioxidant pathways. In contrast, XDA121 exhibited significant downregulation of photosynthesis-related genes and promoted lipid degradation, resulting in membrane instability. Exogenous application of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and monoethanolamine (MEA) markedly increased the survival rate of XDA121 by more than threefold, primarily by alleviating membrane damage through enhanced membrane integrity and modulated antioxidant enzyme activities. These findings indicate that thermotolerance in desert Chlorella (Chlorophyta) is governed by the integrated coordination of antioxidant defense mechanisms, lipid metabolism, and photosystem protection. This research provides crucial insights and practical strategies for engineering heat-resistant microalgal strains for sustainable biofuel and bioproduct production. Full article

Salmonella enterica from low-moisture food has been found to have a higher thermal tolerance than from high-moisture food. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the association of thermal tolerance of this pathogen with low-moisture foods, such as peanut butter and peanut spread, has not been fully elucidated. We previously found that mutants of S. Tennessee with a defective gene encoding a cell membrane lipoprotein (Lpa) or cell division protein (ZapC) formed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) less biofilm than the wildtype strain. To assess the possible role of these genes in the thermal tolerance of S. Tennessee, this study compared the surviving populations of the wildtype S. Tennessee and its mutants defective in Lpa or ZapC in different types of peanut products (regular, reduced-fat, and natural) at 74 °C for 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, or 50 min. Results showed that mutants with a defective lpa or zapC significantly affected the survival of Salmonella in peanut products during heat treatments. Significantly, a higher reduction in Salmonella population was observed in regular peanut butter, followed by natural and reduced-fat peanut spreads. The study provides new insight into one of the molecular mechanisms underlying the thermal tolerance of Salmonella enterica. Full article

Background/Objectives: Flexible bronchoscopy (FB) enables airway exploration and diagnosis of various respiratory pathologies, but the sedation and instrumentation required during the procedure raise oxygen demand while reducing ventilation, which can lead to hypoxemia. Conventional oxygen therapy (COT) may not adequately prevent desaturations in high-risk groups, as patients with moderate respiratory deficiency. High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) can deliver heated, humidified oxygen at high flow rates, generating low-level positive airway pressure, improving oxygenation, reducing dead-space, and enhancing procedure tolerance. Prior studies have shown that HFNC can improve gas exchange and reduce desaturations during bronchoscopy. However, evidence remains limited for patients with moderate respiratory deficiency, who are particularly vulnerable. Evaluating the feasibility and safety of HFNC in this population is essential to guide safe procedural practice. Methods: A retrospective observational study including patients undergoing FB with HFNC support between January and May 2025. Inclusion criteria were BMI between 18 and 30; age > 18 years old; moderate respiratory dysfunction, defined by pulse oximetry, Pulmonary Functional Tests (PFTs) and Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) analysis. Exclusion criteria were intolerance/contraindication to HFNC. Procedures were performed under basic monitoring. Primary outcome was occurrence of severe hypoxemia (SpO2 < 90%). Secondary outcomes were needed for rescue maneuvers, interruption for conversion to other ventilatory strategies, and hemodynamic instability. Results: No severe desaturations were recorded, all procedures were completed without rescue maneuvers or other ventilatory strategies, and no hypoxemia occurred. Mean duration of the procedure was 9 min. Vital parameters were maintained within the normal ranges, with a mean SpO₂ during bronchoscopy of 98%. Conclusions: HFNC enables oxygenation and ventilation without adverse events in sedations for FB in patients with moderate respiratory deficiency. Full article

Chilli (Capsicum annuum) is a popular spice and vegetable crop of significant economic importance that is cultivated worldwide in warm and humid climatic zones. Although chilli is a thermophilic crop, its quality and yield potential are significantly affected due to various abiotic factors, including extremely fluctuating temperatures beyond the optimum temperatures (18–30 °C). Global warming and anthropogenic activities lead to adverse climatic changes, imposing severe stress on growth, development, and productivity. High temperatures above 43–45 °C adversely affect chilli crops, especially during the reproductive stages, by causing immature fruit dropping, poor seed vigour, reduced number of flowers, flower abscission, aborted reproductive organs, reduced fruit set, and significant yield loss by 50%. Therefore, to reduce quantitative and qualitative losses, heat management is necessary from April to June in Pakistan, when the temperature rises beyond 40 °C. For heat management, the hybridisation of heat-resilient and high-yielding genotypes to develop heat-tolerant high-yielding hybrids appears to be a rational approach. These genetically improved hybrids inherit such characteristics that assist in maintaining vigorous growth, fruit quality, and stable yield without significant yield losses even under heat-stressed conditions. Hence, the thermotolerant chilli hybrids developed through hybridisation help to satisfy the escalating demand for chilli and guarantee the financial stability of farmers. Full article

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based solid polymer electrolytes typically suffer from limited ionic conductivity at near-room temperature and often require inorganic reinforcement. Halide solid-state electrolytes such as Li₃InCl₆ (LIC) offer fast Li⁺ transport but are moisture-sensitive and typically require pressure-assisted densification. Here, we fabricate a flexible LIC–PEO composite electrolyte via slurry casting in acetonitrile with a small amount of LiPF₆ additive. The free-standing membrane delivers an ionic conductivity of 1.19 mS cm⁻¹ at 35 °C and an electrochemical stability window up to 5.15 V. Compared with pristine LIC, the composite shows improved moisture tolerance, and its conductivity can be recovered by mild heating after exposure. The electrolyte enables stable Li|LIC–PEO|Li cycling for >620 h and supports Li|LIC–PEO|NCM111 cells with capacity retentions of 84.2% after 300 cycles at 0.2 C and 80.6% after 150 cycles at 1.2 C (35 °C). Structural and surface analyses (XRD, SEM/EDX, XPS) elucidate the composite microstructure and interfacial chemistry. Full article

Mechanical and thermoelectric performance of a SiGe thermoelectric module were investigated through finite element analysis. N-type and P-type SiGe thermoelectric materials were synthesized, and their mechanical and thermoelectric properties were experimentally measured. Thermal stress distributions within the SiGe module and the integrated “heat collector–module–heat sink” assembly are simulated, and the results were compared with the measured mechanical strength of the SiGe materials. The simulations show that among the three electrode structures evaluated—C/W/C sandwich, 0.5 mm W/C, and 0.1 mm W/C—the C/W/C sandwich configuration yields the lowest thermal stress. An inter-leg spacing of 0.5 mm also leads to reduced stress compared to a 0.1 mm gap. However, fully constraining the cold end or directly integrating the module with heat collection and dissipation components significantly increases thermal stress. The use of copper cooling plates induces higher stress than C-C plates, exceeding the tolerable strength of the materials. Simulation of a module with 28 SiGe legs (each 10 mm × 10 mm × 1.5 mm) predicts an output power of 7.42 W and a conversion efficiency of 7.11% at a hot-side temperature of 967 °C and a cold-side temperature of 412 °C. Full article

This study investigates the accumulation potential of Brassica napus L. and Zea mays L. cultivated on soils contaminated with Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb, using HEDTA—Hydroxyethyl Ethylenediamine Triacetic Acid—to enhance metal mobility. The research addresses a gap in the literature regarding the dual-purpose use of energy crops for assisted phytoextraction and bioenergy recovery. Two pot experiments were conducted on soils of different textures, with HEDTA applied at 2.5 and 5 mmol·kg⁻¹. Metal concentrations in soil and plant tissues were measured, and indices such as the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), bioconcentration factors (BCF), translocation factor (TF), metal tolerance index (MTI), crop growth rate (CGR) and higher heating value (HHV) were calculated. Results showed that HEDTA significantly increased Cd and Zn mobility, leading to higher accumulation in rapeseed shoots. Maize demonstrated phytostabilization by retaining metals in roots. Rapeseed biomass exhibited a higher HHV (up to 20.6 MJ·kg⁻¹) and greater carbon and hydrogen content, indicating suitability for thermochemical conversion. Maize, with lower ash content, showed potential for bioethanol production. The findings support the integration of chelate-assisted phytoextraction with energy recovery from biomass. Full article

The heat shock transcription factor is a critical transcription factor gene family in plant response to biotic and abiotic stress, especially in regulating high-temperature stress. While this gene family has been extensively characterized and investigated across a broad range of plant species, research focusing on desert plants with extreme stress tolerance remains relatively scarce. Therefore, this study aimed at the desert plant Capparis spinosa, conducted the whole genome identification of its HSF gene family, and performed a comprehensive systematic analysis including gene structure, chromosome localization, systematic evolution, gene collinearity, and other characteristics. The results showed that the CsHSF family contains 24 genes that are distributed on 14 chromosomes. It has three types, as usual, and different types of genes contain specific conserved motifs. The CsHSF genes exhibit concentrated collinearity with Arabidopsis thaliana, and upstream of the genes, there are 605 cis-elements in response to growth and development, stress, and hormones. On this basis, heatmaps and co-expression networks were drawn based on the reported gene expression in different growth regions of the Capparis spinosa genome. The results demonstrated that certain genes exhibit distinct expression patterns across different growth regions and have close interrelationships with each other. Further transcriptome sequencing and analysis were performed on the leaves of wild Capparis spinosa exposed to high-temperature stress, and the exploration of differential expression of the CsHSF genes revealed that 8 genes play significant regulatory roles in response to heat stress. The results of this research can provide valuable insights into the function and mechanism of the HSF gene family in desert plants, as well as a reference for the analysis of stress resistance mechanisms in desert plants. The obtained genes can supply candidate genes for subsequent functional verification and mechanism analysis. Full article

Background/Objectives: The poultry industry faces severe heat-stress challenges that threaten both economic sustainability and animal welfare. Embryonic thermal manipulation (ETM) has been proposed as a thermal programming strategy to enhance chick heat tolerance, yet its efficacy in layers requires verification, and its effects on growth performance and neurodevelopment remain unclear. Methods: White Leghorn embryos at embryonic days 13 to 18 (ED 13–18) were exposed to 39.5 °C (ETM). Hatch traits and thermotolerance were recorded, and morphometric and histopathological analyses were performed on brain sections. Transcriptome profiling of the whole brains and hypothalami was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Representative pathway genes responsive to ETM were validated by RT-qPCR. Results: ETM reduced hatchability, increased deformity rate, and decreased hatch weight and daily weight gain. During a 37.5 °C challenge, ETM chicks exhibited delayed panting and lower cloacal temperature. Histopathology revealed impaired neuronal development and myelination. Transcriptomic analysis of ED18 whole brains showed DEGs enriched in neurodevelopment, stimulus response, and homeostasis pathways. RT-qPCR confirmed hypothalamic sensitivity to ETM: up-regulation of heat-shock gene HSP70, antioxidant gene GPX1, the inflammatory marker IL-6, and apoptotic genes CASP3, CASP6, CASP9; elevated neurodevelopmental marker DCX, indicative of a stress-responsive neuronal state; and reduced orexigenic neuropeptide AGRP. Conclusions: ETM improves heat tolerance in layers but compromises hatching performance and brain development, with widespread perturbation of hypothalamic stress responses and neurodevelopmental gene networks. These findings elucidate the mechanisms underlying ETM and provide a reference for enhancing thermotolerance in poultry. Full article

Salt stress causes harm to plants through multiple aspects, such as osmotic pressure, ion poisoning, nutrient imbalance, and oxidative damage. Zinc finger proteins harboring two B-box domains, known as double B-box (DBB) proteins, constitute the DBB family. While DBB genes have been implicated in regulating circadian rhythms and stress responses in various plant species, their functions in cotton remain largely unexplored. The present study characterized the DBB gene family across the genomes of Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium raimondii L., and Gossypium arboreum L., revealing a complement of 58 members. These DBB genes were assigned to three separate clades based on phylogenetic analysis. Members possessing close phylogenetic relationships have similar conserved protein motifs and gene structures. All DBB proteins were predicted to be nuclear-localized, consistent with their roles as transcription factors. Furthermore, the presence of multiple cis-acting elements related to light, hormone, and stress responses in the promoters implies that GhDBBs are integral to cotton’s environmental stress adaptation. Expression pattern analysis indicated that the expression of GhDBB genes was associated with the plant’s response to multiple abiotic stresses, such as salt, drought, heat (37 °C), and cold (4 °C). The reliability of the expression data was confirmed by qPCR analysis of eight selected GhDBBs. Under 200 mM NaCl, Arabidopsis plants overexpressing GhDBB22 displayed longer roots and healthier true leaves than the wild-type controls. Conversely, VIGS-mediated silencing of GhDBB22 in G. hirsutum led to significantly reduced salt tolerance, accompanied by exacerbated oxidative damage. Taken together, the findings from our integrated genomic and functional analyses provide a foundational understanding of the molecular mechanisms through which proteins encoded by DBB genes are involved in the plant’s response to salt stress. Full article

Heat stress caused a stagnation in the growth and development of Passiflora edulis Sims. To investigate the effects of high-temperature stress, this study subjected P. edulis to 40 °C treatment for different durations; the changes in chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, photosynthetic parameters, transcriptome profiles, and photosynthesis-related genes of P. edulis under high-temperature stress were analyzed. The results showed that after 5 h of heat stress, the chlorophyll content of the leaves decreased by 31%, variable fluorescence/maximum fluorescence (Fv/Fm) decreased by 26.91%, photochemical performance index (PI_abs) by 99.28%, comprehensive performance index (PI_total) by 94.20%, light energy absorbed per unit area (ABS/CSm) by 13.56%, light energy captured per unit area (TRo/CSm) by 17.90% and quantum yield of electron transfer per unit area (ETo/CSm) by 92.61%. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr) and stomatal conductance (Gs) decreased by 47%, 41% and 38%, respectively, while intercellular CO₂ concentration (Ci) increased by 1.34 times. Transcriptome sequencing results of P. edulis under heat stress identified 2336 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were significantly enriched in pathways including chloroplast function and plant hormone signal transduction. GO enrichment analysis demonstrated that DEGs were significantly enriched in terms related to catalytic activity and chloroplast components. Concurrently, KEGG pathway analysis revealed that carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms was among the key pathways showing significant enrichment of these DEGs. The expression levels of photosynthesis-related genes, including PePSAE, PeMADs, PebHLH, PeFAR1, PePSBS, PePnsB4, PebZIP and PeC2H2, exhibited a significant increase after 3 h of high-temperature stress and rapidly declined following 5 h. These findings lay a foundation for further research on the high-temperature stress response mechanism and photosynthetic regulation of heat tolerance in P. edulis. Full article

The stress-associated proteins (SAPs) correspond to zinc-finger proteins containing A20/AN1 domains that are involved in plant responses to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. However, in oat, no information has been available so far regarding the characteristics and regulation of these genes. In the current research work, eleven AvSAP genes were identified in oats genome (OT3098 variety) named AvSAP1 to AvSAP11. Eight proteins contained both A20 and AN1 domains located at the N- and C-terminal portions of the proteins, respectively. Subsequently, the gene structure and duplication, chromosomal location, cis-acting elements, and protein properties were analyzed using bioinformatic tools. Moreover, genes expression profiles revealed that AvSAP genes present hormones and stress-responsive cis-elements in their promoters. These observations were confirmed using QRT-PCR analysis. Indeed, the majority of identified AvSAP genes were responsive to NaCl, PEG, heat, ethylene, and metallic (Mn, Cu, and Cd) stresses. Moreover, ABA phytohormone induced a significant upregulation of nine AvSAP genes in leaves (5.8–6.5-fold induction) and roots (1.9–4.2-fold induction), corroborating their crucial role of those genes in plants’ response to a wide range of abiotic stresses. In contrast, GA and IAA exert a slight effect on those genes. Finally, AvSAP1 protein expression in bacterial cells conferred tolerance to ionic and osmotic stress. Our results provide deeper insight into AvSAP genes in plants and support advanced functional analyses of this gene family in oats. Full article

High-speed silicon (Si) photonic transmitters operating in the O-band require higher on-chip optical power to support advanced modulation formats and ever-increasing line rates. A straightforward approach is to operate laser diodes at higher output power or employ more specialized sources, but this raises cost and exacerbates nonlinear effects such as self-phase modulation, two-photon absorption, and free-carrier generation in high-index-contrast Si waveguides. This paper proposes a low-cost 4 × 1 tree-cascade multimode interference (MMI) power combiner on a Si-on-insulator platform at 1310 nm wavelength that enables coherent power scaling while remaining fully compatible with standard commercial O-band lasers. The device employs adiabatic tapers and low-loss S-bends to ensure uniform field evolution, suppress local field enhancement, and mitigate nonlinear phase accumulation. The optimized layout occupies a compact footprint of 12 µm × 772 µm and achieves a simulated normalized power transmission of 0.975 with an insertion loss of 0.1 dB. Spectral analysis shows a 3 dB bandwidth of 15.8 nm around 1310 nm, across the O-band operating window. Thermal analysis shows that wavelength drift associated with ±50 °C temperature variation remains within the device bandwidth, ensuring stable operation under realistic laser self-heating and environmental changes. Owing to its broadband response, fabrication tolerance, and compatibility with off-the-shelf laser diodes, the proposed combiner is a promising building block for O-band transmitters and photonic neural-network architectures based on cascaded splitter and combiner meshes, while preserving linear transmission and enabling dense, large-scale photonic integration. Full article