Search Results (651)

Seasonal streamflow predictability in alpine catchments is governed by the interplay between initial hydrological conditions (IC) and climate forcing (CF), with catchment geology exerting a modulating influence. This study applied the Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP)/reverse ESP (revESP) framework, which isolates predictability arising from IC and CF, respectively, to two alpine catchments of differing geology and subsurface storage, resulting in markedly different hydrological behavior. The results were contrasted with End Point Blending (EPB) experiments that quantify the relative contributions of IC and CF to the forecast skill. The two approaches exhibited strong agreement under well-defined hydrological regimes but diverged during transitional periods, highlighting implications for operational seasonal forecasting and reservoir management in snow-dominated regions. Full article

In recent years, the rapid expansion of low-temperature facilities—such as cold storage and indoor ice and snow venues—has underscored their pronounced vulnerability to fire, as evidenced by multiple severe incidents. Due to their distinct environmental conditions, existing theoretical frameworks, technical approaches, and standards exhibit limited applicability. Consequently, the fire risk characteristics of such facilities remain insufficiently defined, and systematic methods for hazard identification and assessment are lacking. This study conducts a detailed analysis of fire incident data from representative low-temperature facilities to identify the fire risk characteristics across all lifecycle stages, including construction, renovation and expansion, operation, maintenance, and demolition. An integrated framework combining the WBS/RBS (Work Breakdown Structure/Risk Breakdown Structure) matrix and complex network (CN) methods is then proposed to establish a structured methodology for full lifecycle fire hazard identification and classification. The results address critical gaps, including the absence of clearly defined lifecycle fire risk profiles and a robust scientific basis for hazard identification, and provide a technical foundation for lifecycle fire risk management in low-temperature facilities. Full article

Mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) seed coat (MBSC) is an underutilized by-product rich in vitexin and isovitexin, but its potential as a source of spray-dried functional powders has not been systematically evaluated. This study investigated the spray drying of MBSC extract using three structurally distinct polysaccharide-based carriers—maltodextrin, trehalose, and inulin—to compare their effects on process yield, powder quality, and the content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. Response surface methodology (RSM) with a Box–Behnken design was employed to examine the influence of inlet temperature (130–160 °C) and carrier concentration. Maltodextrin provided the highest process yield (84.85%), while trehalose and inulin formulations exhibited stronger antioxidant activity, with the lowest DPPH IC₅₀ values of 0.096 mg/mL and 0.100 mg/mL, respectively (expressed per mg of spray-dried powder). Trehalose yielded the highest total phenolic content (TPC = 28.12 mg GAE/g extract) and acceptable flowability (Carr’s index = 20.72%). Inulin gave the highest total flavonoid content (TFC = 126.8 mg QE/g extract) but showed greater variability, attributed to its polymeric network and higher hygroscopicity. The RSM models showed high predictive accuracy for TPC (R² > 0.98) and DPPH antioxidant activity (R² ≈ 1.00). These findings offer a multi-objective optimization framework that links carrier structure to powder performance, providing practical guidance for selecting polysaccharide carriers in the development of spray-dried nutraceutical and functional food ingredients. However, direct measurement of encapsulation efficiency, particle morphology, and storage stability was beyond the scope of this study and warrants further investigation. Full article

Against the background of China’s dual carbon goals, high-renewable-power systems suffer severe resilience threats from destructive ice disasters, and existing recovery approaches fail to fully exploit multi-type flexible resources with unsatisfying computational efficiency. Targeting this gap, this work establishes a resilience enhancement framework for ice-affected power grids. This model quantifies line failure probability considering time-varying ice thickness and wind load, generates representative fault scenarios via sequential Monte Carlo and K-means clustering, and innovatively incorporates mobile energy storage systems (MESSs) and low-temperature-corrected PEM electrolyzers into coordinated post-fault dispatch; an improved parrot optimization (PO) algorithm with Chebyshev chaos, random mutation and adaptive t-distribution is designed to boost solving efficiency. Tested on the IEEE 39-bus system, the proposed method reduces average load shedding to 3.7% and raises renewable accommodation to 95.6%, outperforming fixed energy storage and literature-based strategies by cutting load curtailment by 45.6% and 30.2% respectively, while multi-condition sensitivity analyses validate its stable applicability under varying disaster intensity and renewable penetration. This coordinated scheduling strategy supplies feasible technical support for practical anti-icing resilience promotion of new-type power grids. Full article

Off-odor volatiles limit the acceptability of Atlantic salmon. This study investigated the effects of spatial distribution within the fillet, storage conditions, and cooking methods on the volatile profile of salmon and evaluated how pre-harvest rearing conditions, sex, and the presence of skin influence volatile compound formation during storage and cooking. Volatiles were classified as lipid-derived, protein-derived, and environmental contaminants. Spatial distribution within the fillet influenced volatile formation, with the head region exhibiting higher concentrations than the center and tail, reflecting differences in lipid distribution and precursor availability. During storage, fillets stored on ice generally exhibited higher volatile concentrations than samples frozen immediately, particularly for lipid-derived and environmental compounds, consistent with continued biochemical and microbial activity during chilled holding, whereas frozen storage preserved the biochemical state of the fillet. The magnitude of these differences depended on pre-harvest rearing conditions, the presence of skin, and harvest age. Cooking significantly increased volatile concentrations compared to raw fillets, with dry-heat methods, particularly baking, producing the highest levels, while boiling resulted in lower concentrations due to leaching into the cooking medium. Lower volatile formation was generally associated with cool-reared fish, male fillets, and muscle-only samples, while warm-reared, female, and skin-on samples exhibited greater volatile formation or retention, reflecting differences in precursor availability and tissue structure. These findings demonstrate that volatile formation in salmon is governed by the interaction between precursor accumulation during growth, spatial variability within the fillet, and transformation during post-harvest storage and cooking. Full article

This study reports the plant-mediated synthesis of copper-oxide-decorated magnetic iron oxide composite (CuO@Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles using Dolomiaea costus extract and their application as nanocarriers for β-galactosidase immobilization. The fabricated nanocomposite exhibited favorable physicochemical properties, achieving an immobilization efficiency of 83%, with enhanced thermal and pH tolerance compared to the free enzyme. Kinetic analysis revealed a modest increase in Km and a 31% decrease in Vmax after immobilization, while maintaining 69% of the catalytic activity, confirming the system’s suitability for industrial lactose hydrolysis. Reusability and storage tests showed 79% retained activity after five cycles and 77% after 60 days at 4 °C. In milk hydrolysis, the immobilized enzyme achieved 77% conversion within 3 h, following pseudo-first-order kinetics. Biocompatibility was evaluated using HepG2 cells via the MTT assay. BDH, MDH, and ABC maintained high cell viability across the tested dilution range of 25–100% (v/v), indicating no detectable cytotoxic effect under the experimental conditions, whereas cisplatin showed marked cytotoxicity with an IC₅₀ of 14.98 µg/mL. These findings demonstrate that the green-synthesized CuO@Fe₃O₄ support provides a safe, reusable, and magnetically recoverable platform for β-galactosidase immobilization, offering a promising sustainable strategy for producing lactose-free dairy products. Full article

The present work proposes a phase change material-based defrosting system (PCM-DS) for vapor compression refrigeration systems (VCRSs). The primary objective is to determine the optimal PCM mass and refrigerant mass flow rate required to melt 1 kg of accumulated evaporator ice. A steady-state macroscopic thermodynamic model, governed by global energy balances and driven by experimental boundary conditions, evaluates the VCRS in both cooling and defrosting operating modes. The PCM-DS is not installed on the experimental setup. The latter is used to obtain experimental data to be used as inputs in the steady-state model. Among the three candidates investigated (OM42, OM46, OM48), OM42 was selected for minimizing system mass and volume constraints. Results demonstrate that integrating the PCM-DS induces only a 3% reduction in the theoretical coefficient of performance (COP) compared with a 5.6% reduction in the case of using the electric heater defrosting (EHD). The core innovation of this work involves proposing and evaluating three distinct energy storage management strategies: unique superheating, unique bypass, and intermittent bypass. The results show that the highest COP is obtained for unique superheating (2.93), followed by unique bypass (2.82) and intermittent bypass (2.81). The work conducted proves the theoretical feasibility of such PCM-DS. Full article

Three-dimensional (3D) cardiac models, including spheroids, organoids, and organ-on-chips, are advanced systems for studying human physiology, disease, and drug responses with greater biological relevance than 2D models. As their use expands in biomedical research, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine, reliable preservation methods are needed. However, cryopreservation often fails to protect 3D systems due to limited cryoprotectant penetration, ice formation, and mechanical stress during freezing and thawing. Room-temperature (RT) preservation has emerged as a promising alternative for short-term transport. This study evaluated a RT-based transport medium (CellShip^®) for preserving cardiac organoids for up to seven days, compared with conventional cryopreservation using slow-freezing in Cryostor^®CS10. Viability and functionality were assessed using apoptosis, ATP levels, beating activity, proliferation, and size. During maturation, organoids showed increased size, ATP levels, and beating capacity. Cryopreservation reduced size, proliferation, ATP levels, and altered beating, while increasing apoptosis. In contrast, RT preservation maintained stable viability and functionality after recovery. These findings demonstrate that RT preservation effectively maintains cardiac organoid integrity and function, offering a promising alternative for short-term storage and transport, with potential terrestrial and nonterrestrial applications. Full article

Upcycling biomass waste into value-added battery materials is crucial for sustainable energy storage. Here, we transform coffee grounds into high-performance hard carbon (HC) anodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) via a synergistic pre-oxidation and acetylene chemical vapor deposition (CVD) strategy, which effectively reduces open pores and promotes structural stabilization. The resulting material exhibits features consistent with a closed-pore architecture. Pre-oxidation incorporates oxygen-containing functional groups that template accessible pores and expand the interlayer spacing during carbonization. Subsequent CVD covers surface pores and contributes to the stabilization of the pore structure. The optimized HC (COF300&1300@C) exhibits a balanced set of structural features, including a low specific surface area (2.1 m² g⁻¹), expanded interlayer distance (0.391 nm), and a well-regulated pore system with reduced surface area and controlled pore size. As a result, it delivers a reversible capacity of 298 mAh g⁻¹ with an ICE of 70%, and remarkable cycling stability (97% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 1C). This study elucidates the synergistic mechanism of pre-oxidation and CVD in reducing open pores and stabilizing the pore architecture, thereby yielding characteristics indicative of closed-pore behavior, and providing a novel and efficient approach for designing high-performance biomass-derived hard carbons for energy storage. Full article

To address the issues of poor sustained-release behavior and limited long-term efficacy associated with conventional salt-storage materials, this study developed the epoxy-resin-encapsulated slow-release salt-storage filler to enhance both the engineering performance and the deicing/snow-melting capacity of salt-storage pavements. In this study, attapulgite was optimized and selected as the salt storage carrier through the adoption of pesticide coating technology and experimental testing, wherein a deicing salt blend with a CaCl₂ to NaCl mass ratio of 2:1 was loaded via a wet adsorption method. Subsequently, using dimethicone as the surface modifier, the optimal encapsulation process was determined to involve the dilution ratio of epoxy resin to cyclohexanone of 4:1 and the curing agent dosage of 30% by weight. The results indicated that the recommended content of the filler should not exceed 5%. The filler reduced the high-temperature stability and water stability of the mixture, while the low-temperature crack resistance first increased and then decreased, peaking at the 2% filler content with an improvement of 12.2%. The water stability was the most significantly affected by the filler content. Ice–snow melting performance tests demonstrated that the salt-storage mixture with 5% filler achieved the deicing rate of 56.35% at −5 °C, meeting the industry standard requirements. The self-prepared slow-release salt-storage filler exhibited superior long-term ice–snow melting performance to V-260, with the slow-release duration extended by 60%. The salt release process was divided into three distinct stages: rapid dissolution, stable release and slow dissolution. The 60 °C was determined as the optimal temperature for the accelerated immersion testing, which the accelerated test could effectively simulate the natural immersion process. Based on the prediction model established accordingly, the functional service life of snow-melting for this slow-release salt-storage asphalt pavement in northern area was estimated be approximately 4.07 years. The slow-release salt-storage filler fabricated in this work possesses both remarkable sustained-release behavior and deicing efficacy. The findings provide the technical foundation for the development of novel salt-storage pavement materials, performance characterization, and mechanistic analysis of snow-ice melting. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains difficult to treat because systemic therapy is constrained by limited selectivity, resistance, and toxicity. This study aimed to engineer selenium–chitosan nanoparticles loaded with sunitinib (SeNPs-Ch-SUN) to enhance hepatic delivery and improve anticancer activity against HCC. Methods: The developed system was characterized for particle size (PS), zeta potential (ZP), loading efficiency (LE%), in vitro release, and storage stability. Their cytotoxicity was evaluated in parental HepG2 and Huh-7 cells, multidrug-resistant HepG2 cells, SUN-resistant Huh-7 cells, and THLE-2 normal hepatocytes. In vivo hepatic distribution after intravenous administration was also assessed in rats. Results: SeNPs-Ch-SUN exhibited a mean PS of 93.62 ± 1.06 nm, positive ZP of +24.47 ± 1.31 mV, and LE of 83.8 ± 2.16%. FTIR supported drug association with the chitosan-stabilized selenium system. Compared with free sunitinib, SeNPs-Ch-SUN exhibited sustained drug release, with 51.17 ± 1.26% released at 24 h, whereas the free drug was almost completely released within 3 h. This controlled-release behavior translated in vivo into prolonged hepatic retention and superior liver exposure after intravenous administration. SeNPs-Ch-SUN significantly increased liver AUC_0–24 to 77.23 ± 10.56 µg/g·h, compared with 36.39 ± 9.66 µg/g·h for free SUN, corresponding to an approximately 2.1-fold increase in hepatic exposure. SeNPs-Ch-SUN enhanced cytotoxicity in parental and resistant HCC models, lowered IC₅₀ values, improved selectivity toward malignant cells, and reduced resistance index (RI) in MDR-HepG2 cells, while maintaining reduced toxicity toward normal hepatocytes relative to the free SUN. Conclusions: SeNPs-Ch-SUN represents a promising liver-directed nanoplatform for sunitinib delivery. Full article

SiO_x anodes are highly promising for next-generation lithium-ion batteries due to their superior theoretical capacity. However, issues such as drastic volume expansion and low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) impede their practical use. While macroporous architectures can mitigate these challenges, traditional fabrication often depends on tedious hard templating methods and significant organic solvent consumption. In this work, we report a sustainable, emulsion-self-templated and organic solvent-free strategy to synthesize a carbon-coated 3D macroporous SiO_x/C composite (3DM-SiO_x/C@C). Our approach uniquely integrates radical polymerization with a water-in-oil emulsion and sol–gel process, followed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The 3D macroporous framework is generated via in-situ emulsion droplets acting as self-templates, effectively eliminating the need for external sacrificial templates and toxic etchants. Notably, this organic solvent-free process achieves an exceptional precursor to (precursor + organic solvent) mass ratio of 1.0, contrasting sharply with conventional methods (0.0044–0.17). The resulting hierarchical structure, characterized by interconnected macropores and a uniform carbon coating, significantly enhances structural integrity and electronic conductivity. Electrochemical evaluations reveal that 3DM-SiO_x/C@C exhibits an improved ICE of 74.32% and long-term cycling stability even at a high current density of 1.0 A g⁻¹ compared to non-porous and uncoated counterparts. This integrated synthesis offers a green and scalable pathway for developing high-performance silicon-based anodes for large-scale energy storage. Full article

Shrimp are among the most valuable seafood commodities worldwide, but are also highly perishable, making their quality preservation a critical issue for both food safety and supply chain sustainability. The rapid deterioration of fresh shrimp contributes to significant post-harvest losses, highlighting the need for reliable freshness indicators capable of supporting shelf-life assessment under commercial conditions. This study evaluated the evolution of microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory parameters in two commercially important Mediterranean shrimp species, Parapenaeus longirostris and Melicertus kerathurus, stored on ice for up to 15 days under retail-like conditions. Microbial load, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), formaldehyde, formic acid, and sensory attributes were monitored during storage. Microbial populations increased progressively over time but remained below commonly accepted spoilage thresholds, while physicochemical indicators showed significant changes associated with post-mortem biochemical processes. In particular, TVB-N, pH, and formic acid increased during storage, whereas formaldehyde levels decreased, suggesting the progressive transformation of trimethylamine-N-oxide degradation products. Sensory analysis indicated that shrimp maintained high quality up to approximately 12 days of iced storage, whereas samples stored for 15 days approached the limit of consumer acceptability. The combined behaviour of microbial, chemical, and sensory indicators highlights the importance of a multidimensional approach for evaluating shrimp freshness under commercial storage conditions. Based on the experimental dataset, practical reference ranges for key quality parameters are proposed (pH < 7.4; TVB-N ≤ 30 mg N/100 g; formaldehyde < 10 mg/kg; formic acid < 18 mg/kg). These results may support improved freshness evaluation, contribute to more accurate shelf-life estimation, and help reduce unnecessary seafood waste within the supply chain. Full article

The recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) accelerates the transition from nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) to zero-emission buildings (ZEBs), requiring solar readiness and life-cycle Global Warming Potential (GWP) disclosure. Yet operational performance, future-climate adaptation and whole-life carbon (WLC) are still often assessed separately, limiting actionable evidence for residential ZEB design in northern climates. This study provides an integrated design-decision framework coupling annual IDA-ICE simulations under five weather scenarios, including Urban Heat Island (UHI)-adjusted present and 2080 RCP8.5 + UHI files, with an EN 15978/Level(s)-based WLC assessment in One Click LCA for twelve design cases of a Lithuanian dwelling. For the PV-equipped baseline, heating electricity decreases by 24% and cooling increases by 31% from present conditions to 2080 RCP8.5 + UHI. External shading and night purge provide the strongest annual cooling and operative-temperature-exceedance reductions. The ZEB baseline reduces WLC by 19.0% relative to A0; the biogenic-insulation green-roof case gives the lowest non-storage WLC (−25.2%); and battery-assisted cases provide the largest reductions under the static B6 electricity factor (up to −52.1%). The findings provide case-study evidence that EPBD-aligned residential ZEB design should evaluate passive cooling, PV/storage and material choices jointly, rather than sequentially, when developing future performance thresholds and design guidance. Full article

This study evaluated Palmaria palmata hydrolysates produced using Alcalase^® and Flavourzyme^® at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10% (w/w biomass protein, corresponding to AF1-10), and their performance in oil-in-water nanoemulsions under iron-induced oxidation. AF4 showed significantly higher total amino acid and phenolic contents and the strongest Fe²⁺-chelating activity (IC₅₀ = 1.64 ± 0.22 mg/mL, p < 0.05) and was therefore selected for nanoemulsion stabilization. Nanoemulsions exhibited high physical stability with no significant changes in droplet sizes (D_3,2 ~77–79 nm), ζ-potential (~−18 to −19 mV), and viscosity (~1.2–1.5 cP) (p > 0.05). Dynamic interfacial tension measurements and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) indicated limited interfacial activity of AF4, with most components remaining in aqueous phase. Compared to the control, AF4 significantly reduced peroxide formation (~100–164 vs. 289–357 meq/kg at Day 4–8, p < 0.05) and partially preserved tocopherols. It also delayed the formation of some volatiles during intermediate stages of storage. However, it was less effective than ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Increasing the AF4 concentration did not further improve oxidative stability. These findings suggest that antioxidant efficacy depends on composition, interfacial behavior, and spatial distribution. Antioxidants with limited interfacial activity may therefore exhibit different modes of action within emulsified systems. Full article