Search Results (1,276)

Steam methane reforming (SMR) powered by induction heating offers a promising route for low CO₂-emission hydrogen production, but predictive modelling remains challenging because the available experimental data are limited and heterogeneous. This study proposes a hybrid Bayesian neural network (H-BNN) to predict the mass of hydrogen (MoH) from literature-derived SMR data using operating variables including temperature, flow rate, power input, time-on-stream, and interval duration. Feedforward neural network (FNN) and classical Bayesian neural network (BNN) models were also developed as benchmarks, and all three architectures were evaluated with ReLU, Tanh, and GELU activation functions. To address data scarcity, only the training split was augmented at scales of $k=2$, 5, and 10, while the validation and test sets were kept unchanged. The H-BNN combines deterministic feature extraction with Bayesian uncertainty-aware prediction, enabling a balance between accuracy and uncertainty representation. Across the validation-selected models, test performance reached R² ∼ 0.9894 to 0.9969, with mean absolute errors of 0.0126 g to 0.0217 g. The strongest advantage appeared at k = 2, where the H-BNN outperformed the benchmark models. Overall, the proposed H-BNN is a promising framework for hydrogen prediction under data-scarce conditions, although its predictive intervals remain informative rather than fully calibrated. Full article

The dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) is critical for lightweight manufacturing in transportation and aerospace sectors, yet it remains challenging due to their substantial differences in physical and chemical properties. This paper systematically reviews friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminum alloy and CFRP, and compares it with laser welding, induction welding, resistance welding, and ultrasonic welding. The comparative analysis indicates that while each alternative process presents distinct limitations in thermal management, heating uniformity, or joint configuration, FSW demonstrates the most balanced overall performance, uniquely combining single-pass long-distance capability, low heat input, and broad industrial applicability. Through systematic parametric analysis, the optimal FSW processing window is quantitatively established as a tool rotation speed of 1200–1500 rpm combined with a traverse speed of 30–50 mm/min. Under these optimized conditions, the CFRP side remains below its thermal degradation threshold of 350 °C, the defect volume fraction is reduced from 12% to below 3%, and the maximum joint tensile strength reaches 78 MPa, representing 65% of the base CFRP strength. The interfacial bonding mechanisms are identified as mechanical interlocking and localized chemical bonding, which however cover only approximately 30% of the interfacial area. Optimization strategies, including surface modification, auxiliary structures, nanoparticle reinforcement, and external field assistance, are evaluated for their effectiveness in improving joint quality. Finally, critical challenges and future research directions toward engineering application are outlined. Full article

To investigate the influence mechanism of Yellow River silt powder on the hydration process, microstructure, and strength development of shotcrete, and to promote the resource utilization of Yellow River sediment, this study systematically investigated the effects of different silt powder replacement levels (0%, 10%, 30%, and 50%) on a cement–accelerator system. A combination of setting time tests, isothermal calorimetry, and mechanical strength measurements was employed, together with microstructural characterization techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the silt powder content exerts a two-stage effect on the setting behavior of shotcrete. At low replacement levels (0–30%), both initial and final setting times are significantly prolonged, whereas at higher replacement levels (>30%), the setting time is anomalously shortened, approaching that of the reference mixture. The incorporation of silt powder delays the onset of the pre-induction period, prolongs the induction stage, and reduces the cumulative heat release, with the reduction exhibiting a staged trend characterized by gradual, pronounced, and then moderate changes as the replacement level increases. With increasing silt powder content, both compressive strength and splitting tensile strength decrease continuously. At a 50% replacement level, the 28-day compressive strength loss reaches 48.35%, while the splitting tensile strength loss reaches 43.30%, with more pronounced deterioration observed at early ages. The tensile-to-compressive strength ratio increases with silt powder content at early ages, while converging to similar values among all mixtures at later ages. Microstructural analysis indicates that silt powder primarily affects hydration through physical dilution and ion adsorption. At low dosages, nucleation effects slightly promote early hydration, whereas at high dosages, the hydration of calcium silicate phases is inhibited, resulting in reduced C–S–H gel formation and increased porosity. Additionally, AFt morphology transitions from dense prismatic crystals to loosely distributed needle-like structures. This study provides a systematic understanding of the role of silt powder in shotcrete and offers theoretical guidance for mix design optimization and the sustainable utilization of Yellow River sediment. Full article

Background: Heat shock protein 100 (HSP100) is a key molecular chaperone that maintains intracellular proteostasis and enhances plant tolerance. However, the HSP100 gene family in soybean (Glycine max) has not been systematically characterized. Methods: In this study, we performed genome-wide identification and comprehensive analysis of the GmHSP100 gene family and analyzed their phylogeny, genomic distribution, synteny, protein structures, subcellular localization, promoter cis-elements, and expression patterns under heat and salt stresses via bioinformatics approaches and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) validation. Results: Thirteen GmHSP100 members were identified, which were classified into CLPB, CLPC and CLPD subfamilies. Segmental and whole-genome duplications primarily drove the expansion of this gene family. All encoded proteins possessed conserved AAA+ ATPase domains, with distinct motifs across subfamilies. Most proteins localized to the cytoplasm, while CLPC and CLPD targeted chloroplasts and GmCLPB4 localized to mitochondria. Promoter analysis identified numerous elements associated with light, hormone and stress responses. Expression profiling showed strong tissue specificity and time-dependent stress-treatment induction. Heat stress triggered rapid and strong upregulation of the GmHSP100s, whereas salt stress salt stress induced their relatively delayed and sustained expression. Conclusions: These findings reveal the evolutionary conservation and diversification of the GmHSP100 gene family in soybean, providing a foundational framework for understanding the functions of GmHSP100 in stress adaptation. Full article

Digital twins enable closed-loop process control in smart manufacturing, yet no quantitative mapping exists between controller computational complexity and achievable real-time performance class. This paper aims to establish a quantitative mapping between controller computational complexity and achievable real-time performance class in digital twin-based process control, providing evidence-based deployment guidance for smart manufacturing. Three controller architectures—proportional–integral–derivative, model predictive control, and its robust variant—are implemented and timed on a finite-difference state-space model of a 1 mm steel slab under boundary heat flux, representative of laser-based and induction heating in manufacturing. Per-cycle latency is characterized through time series, cumulative distribution analysis, and deadline-miss rate on standard hardware without real-time operating system support. The proportional–integral–derivative controller satisfies hard real-time constraints with sub-0.05 ms latency; model predictive control with warm-starting achieves a 99th-percentile latency of 2.43 ms against a 10 ms deadline with zero misses across all tested prediction horizons. Robust model predictive control yields a mean latency of 770 ms—154 times the 5 ms control period—placing it firmly in the near-real-time class. A robust linear matrix inequality delay-margin analysis certifies closed-loop stability bounds across three uncertainty scenarios as a function of actuation delay; a finite-horizon induced-gain metric reveals a worst-case disturbance amplification peak near 100 control steps. Model predictive control is shown to compensate for actuation delays up to 50 ms that destabilize proportional–integral control, establishing it as the preferred architecture in latency-constrained digital twin deployments. Full article

To improve temperature uniformity and reduce thermal stress-induced cracking during laser directed energy deposition (laser DED) repair of TiAl blades, this study proposes a refined induction heating coil design based on coupled electromagnetic-thermal finite element simulation. A temperature-dependent model of the induction heating process for a cast 45XD TiAl blade was established and used to compare circular and elliptical coil cross-sectional shapes. The elliptical coil reduced the magnetic field concentration at the leading and trailing edges and decreased the maximum temperature difference across the blade cross-section to below 100 K, thereby improving transverse temperature uniformity. To further improve the temperature distribution along the blade length, a variable-pitch solenoid coil with sparse turns in the middle and dense turns near both ends was designed. This arrangement improved the balance between local heat generation and heat dissipation and reduced the temperature variation within the central 10 cm region of the blade to about 10 K. Experimental validation showed engineering-level agreement with the simulation results, and the blade body was stably maintained at 1020–1030 K, satisfying the preheating requirement for laser DED repair of TiAl blades within the tested design set. Full article

Heat stress (HS), increasingly intensified by climate change, severely restricts tomato growth and productivity. Although core heat shock factor-mediated transcriptional networks have been extensively characterized, how lipid metabolic reprogramming is transcriptionally coordinated during thermotolerance remains unclear. Using SlHDZ19 overexpression and mutant lines together with transcriptomic, biochemical, promoter-binding, and gene-silencing analyses, we show that the homeobox-leucine zipper transcription factor SlHDZ19 promotes tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) thermotolerance by activating a PLA2-dependent lipid-metabolic transcriptional program in leaves. SlHDZ19 overexpression generally improved heat-stress performance, while SlHDZ19 mutant lines exhibited heightened sensitivity, including more severe wilting, higher electrolyte leakage, and reduced proline accumulation and CAT activity under heat stress. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SlHDZ19 is required for the full induction of canonical heat-responsive genes and that the linoleic acid metabolism pathway was repeatedly implicated in SlHDZ19-dependent transcriptional changes. SlHDZ19 binds to and activates the promoters of SlPLA_2α, which encodes a phospholipase A2 involved in releasing linoleic acid from membrane lipids, and three lipoxygenase genes (SlLox7, SlLox8, and SlLoxC), accompanied by elevated overall PLA2 and LOX activities in SlHDZ19-overexpressing plants. Moreover, genetic silencing of SlPLA_2α in both wild-type and SlHDZ19-overexpressing backgrounds supported its functional requirement downstream of SlHDZ19 in thermotolerance. Collectively, our findings support a thermotolerance module in which SlHDZ19 transcriptionally regulates PLA2- and LOX-associated steps of linoleic acid metabolism, potentially linking lipid-associated signaling and membrane remodeling with heat stress adaptation in tomato. Full article

Extending the fruiting season of Annona squamosa L. requires overcoming autumn and winter flowering declines. This study investigates the efficacy of light-quality regulation technologies and their temperature dependence for floral induction. Field surveys initially identified temperature as the primary climatic factor governing flowering. Under suboptimal autumn temperatures, red light (R-660) night-break (NB) treatments significantly enhanced shoot growth and flowering compared to other light spectra. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 2027 upregulated and 341 downregulated transcripts consistently regulated by R-660, with significant enrichment in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Furthermore, R-660 upregulated cold response genes (e.g., CBFs, WRKYs, ERD7), which are associated with the maintenance of vegetative vigor under suboptimal autumn temperatures. However, mid-winter R-660 NB failed to induce flowering without supplemental greenhouse heating. Ultimately, warm ambient temperature is the absolute prerequisite for A. squamosa floral induction, with R-660 serving as a highly effective seasonal supplement to extend autumn flowering. Full article

Aiming at the problems that existing detection methods struggle to accurately identify early insulation faults of induction motors, are susceptible to interference, and have poor installation adaptability, a non-intrusive detection method for early insulation faults of induction motors based on a microstrip antenna array is proposed. Relying on the low-loss electromagnetic wave transmission characteristic of the heat dissipation hole at the tail of the induction motor, a four-element microstrip antenna array with multiple narrow beams and dual detection frequencies is designed, with the detection frequencies accurately set at 1.14 GHz and 2.23 GHz, which effectively avoids the motor operation noise frequency band (≤300 MHz) and the strong interference frequency band of mobile base stations (900 MHz, 1.8 GHz, 2.4 GHz). Utilizing the high gain and strong directivity of the array antenna, the accurate extraction and amplification of weak electromagnetic wave signals from early insulation fault discharge penetrating through the heat dissipation hole are realized. The full-dimensional simulation design of the antenna array is completed by using HFSS electromagnetic simulation software, and an industrial-grade experimental platform is built to carry out multi-condition verification experiments. The results show that the proposed detection system can realize non-intrusive, non-stop, and non-disassembly identification of early insulation discharge faults in induction motors, with a fault recognition rate of 94% for single faults and 90% for composite faults, and the average signal-to-noise ratio reaches 31.6–35.2 dB. Even under strong industrial electromagnetic interference, the recognition rate remains above 85%. This method overcomes the problems of traditional methods such as severe noise interference, difficult installation, and inability to monitor online, providing a high-efficiency scheme for real-time insulation state monitoring of industrial induction motors with good engineering application value. Full article

Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal fungus widely utilized in traditional medicine and functional foods. Its primary bioactive constituents are ganoderic acids (GAs), a group of triterpenoid compounds. While chemical-induced apoptosis has previously been shown to enhance GAs production, this study investigates the role of physical stress in this regulatory pathway. We demonstrate that heat-induced apoptosis significantly increases GAs production in G. lucidum. To determine whether apoptosis directly regulates this process, we overexpressed the human anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 in G. lucidum, confirming expression via RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Upon heat-induced apoptosis, these Bcl-2 overexpression mutants exhibited increased mycelial cell viability, accompanied by reduced metacaspase activity and, notably, decreased GAs production. Furthermore, we identified a Type I metacaspase gene in G. lucidum, Glmca1, which contains highly conserved catalytic domains common across fungal species. Silencing of Glmca1 followed by heat-induced apoptosis led to results similar to Bcl-2 overexpression: enhanced cell viability, suppressed metacaspase activity, and a significant reduction in GAs yield. These findings provide compelling evidence that apoptosis functions as a critical regulatory mechanism for secondary metabolite production in G. lucidum. Consequently, modulating apoptotic pathways through physical induction offers a promising strategy for enhancing the production of bioactive ingredients in medicinal fungi. Full article

The article concerns the issue of simultaneous determination of material parameters of electrical conductors. In reference to previous work on a non-contact measurement station enabling the simultaneous determination of electrical and thermal properties of conductive materials, the concept of its extension to include magnetic measurements was analyzed by adding a module for determining the magnetization characteristics of ferromagnetic conductors, integrated with the station. The accuracy of determining the magnetization characteristics of a flat sample closing a magnetic circuit based on a U-shaped ferrite core with using a triangular excitation signal with a frequency of several kilohertz was analyzed through simulation and initially verified experimentally. Based on the measurement systems used, relationships enabling estimation of the magnetization characteristics were developed, and the influence of the geometric parameters of the magnetic circuit and the excitation signal parameters on the magnitude of the measurement error was presented. Full article

Light-based therapies are becoming increasingly = more mainstream, not only within the medical science space, but also within the fields of cosmetic dermatology and personal grooming. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) harnesses the ability of the natural chromophore–melanin to absorb light energy, which is translated into heat energy and consequently results in targeted thermolysis of cells rich in melanin. This mechanistic pathway lends itself to a wide range of applications, including long-term hair removal, skin rejuvenation, the treatment of unwanted pigmentation, and the treatment of ophthalmic conditions. The development of home use devices (HUDs) for the delivery of IPL-mediated hair removal has facilitated the self-administration of photothermal treatments and reduced reliance on clinical settings. In this study, we demonstrate a pioneering approach to model aspects of IPL-induced thermal induction and selective thermolysis in a complex human skin tissue equivalent. Our approach utilised a deactivated HUD with disabled safety features that allowed for the exposure of tissue constructs to high-fluence IPL. We demonstrate an increase in biomarkers consistent with increased cellular temperature, induction of apoptosis, and increased pro-inflammatory cytokine release following extreme treatment regimens, all of which correlate with an increased fluence and/or increased number of IPL pulses delivered. This method allowed for the identification of cellular events evoked by increasing fluence and extreme-exposure regimes. Full article

Most infectious pathogens enter the host through mucosal surfaces, yet conventional injectable vaccines primarily induce systemic immunity without eliciting robust secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) responses at mucosal sites. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted this limitation, as intramuscular mRNA vaccines failed to establish durable mucosal immunity in the upper respiratory tract. This review covers recent progress in mucosal vaccine development. We first discuss the organization of the mucosal immune system, focusing on SIgA induction, tissue-resident memory T (${\mathrm{T}}_{\mathrm{RM}}$) cells, and resident memory B (${\mathrm{B}}_{\mathrm{RM}}$) cells. We then examine mucosal adjuvants, from cholera toxin and heat-labile enterotoxin derivatives to stimulator of interferon gene (STING) agonists and a strategy to enhance alum adjuvanticity through neutrophil elastase inhibition. Delivery routes including intranasal, oral, and sublingual administration are reviewed alongside viral vectors, nanoparticles, mRNA-lipid nanoparticles, virus-like particles, and engineered bacterial platforms. The roles of innate immune cells, T helper cell subsets, and the microbiota in shaping vaccine responses are discussed. Finally, we survey licensed mucosal vaccines and the COVID-19 mucosal vaccine pipeline, analyze persistent barriers to clinical translation including the absence of validated mucosal correlates of protection, and outline future directions for thermostable formulations and systems biology-driven vaccine design. Full article

Heat-assisted metal spinning comprises incremental forming routes, conventional spinning, shear spinning and flow forming, performed at elevated temperature to increase formability. This review consolidates the main advances of the last fifteen years. It outlines spinning mechanics and the rationale for heating (higher ductility, lower forming forces and microstructure control), then compares global and local heating strategies (furnace, flame, induction, laser and hot-gas convection) in terms of temperature uniformity, industrial practicality, energy efficiency and cost. Key process parameters (spindle speed, feed rate and thickness reduction) are discussed with respect to defect formation, and representative windows for defect mitigation are reported. Progress in modeling is reviewed, including coupled thermo-mechanical finite element simulations, damage/formability prediction and emerging data-driven optimization. The review also summarizes microstructural evolution under heat-assisted conditions, phase transformation, dynamic recrystallisation and grain growth, and its impact on final properties. Across more than 100 studies, evidence shows that robust thermal management can roughly double achievable deformation before failure and enables property tailoring in difficult-to-form alloys (Ni-based alloys, high-strength steels, Al, Mg and Ti). Remaining challenges include reliable in situ temperature measurement/control and improved predictive fidelity of simulations. Future opportunities include digital twins, real-time sensing and adaptive, machine-learning-assisted control. Full article

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a vital exogenous auxin for the induction and proliferation of litchi embryogenic callus. At present, its molecular regulation mechanism remains unclear. In this study, transcriptome sequencing samples were selected based on different cell growth phenotypes observed in ‘Feizixiao’ litchi embryogenic callus cultured in liquid medium with or without 2,4-D. By integrating transcriptome profiling with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we identified key genes and signaling pathways dynamically responsive to 2,4-D concentration changes. We identified 558 commonly differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 117 were up-regulated and 387 were down-regulated; functional enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment in the “plant hormone signal transduction” and “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis” pathways. In the former pathway, genes such as AUX28, GH3.17, GH3.6, and ARR5 were up-regulated; in the latter, by comparison, β-glucosidase 47 and Peroxidase 61 exhibited increased expression levels induced by 2,4-D. Furthermore, among these DEGs, 57 transcription factors belonged to 24 families. Notably, VRN1, FEZ, and DOF5.4 were significantly and rapidly induced by 2,4-D. WGCNA results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between the yellow module and 2,4-D treatment. Small heat shock protein (sHSP) genes constituted the core hub genes in the yellow module. Through Venn analysis of DEGs and key modules, 38 cross-genes were identified, of which non-specific lipid-transfer protein-like genes (nsLTP) were found to be specifically up-regulated without 2,4-D. The transcription factors and genes identified work in synergy to ensure the formation and sustained proliferation of embryogenic callus by precisely regulating the dynamic balance of auxin and cytokinin within cells and maintaining the stability of cell structure. Our findings provide a crucial theoretical foundation for understanding the molecular mechanism of 2,4-D in regulating litchi embryogenic callus proliferation. Full article