Search Results (4,524)

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is widely used in cosmetic and topical biomedical applications; however, conventional preparation methods rely heavily on centrifugation, which becomes operationally demanding when processing large blood volumes. In this study, a sedimentation-assisted strategy was investigated as an alternative to the initial centrifugation step for industrial-scale production of porcine PRP lyophilized powder. Whole blood anticoagulated with ACD-A was subjected to gravity sedimentation for 6–12 h, achieving >99.6% erythrocyte removal while maintaining a platelet recovery rate of >64%, comparable to conventional centrifugation. For large-volume batches (e.g., 100 L), this approach significantly reduced operator-intensive handling time. ACD-A outperformed other anticoagulants in preserving platelet integrity and preventing hemolysis during prolonged sedimentation. These findings demonstrate that gravity sedimentation represents a practical, scalable, and cost-effective alternative for the initial separation step in large-scale manufacturing of cosmetic-grade PRP raw material, with quality controlled by TGF-β1 concentration as the key release specification. Full article

Industrial transformation in resource-based regions (RBRs) is a global challenge. Shanxi is a typical resource-based province in China. The long-term exploitation of coal resources has posed huge challenges to its ecological protection and high-quality development. Breaking away from the single-city perspective, this study focuses on the regional scale and comparative analysis and attempts to construct a novel three-dimensional analytical framework, namely, “industrial characteristics, industrial layout, and industrial policies”, to explore the industrial transformation path of typical RBRs. The results indicate the following: (1) Shanxi does not have obvious advantages in terms of resource endowment, with a severely heavy industrial structure and strategic emerging industries still in the initial stage of development. At the national strategic level, it is still necessary to strengthen the application of the “pioneer and pilot” policies and mechanisms for innovation. (2) In the context of high-quality development, Shanxi needs to clarify the industrial transformation orientation. For agriculture, the focus should be placed on characteristic and efficient development. For industrial development, priority should be given to upgrading advantageous industries and cultivating emerging industries. For the tertiary industry, it is necessary to form a development pattern of “new producer services + characteristic tourism”. In terms of regional development layout, Shanxi should establish a macro-pattern to promote inter-regional coordinated development. (3) In the new period, Shanxi should accelerate the construction of transportation systems to improve the convenience of inter-regional cooperation. It is essential to increase investment in education and scientific research so as to enhance the overall social innovation capacity. Meanwhile, differentiated regional development policies should be adequately supplied to drive the high-quality evolution of local industries. Focusing on the regional scale, the new logical analysis paradigm can provide theoretical references for RBRs to clarify the direction of industrial transformation and formulate transformation policies. Full article

Ball vegetables (such as cabbage, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, etc.) hold an important position in the vegetable industry due to their unique morphology and diverse applications and are widely favored by both consumers and the market. However, the harvesting of Ball vegetables poses significant challenges to agricultural production and market supply. Traditional manual harvesting struggles to meet the rapid demands of large-scale cultivation, primarily due to its high labor intensity and time-consuming nature, compounded by the increasingly prominent issues of aging and shortage of agricultural labor in recent years. As an alternative, intelligent harvesting robot technology, through integration with optimized cropping practices, innovations in preservation techniques, and improvements in processing workflows, offers an effective solution for expanding market planting areas and enhancing production efficiency. However, such harvesting robots still require further optimization and improvement in terms of adaptability, operational efficiency, and damage control. To systematically review the research progress and current status of this field, this study employs a bibliometric analysis approach to evaluate the current performance characteristics of various types of heading vegetable harvesting robots, aiming to provide a reference for future technological developments. This review analyzes solutions suitable for low-damage, high-quality harvesting of Ball vegetables in modern agriculture from five dimensions: identification and localization, row-following mechanisms, cutting mechanisms, pulling and conveying mechanisms, and leaf-removal mechanisms. It also summarizes the main challenges currently facing harvesting equipment, including the complexity of harvest targets, diversification of crop varieties and cultivation patterns, and harvest-induced damage to Ball vegetables. Finally, this review provides a future outlook on heading vegetable harvesting from four perspectives: research on the characteristics of Ball vegetables, investigation into harvest-induced damage mechanisms, improvement in machinery adaptability, and enhancement in equipment versatility and intelligence. Full article

Infrared imaging technology has been widely adopted for industrial gas leak detection due to its capability for large field-of-view, long-range, and dynamic monitoring. However, in practical applications, natural object interference within the scene, together with the blurred contours and low contrast of infrared images, severely degrades the performance of gas detection and leakage region segmentation. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a gas leak detection method that integrates gas characteristics with spatiotemporal information. Specifically, the non-solid characteristics of gas are incorporated to constrain the foreground extraction process of the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), thereby suppressing interfering moving objects. Furthermore, by exploiting the spatiotemporal information in infrared image sequences, a multi-scale cross-attention fusion model is designed to fuse multi-scale and global feature representations, improving the accuracy of foreground detection. Finally, density-based clustering is employed to achieve complete segmentation of gas regions with irregular shapes. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively suppresses interference from solid objects, accurately detects gas leakage, and successfully segments the diffusion regions. Compared with existing approaches, the proposed method shows significant advantages and provides a valuable reference for research on infrared imaging-based gas leak detection. Full article

Access to freshwater is one of the major global challenges, driven by population growth, industrial development, climate change, and increasing water stress, particularly in economically constrained regions. In this context, this study designs, builds, and experimentally and numerically evaluates an indirect solar concentration desalination system (ICST) composed of a humidification–dehumidification (HDH) subsystem thermally powered by a Linear Fresnel Concentrator (LFC) under the appropriate technology paradigm. The methodology integrates an experimental campaign conducted under real climatic conditions in Bucaramanga, Colombia, mathematical modeling based on mass and energy balances, and the implementation of a TRNSYS simulation model validated through qualitative and quantitative analyses using absolute and relative errors. Results showed close agreement between experimental and simulated data, with daily freshwater production deviations of 0.53 and 0.65 L/day in tests 04 and 05, respectively, while mean relative errors remained below 5% for the main thermal and productivity variables. Experimentally, an average freshwater production of 1.13 L/h was achieved, with a production gain ratio (GOR) of 0.32 and a recovery ratio (RR) of 0.021, while maintaining total dissolved solids below 500 mg/L. Economic assessment estimated a production cost of $0.065/L, demonstrating the technical and economic feasibility of the system for decentralized small-scale applications in regions with high solar irradiance throughout the year. Full article

Detection of leaks in hydrogen (H₂) infrastructure is required on a large scale to enable a safe widespread use of this clean energy source. Sensing solutions must be low-cost, use scalable fabrication methods and allow multiplexed detection while providing reliable safety alarms as fast as possible. Optical methods can make this possible while avoiding the risk of ignition due to electronics at the point of detection. Metal hydride-based micro-mirror configurations benefit from a simple interrogation scheme, as long as the sensitive element can produce a large optical response. Magnesium thin films undergo a drastic variation of properties when hydrogenated, making them suitable for this application. In this work, a micro-mirror device using single-mode fibers capable of detecting the presence of H₂ with a loading t₁₀ and t₉₀ of 1.2 and 3.0 s, respectively, is demonstrated. A complete interrogation unit was developed, presenting a solution suited for widespread deployment using industry-standard optical components and equipment. Full article

One of the challenges apparent in the organisation of research projects is the uncertainties around the subject of demonstrators. A precise and detailed elicitation of the coverage for project demonstrators is often an afterthought and not sufficiently detailed during proposal writing. This practice leads to continuous confusion and a mismatch between targeted and achievable demonstration of results, hindering progress. The reliance on the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale as a loose descriptor does not help either. We propose a demonstrator requirements elaboration framework aiming to evaluate the feasibility of targeted demonstrations, making realistic adjustments, and assist in describing requirements. In doing so, we define five hierarchical levels of demonstration, clearly connected to expectations, e.g., work package interaction, and also connected to the project’s industrial use-cases. The considered application scope in this paper is the domain of software-intensive systems and industrial cyber-physical systems. A complete validation is not accessible, as it would require application of our framework at the start of a project and observing the results at the end, taking 4–5 years. Nonetheless, we have applied it to two research projects from our portfolio, one in the early stages and another in the final stages, revealing its effectiveness. Full article

Impinging injectors are extensively utilized in liquid rocket engines, characterized by a large number of paired inclined injection orifices. The diameter and axis alignment deviation of these orifices directly influence propellant flow distribution, atomization and mixing behavior, and engine operational stability. To address the challenges associated with micro-sized orifices, inclined axes, large quantities, spatial intersection, and the low detection efficiency of conventional approaches, this paper proposes a dual-line laser 3D point cloud reconstruction-based method for measuring the diameter and impact alignment deviation of injector orifices. A dual-line laser measurement system is established to capture surface point clouds on both sides of the orifice inlets. Through system calibration and point cloud registration, the 3D point cloud data of the injector orifices within a unified coordinate system are reconstructed. Cross-sectional mapping, boundary extraction, and geometric fitting techniques are applied to determine the diameter and axis parameters of the orifices, and the spatial alignment deviation of paired orifices is subsequently calculated. To validate the feasibility of the proposed method, experimental investigation is conducted on test specimens with both 8 pairs of Φ2 mm through-holes and Φ0.5 mm micro-orifices. For the Φ2 mm specimen, the diameter measurement results are compared with industrial computed tomography (CT) data, while the alignment deviation results are verified using a combination of pin gauges and coordinate measuring machine (CMM) measurements. For the Φ0.5 mm micro-orifices, both diameter and alignment deviation results are verified using a 3D coaxial line confocal sensor. After system calibration, the fitting residuals of three Φ8 mm standard spheres are all maintained within 0.08 mm. The diameter measurement results of 8 selected Φ2 mm orifices show good overall agreement with industrial CT data: the maximum absolute deviation is 22 μm, the average absolute deviation is 15 μm, the maximum relative error is 1.09%, and the average relative error is 0.74%. The diameter and alignment deviation results of Φ0.5 mm micro-orifices show good consistency with the 3D coaxial line confocal sensor: the maximum absolute deviation is 13 μm for diameter and 0.047° for alignment deviation, with maximum relative errors of 2.41% and 0.058%, respectively. The alignment deviation results of 8 pairs of Φ2 mm orifices indicate that the proposed dual-line laser method is generally consistent with the combined pin gauge and CMM approach: the maximum absolute deviation is 0.170°, the average absolute deviation is 0.125%, the maximum relative error is 0.284%, and the average relative error is 0.125%. The results demonstrate that the proposed method enables non-contact and high-efficiency measurement of the diameter and alignment angle of injector orifices in impinging injectors for both conventional Φ2 mm orifices and micro Φ0.5 mm orifices, with high measurement accuracy and promising engineering application potential, thereby providing a new technical approach for the geometric parameter inspection of multi-scale micro-injection orifices. Full article

People suffering from gout and hyperuricemia have limited consumption of soy products because of their high purine content, even though soybean is a nutrient-rich crop. This study developed a combined purine reduction process: ultrasonic-assisted soaking to promote purine dissolution and isoelectric point precipitation to separate purines with minimal protein loss. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for rapid purine determination was first established (R² > 0.9999, RSD < 0.23%), thereby providing technical support for process optimization. Using soybean powder as the raw material, optimal ultrasonic conditions (58 °C, 250 W, 58 min) were identified, achieving a purine removal rate of 61.15% with a protein recovery of 94.23%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analyses revealed that ultrasonic treatment altered the microstructure of the soybean powder, thereby facilitating purine dissolution. Low-purine soymilk prepared from the resulting soybean powder exhibited a unique flavor, with enhanced electronic nose response signals of its flavor compounds. This process effectively reduces purine content while preserving soy protein and flavor, offering a feasible technical solution for the development and industrial application of low-purine soy products. However, challenges remain in process scale-up and in optimizing the balance between purine removal and nutrient retention. Full article

As the core pillar of international trade, the global shipping industry has seen its carbon and pollutant emissions become a key challenge in global environmental governance. Statistics indicate that ship carbon emissions account for 3% of the world’s total anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, while contributing 20% of global NO_x and 12% of SO₂ emissions, posing a serious threat to coastal ecosystems and public health. In response to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) “Net Zero Framework” and national green shipping policies, the transformation of ship power systems toward low-carbon and zero-carbon operation has become an inevitable trend. This paper systematically reviews the research progress and application status of green energy materials for ships, focusing on the working principles, technical characteristics, and engineering application cases of solar photovoltaic (PV) materials, wind energy utilization technologies, fuel cell materials, and alternative clean energy fuels (e.g., liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, and hydrogen energy). It also discusses the integration mode and optimization strategy of multi-energy hybrid power systems. The research findings show that solar photovoltaic technology has achieved large-scale application in coastal ships; hydrogen fuel cells are suitable for long-range ocean navigation scenarios due to their high energy density; LNG and methanol have become the current mainstream alternative fuels, relying on mature infrastructure; and hybrid energy systems can significantly improve power supply reliability and emission reduction efficiency through multi-energy complementarity. Finally, aiming at the existing bottlenecks (e.g., cost, energy storage, and safety) of various technologies, future development directions are proposed. This study provides a reference for the technological breakthrough and engineering practice of green energy power systems for ships and contributes to the realization of the “carbon neutrality” goal in the global shipping industry. Full article

Starches from various botanical sources are extensively utilized across food applications due to their functional and technological properties. However, native starches exhibit limitations under processing conditions involving heat, pH shifts, or mechanical stress, which restrict their application. In response, the demand for “clean-label” products has driven interest in sustainable and non-chemical modification strategies. This review aims to provide a critical overview of the effects of unconventional technologies—including ozone, ultrasound, high-pressure processing, high-pressure homogenization, pulsed electric fields, and cold plasma—on starch granule structure and the resulting pasting properties. A bibliometric analysis based on 1679 documents from Scopus and Web of Science^® highlighted a lack of previous studies integrating quantitative trends with in-depth technical discussion. The selected technologies demonstrate potential to enhance starch functionality through distinct modification mechanisms, although their effects are highly dependent on starch source, structure, and processing parameters. Despite promising advances, most applications remain restricted to laboratory scale, and further research is required to optimize conditions and promote industrial feasibility. Full article

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are fundamental to the Internet of Things (IoT) and are widely used in environmental, industrial, and healthcare applications. However, their operational lifetime is constrained by the limited energy resources of sensor nodes. The Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) protocol reduces energy consumption through clustering but suffers from random cluster head (CH) selection, leading to uneven energy usage and reduced stability. This study introduces a hybrid optimization approach, LEACH-CSA, which integrates the Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) with LEACH to enhance CH selection and positioning. The proposed method employs CSA’s intelligent search behavior to minimize intra-cluster distances and balance energy consumption across nodes. MATLAB simulations with 100 sensor nodes in a 100 × 100 m² area demonstrate that LEACH-CSA significantly reduces energy consumption and extends network lifetime compared with LEACH and its variants. Furthermore, CSA parameters were optimized using a progressive randomized tuning strategy with 1000, 2000, and 4000 candidate configurations. A comparative evaluation against LEACH-based GA, PSO, GWO, and WOA demonstrated that LEACH-CSA consistently improved the FND metric under different node density and area-scaling scenarios. Full article

Construction sectors in developing countries continue to experience disproportionately high fatality rates, largely due to reactive safety practices and the limited adoption of digital safety technologies. While Building Information Modeling (BIM) and the Internet of Things (IoT) offer significant potential for proactive safety management, their integrated application remains underexplored in resource-constrained contexts. This study examines stakeholder readiness to adopt IoT-enhanced BIM-based safety monitoring systems in large-scale infrastructure projects in Pakistan, including China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiatives and the Barakahu Bypass project. An integrated Technology Acceptance Model–Technology–Organization–Environment (TAM–TOE) readiness framework is employed, wherein TAM-derived cognitive-motivational factors (Technology Awareness and Perceived Benefits) and TOE-derived contextual factors (Organizational Readiness and Perceived Barriers) are examined as joint predictors of Behavioral Intention (BI). Data were collected from 107 purposively sampled construction professionals using a structured questionnaire. The results indicate high attitudinal readiness (BI mean = 4.7; perceived benefits mean = 4.6) alongside moderate organizational readiness (mean = 3.4). Regression analysis reveals that perceived benefits (β = 0.42, p < 0.001) and technology awareness (β = 0.29, p = 0.003) are the strongest positive predictors of adoption intention. In contrast, perceived barriers exert a significant negative effect (β = −0.22, p = 0.022). The model explains 61.2% of the variance in behavioral intention. This study advances the literature by providing empirical evidence on stakeholder readiness for BIM–IoT safety adoption within construction management processes, estimated through a multiple regression model. It offers practical implications for policymakers and industry stakeholders seeking to accelerate data-driven decision-making and digital safety transformation in developing economies. Full article

The increasing demand for safer and environmentally sustainable products has intensified the search for natural alternatives to synthetic dyes. Filamentous fungi are promising sources of natural pigments due to their metabolic diversity and the feasibility of large-scale production. In this study, filamentous fungi isolated from Amazonian freshwater environments were evaluated for their potential to produce natural pigment-associated metabolites under different nutritional conditions. Forty-five fungal isolates were screened in solid media and subsequently cultivated in submerged fermentation using three media: potato dextrose broth supplemented with yeast extract (BD + YE); malt extract broth (ME); and yeast extract–sucrose broth supplemented with magnesium sulfate (YES). Among the 39 pigment-producing isolates, seven were selected for further investigation. Sucrose favored the highest absorbance values of pigment extracts, particularly for isolates identified as Talaromyces amestolkiae. In addition, the extract of T. amestolkiae TA10P5-3 exhibited the highest absorbance value (6.83 abs. units at 400 nm) when cultivated in YES medium, indicating stronger chromophore-associated spectral signals. This extract also showed antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (625 μg/mL), Staphylococcus epidermidis (312 μg/mL), and Candida tropicalis (625 μg/mL). Finally, the TA10P5-3 extract presented high total phenolic content (246.30 mg GAE/g) and antioxidant activity (EC₅₀ = 5470 μg/mL). These findings highlight Amazonian freshwater fungi as promising sources of natural pigments with potential industrial applications. Full article

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are emerging as a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their material sustainability and cost-effectiveness, helping address the high costs, supply limits, and environmental concerns associated with lithium. This paper reviews SIB materials, designs, and applications, and surveys their electrochemical performance, challenges, and future prospects. Recent advances in electrode materials (e.g., layered oxides, hard carbon composites, metallic alloys) are greatly improving SIB stability, conductivity, capacity, and cycle life. Improvements in both solid-state and liquid electrolytes have likewise enhanced ionic conductivity, capacity retention, thermal stability, and safety. Despite their lower energy density, SIBs tolerate wider temperature ranges and carry a significantly lower risk of thermal runaway compared to lithium-based systems, making them attractive for industrial, transportation, and large-scale power storage. Continuous progress in materials and cell engineering is narrowing the performance gap between SIBs and LIBs. Meanwhile, nascent battery recycling strategies for SIBs show promise for economic and environmental viability. Overall, SIBs represent a promising option for safer, more accessible, and more sustainable energy storage technology. Full article