Search Results (3,403)

Hypoxia is a defining feature of physiological stress and the core of solid tumors, where aberrant vascularization limits oxygen delivery; cells respond through mechanisms that extend beyond the canonical stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). Recent studies suggest that hypoxia can promote the formation of specific biomolecular conden-sates, membraneless compartments generated through liquid–liquid phase separation in which regulatory proteins and RNAs become locally enriched at genomic regions, while chromatin mainly serves as an organizational scaffold. Transcription factors, the coacti-vators p300/CBP, Mediator, and BRD4, chromatin-modifying enzymes, and architectural RNAs such as NEAT1 and MALAT1 partition into these compartments, and their con-densation can help reorganize local chromatin structure and enhancer–promoter interac-tions. Because molecular oxygen is a shared co-substrate for the Jumonji-C histone demethylases and the ten-eleven translocation (TET) DNA dioxygenases, hypoxia reshapes histone methylation and DNA methylation in parallel, and readers that bridge these marks, including UHRF1, may participate in condensate-associated chromatin regulation. Hypoxia-driven condensation of ZHX2 rewires enhancer–promoter contacts and higher-order genome architecture, influencing cell identity, stemness, and metastatic potential, and Polycomb condensates represent another candidate epigenetic compartment that may be influenced by hypoxic signaling. These processes may be particularly important in cancer, where chronic hypoxia provides a sustained stimulus for condensate formation and epigenetic remodeling. Together, these findings support a model in which phase separation and epigenetic reprogramming are not separate layers but one integrated response to low oxygen, offering opportunities to target maladaptive condensates in disease. Full article

Ehretia macrophylla fruit is a traditionally used but underutilized functional resource that is noted for its diverse phytochemical composition, which includes flavonoids and polyphenols. However, the systematic metabolic transformations that occur in the fruit during post-harvest storage—particularly those associated with its traditional processing into dark fruit tea—remain largely unknown, limiting efforts to optimize quality and processing strategies. In the study, to address this gap, we employed a widely targeted metabolomics approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to dynamically profile the fruit metabolome across four storage stages (T0, T4, T8, T12). A total of 1101 metabolites were putatively annotated, and day 8 (T8) emerged as a potential pronounced metabolic inflection point. From T8 onward, 30–40% of metabolites showed differential accumulation, characterized by a gradual rise in nutrition-relevant lipids, amino acids, and vitamins. In contrast, key antioxidant-related metabolites, including phenolics and flavonoids, increased transiently before T8 but declined sharply thereafter. These coordinated shifts correlated with an increased representation of lipid- and alkaloid-related metabolic pathways, whereas flavonoid-associated features showed a relative decline. Collectively, these findings provide insights into the biochemical processes potentially associated with fruit blackening and the marked decline in antioxidant capacity during traditional processing. Our study provides the first metabolic blueprint connecting traditional processing practices with phased metabolic remodeling, offering a scientific foundation for quality assessment and the development of informed post-harvest strategies for processing E. macrophylla fruit. Full article

Metal-bearing tailings, slimes, metallurgical residues, spent catalysts, ashes, sludges, batteries, and electronic wastes are increasingly important secondary resources, but recovery is constrained by low and variable grades, fine particles, complex phase associations, passivation, and impurity-sensitive downstream processing. Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) can modify selected flowsheet functions through interfacial renewal, localized mechanical action, gas–liquid transfer, fine-bubble generation, particle conditioning, and phase dispersion. The evidence was critically appraised across three independent dimensions: system relevance, causal attribution, and endpoint completeness. Application-level evidence is most developed for transport intensification in selected scheelite, uranium-bearing, and refractory-gold systems; particle conditioning and washing; spent-catalyst coating liberation; metal-bearing sludge treatment; copper cementation; and preparation of liquid emulsion membranes. Representative secondary-feed studies report conditioning, preconcentration, mobilization, and downstream separation responses, but complete feed-to-product recovery with controlled liquid and solid loops remains uncommon. Evidence is especially limited for battery black mass, electronic wastes, rare-earth-bearing residues, complex slags, metallurgical dusts, and multi-metal streams. HC is therefore most credible as a targeted module applied to a verified process limitation. A flowsheet advantage is established only when local gains persist through product recovery without offsetting increases in chemical use, water demand, energy consumption, equipment wear, or residual-stream burden. Full article

Next-generation waste degradation and valorization technologies are increasingly developed as integrated platforms for pollutant removal, resource recovery, and circular manufacturing. This review critically evaluates degradation and valorization routes for liquid, organic solid, and inorganic/electronic waste streams from an engineering perspective. For liquid waste, advanced oxidation processes, photocatalysis, electrochemical oxidation, plasma treatment, and hybrid systems are assessed with emphasis on radical utilization, photon and electron efficiency, catalyst stability, byproduct formation, and reactor hydrodynamics. For organic solid waste, biological, thermochemical, catalytic, enzymatic, and mechanical pathways are compared for agricultural residues, textile waste, and industrial polymers, including fermentation, pyrolysis, hydrogenolysis, solvolysis, enzymatic depolymerization, and mechanical recycling. Their practical viability depends strongly on feed purity, product selectivity, monomer or fuel recovery, and the energy and separation requirements of downstream processing. For inorganic and electronic waste, hydrometallurgical, pyrometallurgical, biohydrometallurgical, and physical separation routes are examined for the recovery of critical metals, mineral phases, and non-metallic fractions. Industrially mature integrated flowsheets generally offer greater feed tolerance, whereas emerging selective routes provide improved recovery potential but remain constrained by reagent consumption, reaction rate, and scale. Across all waste classes, the review identifies reactor design, process intensification, reaction–separation integration, techno-economic analysis, and life-cycle assessment as essential tools for translating laboratory performance into scalable, economically competitive, and environmentally sustainable processes. Full article

This paper investigates the Electrode Induction Gas Atomization (EIGA) of a Class 4 tungsten heavy alloy (WHA-4) containing 97.8 wt.% W, with the balance comprising Ni and Fe. Compared with conventional tungsten heavy alloys containing less than 95 wt.% W, the high tungsten content reduces the liquid-phase fraction and melt fluidity, making stable processing significantly more challenging. Powder-metallurgy-fabricated electrodes were atomized under varying resonant induction conditions to evaluate the effects of capacitance, frequency, and input power on melt stability. The results show that stable processing can be achieved through an optimum combination of capacitance and resonant frequency, providing sufficient energy to maintain a steady melt stream and uninterrupted atomization. Under optimized conditions, predominantly spherical powders with minimal defects were successfully produced. Microstructural characterization revealed that the Ni–Fe binder phase remained localized along tungsten grain boundaries and in isolated pockets between tungsten grains. X-ray diffraction and chemical analyses confirmed that the phase constitution and alloy composition of the electrode were preserved during atomization. Under non-optimum conditions, process instability was associated with incomplete melting, beard formation, unstable melt flow, and nozzle blockage. These findings provide new insights into the atomization behavior of high-tungsten heavy alloys and establish practical processing procedures for producing high-quality WHA-4 powders for advanced manufacturing applications. Full article

Dephosphorisation in oxygen steelmaking depends on more than the equilibrium phosphorus partition ratio. It also depends on where gas, slag, metal and injected lime powder coexist while the bath is stirred. We develop a gas–slag–metal–particle reaction model for bottom-blown oxygen–CaO powder injection by coupling Euler–Euler transport of liquid steel, mixed slag, and gas with a discrete phase model (DPM) for CaO particles. The local source terms include oxygen dissolution, FeO/Fe₂O₃ conversion, CO/CO₂ buffering, competitive C/Si/P oxidation, ${\mathrm{P}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_5$ formation, $C_{2}S$–$C_{3}P$ fixation, reaction heat, and phase-wise mass conservation. Bubble swarms, dispersed slag, and emulsified metal–slag contact are represented through mean-field interfacial area densities tied to local phase fractions and mixing. Two simulated composition states have the same initial phosphorus content but different C, Si, and dissolved O levels; they are therefore compared as Case H and Case L rather than as a carbon-only test. Under the selected closures, Case H shows stronger decarburisation and CO-supported plume motion, whereas Case L retains more ${\mathrm{FeO}}_x$ and dissolved oxygen near the slag–metal interface. In both states, calculated P removal is confined mainly to locations where ${\mathrm{FeO}}_x$ supply, CaO availability, $P_2{O}_5$ generation, and $C_{2}S$–$C_{3}P$ fixation overlap. These observations are conditional on the reported parameters, a production mesh accompanied only by a two-grid qualitative sensitivity check, one time step, and the early transient considered here. Quantitative validation, systematic grid/time-step studies, closure-sensitivity tests, and controlled-composition simulations are required before the framework is used for process prediction. Full article

Hydrochars (HCs) were produced from pine needles (urban waste), brewer’s spent grain, and grape pomace via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) at 230 °C, and were comparatively assessed as unmodified, low-dose amendments (1 wt%) in an alkaline soil slurry. Fixed-contact-time (4 h) batch tests were conducted using a Taguchi L9 array to screen the effects of feedstock type, HTC residence time, initial metal concentration, and test temperature on the aqueous-phase removal of for Zn, Pb, and Cd at this fixed endpoint. In the ternary test containing 20 mg/L of each metal, the soil-only control removed 94% Zn, 99% Pb, and 96% Cd, whereas the soil amended with 1 wt% pine-needle HC removed 98% Zn and 99% Pb, while Cd in the recovered liquid was below the instrumental detection limit. Operational distribution coefficients (K_d) and separation factors (SF) calculated at the 4 h endpoint indicated preferential Cd partitioning within the amended soil system. These findings support further evaluation of minimally processed, low-dose hydrochars for metal-contaminated soils, while providing a potential valorization route for residual biomass within a circular economy framework. Full article

Assemblysomes are ribosome-nascent chain condensates that regulate co-translational processes through liquid–liquid phase separation, yet the sequence determinants underlying their formation remain incompletely understood. Previous studies identified the DNA helicase Sgs1 as an assemblysome-associated protein; however, whether its N-terminal region possesses intrinsic phase separation propensity has not been experimentally examined. Here, we investigated the first 135 amino acids of Sgs1 using a light-inducible optoDroplet assay. A mCherry–Cry2–Sgs1_1–135 fusion construct was compared with the established positive control FUS–mCherry–Cry2 and the negative control mCherry–Cry2 in live HEK293T cells. Following blue-light activation, Sgs1_1–135 reproducibly formed reversible condensates, indicating intrinsic phase separation propensity. Quantitative image analysis revealed light-dependent increases in condensate number, average condensate area, and integrated condensate fluorescence intensity. Compared with FUS, Sgs1_1–135 formed slightly fewer and smaller condensates but displayed reproducible light-dependent condensate formation. These findings indicate that the Sgs1 N-terminal region exhibits intrinsic phase separation propensity in a validated optogenetic assay. Although this proof-of-principle study does not establish the molecular mechanism of assemblysome formation, the results are consistent with the hypothesis that the Sgs1 N-terminus may contribute to the multivalent interactions underlying assemblysome organization. Full article

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) removal with simultaneous sulfur recovery is essential for natural gas, refinery, and biogas processing because of the toxicity and corrosivity of H₂S. However, conventional Claus sulfur recovery is energy-intensive, operates at high temperatures, and requires multiple processing units, creating a need for efficient low-temperature alternatives. In this study, the redox-active ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate ([BMIM][FeCl₄]) was investigated as both an absorbent and catalyst for the direct oxidation of H₂S to elemental sulfur. Experiments were conducted in a laboratory-scale semi-batch single-bubble reactor at 25–100 °C and 500–3000 ppm H₂S. Under the optimum operating conditions, H₂S conversion exceeded 99%, with removal efficiency increasing from 95.0% at 25 °C to 99.1% at 100 °C within 60 min. Kinetic analysis revealed first-order reaction kinetics with respect to H₂S and Fe(III), with apparent rate constants increasing from 0.0506 to 0.0636 min⁻¹ over the investigated temperature range and an apparent activation energy of 2.78 kJ mol⁻¹. Hatta number analysis confirmed that the process operated predominantly in the reaction-controlled regime. Raman spectroscopy showed the attenuation of [FeCl₄]⁻ vibrational bands together with the appearance of characteristic S₈ bands, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) verified the formation of crystalline elemental sulfur. CHNS analysis provided complementary elemental evidence for sulfur formation. The ionic liquid exhibited excellent thermal stability (>320 °C) and retained 92–95% of its initial activity after repeated regeneration cycles. These findings demonstrate that [BMIM][FeCl₄] effectively integrates H₂S absorption and catalytic oxidation within a single liquid phase, providing a promising low-temperature and energy-efficient alternative to conventional sulfur recovery technologies. Full article

A systematic numerical simulation and analysis of the temperature field were conducted for the laser cladding process of CuCrZr alloy onto a 316L stainless steel substrate. First, the thermal properties of the material (density, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity) as a function of temperature were calculated using JMatPro software. The equilibrium phase diagram of the CuCrZr alloy was obtained using Thermo-Calc, clarifying the stability of each phase and the solid–liquid phase transition ranges. Based on these findings, three-dimensional transient heat transfer models for single-layer single-pass and single-layer multi-pass cladding were established using ANSYS finite element software and a double-ellipsoidal moving heat source model. The effects of laser power on the evolution of the temperature field, peak temperature, and thermal cycling characteristics were systematically investigated. The simulation results indicate that the temperature field exhibits typical rapid heating and rapid cooling characteristics; the peak temperature increases significantly with rising laser power, and the extent of the high-temperature region expands. A combined analysis of the phase diagram and temperature field results indicates that the peak cladding temperature exceeds the complete melting temperature of the alloy, ensuring sufficient melting. This study provides a reliable theoretical foundation and data support for optimizing laser cladding process parameters, predicting the microstructure of the cladding layer, and controlling thermal stress. Full article

Vanadium slag is an important secondary vanadium resource. Although microwave-assisted calcification roasting improves the leachability of vanadium-bearing phases, further extraction can still be limited during acid leaching, making optimization of the leaching process essential for efficient vanadium recovery. Using this slag, leaching was evaluated at different temperatures, times, liquid-to-solid ratios (L/S), sulfuric acid concentrations, and agitation speeds. A Box–Behnken design (BBD) was used to optimize leaching parameters within the selected ranges. Residue phase composition and microstructure were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Leaching efficiency increased with temperature, L/S, and acid concentration, but plateaued above 60 °C, 6 mL·g⁻¹, and 14 wt.%, respectively; increases beyond 50 min or 200 rpm gave marginal improvements. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the BBD model ranked the statistical effects of the four linear terms within the investigated BBD range as sulfuric acid concentration > L/S > leaching time > temperature. Within the selected BBD parameter ranges, optimization yielded 64.95 °C, 55.21 min, 6.56 mL·g⁻¹, and 15.17 wt.% sulfuric acid, with agitation fixed at 200 rpm. Validation gave an average leaching efficiency of 92.92%, with a relative error of 0.205% compared with the model prediction. After leaching, Mn₂V₂O₇ was undetected. The residue mainly contained irregular particles, 10–30 μm acicular or plate-like CaSO₄·2H₂O crystals, and minor residual vanadium-bearing CrVO₃ and CaVH₂Si₄O₁₂ phases. Surface CaSO₄·2H₂O deposition and refractory-phase encapsulation of vanadium-bearing constituents increased mass-transfer resistance and limited further leaching. This study clarified the relative effects of the investigated leaching conditions on vanadium leaching efficiency within the design range and the interactions among these conditions, and provided microstructural evidence related to the factors limiting further vanadium leaching, thereby providing theoretical guidance for the efficient extraction of vanadium from vanadium slag. Full article

The rapid transition toward electrified mobility and climate neutrality has prioritized the structural and environmental optimization of battery electric vehicle (BEV) subsystems. While vehicle lightweighting enhances operational efficiency, the production phase of structural enclosures and battery cells frequently introduces severe environmental and economic impacts and supply chain vulnerabilities. This study presents a comprehensive cradle-to-gate environmental life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC), and semi-quantitative social assessment of alternative battery housing materials and battery cell architectures. To achieve a functionally accurate comparison, alternative materials, including a novel recyclable thermoplastic acrylic sheet molding compound (SMC), commercial thermoset SMCs, aluminum (AlMg₃), and stainless steel, are evaluated using an analytical stiffness- and strength-equivalent methodology across three real-world geometric demonstrators. Simultaneously, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) liquid electrolyte prismatic cells and solid-state polymer pouch cells are assessed. Material-level results indicate that, while aluminum minimizes the structural mass, primary aluminum manufacturing exhibits the highest global warming potential and processing costs. Conversely, Polytec SMC and Elium SMC achieve the lowest environmental impacts alongside competitive total production costs. At the cell level, prismatic LFP architectures display superior environmental performance compared to solid-state pouch cells, which suffer from energy-intensive processing and lower volumetric capacity normalization. Demonstrator-level aggregation reveals that the electrochemical cells heavily dominate the environmental and economic footprint of the complete assembly, with the housing accounting for less than 5% of the total global warming potential (GWP) and 1% of the total costs. The social assessment reveals moderate and comparable performance across all systems, with slight advantages for thermoplastic composite-based configurations in terms of circularity potential and innovation perception. Overall, the study highlights the critical importance of the cell architecture and manufacturing processes in determining battery system sustainability, while demonstrating the relevance of lightweight composite housings in reducing the structural mass with a minimal environmental penalty. Full article

Non-mechanical beam steering technology based on liquid crystal optical switches and liquid crystal polarization gratings holds significant application prospects in fields such as laser communication, radar detection, and optical information processing. Traditional nematic liquid crystal optical switches exhibit slow response speeds, whereas novel ferroelectric liquid crystal optical switches, despite their fast response, are hampered in engineering applications by complex fabrication processes, the large number of devices required for cascading, and substantial module thickness. To address these issues, this paper proposes and demonstrates a fast non-mechanical beam steering scheme by cascading a stressed polymer network liquid crystal (SPNLC) optical switch with a liquid crystal polarization grating. The SPNLC is fabricated by mechanically shearing a polymerized liquid crystal–polymer composite, enabling sub-millisecond response and continuous linear phase modulation without the need for an alignment layer. A 30-μm-thick SPNLC half-wave plate was prepared, which introduces a phase retardation of 3.6 μm under a driving voltage of 300 V, and the rise time and fall time are measured to be approximately 526 μs and 560 μs at a driving voltage of 20 V with a 1 kHz square wave, and 470 μs and 538 μs at 27 V under the same waveform conditions. Cascaded with a passive polarization grating, the waveplate enables fast electrical switching of the beam between the ±1st diffraction orders. Furthermore, a two-dimensional multi-angle beam deflector was constructed based on a supra-binary cascade scheme. Experimental results confirm that the system possesses sub-millisecond response, large phase retardation, continuous tunability, and an alignment-layer-free fabrication process, demonstrating its feasibility for large-range fast beam scanning. Full article

Femtosecond laser processing enables spatially controlled modification of the structure, composition, and functionality of advanced materials through highly localized energy deposition and laser–matter interaction mechanisms. This review discusses the role of ultrafast laser irradiation in the engineering of oxide-based functional systems, including functional oxides, oxide-containing layers, interfaces, and heterogeneous structures whose properties are substantially determined by an oxide component. The mechanisms governing laser-induced oxidation, phase transformation, elemental redistribution, defect generation, and hierarchical micro-/nanostructure formation are considered. Particular attention is given to the ability of femtosecond laser processing to create surfaces with tailored interactions with light, liquids, biological environments, and external stimuli, enabling responsive devices and advanced manufacturing strategies. Laser-modified oxide layers and nanostructured interfaces are analyzed as pathways for controlling surface energy, optical properties, chemical activity, and functional response. The relationship between laser-generated architectures and their applications in sensing, actuation, wetting control, and multifunctional systems is discussed. By connecting ultrafast laser surface engineering with emerging 4D manufacturing concepts, this review highlights femtosecond laser technologies as a versatile platform for designing systems with spatially programmed functionality and, where stimulus-dependent behavior is demonstrated, time-dependent performance. Such approaches provide opportunities for integrating adaptive oxide-based functional systems into advanced manufacturing. Full article

Natural wood possesses a hierarchically porous and anisotropic structure, which provides a foundation for functional utilization, but its flammability and hygroscopicity limit its applications. Conventional bulk impregnation modification involves introducing functional agents throughout the entire pore system. This approach can enhance performance, but inevitably leads to lumen occlusion and increased density. To address this trade-off, researchers have recently developed micronano coating strategies based on interfacial decoration rather than bulk deposition within the lumina. These strategies confine functional components to cell wall surfaces while preserving the natural porous scaffold. Two fabrication routes have been developed, namely liquid-phase methods and gas-phase methods, which differ in coating precision, penetration depth, and interfacial bonding. In flame retardancy, interfacial coatings act as physical barriers and promote chemical charring. Inorganic layers suppress oxygen diffusion and heat transfer, while phosphorus or nitrogen components catalyze cellulose dehydration. In acoustics, conformal coatings regulate pore wall roughness and acoustic impedance, enhancing viscous and thermal dissipation without blocking channels. Challenges for practical application include mass transfer limitations in large logs, conflicts between high-precision processes and industrial economics, and interfacial durability under service conditions. This narrative review summarizes fabrication strategies, flame-retardant mechanisms, and acoustic regulation principles, providing guidance for coating strategy selection and process optimization. It is noted that this review focuses on wood species with open, permeable pore structures suitable for functional modification, rather than species whose pores are occluded by heartwood extractives. Full article