Search Results (13,237)

Ni removal from waste streams wherein it is present in organically complexed forms remains a major industrial challenge since organically bound Ni does not readily precipitate and is poorly removed by conventional adsorbents. In this work, two effective adsorbents, namely thin-layered porous carbon (TLPC) and MnO₂-decorated TLPC (i.e., MnO₂-TLPC), were developed for the removal of both inorganic and organically complexed Ni(II) from synthetic and real waste streams. Both adsorbents removed inorganic Ni(II) as well as Ni(II) present in organically complexed forms, achieving up to ~80% removal from both real and synthetic electroplating wastewater. Critically, Ni removal efficiencies were maintained over five adsorption–desorption cycles, demonstrating excellent regeneration and reuse potential. The Ni removal by TLPC was pH-dependent, whereas MnO₂-TLPC showed minimal pH sensitivity. TLPC relies on outer-sphere, charge-driven adsorption, whereas MnO₂-TLPC achieves stronger Ni binding through inner-sphere complexation promoted by oxygen- and nitrogen-based functional groups. The sorbents also reduced dissolved organic carbon, with TLPC displaying higher organic removal efficiency. Mechanistic analysis indicates that Ni uptake is primarily governed by sorption of both complexed and inorganic Ni(II) present in equilibrium with the complex, combined with sorption of the free ligand itself. The sorption of the free ligands and inorganic Ni(II) drive Ni–ligand decomplexation in the solution phase, enabling further Ni removal. Overall, TLPC provides a low-cost, high-performance option for treating alkaline wastewaters with elevated Ni and organic loadings, while MnO₂-TLPC offers robust, pH-resilient removal under circumneutral conditions. These findings position both materials as promising candidates for practical wastewater treatment applications targeting complexed metal contaminants. Full article

Background/Objectives: Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, highlighting the need for delivery systems capable of efficiently transporting both chemotherapeutic drugs and therapeutic genes to tumor cells. Generation-3 diaminobutyric polypropylenimine (DAB) dendrimers display low toxicity, high drug loading capacity and efficient gene delivery, and can be engineered as camptothecin-bearing PEGylated carriers complexed with plasmid DNA. The aim of this study was to compare microfluidic processing with conventional hand mixing for the preparation of camptothecin-bearing PEGylated DAB dendriplexes and to evaluate the impact of formulation methods and microfluidic parameters on their physicochemical properties, cellular uptake and gene expression in prostate cancer cells. Methods: Camptothecin-bearing PEGylated DAB dendrimers were synthesized and complexed with plasmid DNA to form dendriplexes. Formulations were prepared either by microfluidics, using different total flow rates and aqueous: organic flow rate ratios, or by conventional hand mixing. The resulting dendriplexes were characterized for DNA condensation, particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential. Morphology was assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Cellular uptake of fluorescein-labelled DNA and β-galactosidase reporter gene expression were evaluated in PC3-Luc and DU145 prostate cancer cells. Results: Both microfluidic and hand-mixed methods produced stable, nanosized, positively charged dendriplexes with efficient and sustained DNA condensation (more than 99% over 24 h). Microfluidic processing, particularly at an aqueous: organic flow rate ratio of 3:1, yielded dendriplexes with hydrodynamic diameters and zeta potentials comparable to or slightly improved over hand-mixed formulations. These microfluidic conditions significantly enhanced cellular uptake in both PC3-Luc and DU145 cells. In PC3-Luc cells, this translated into β-galactosidase expression levels comparable to hand-mixed dendriplexes and higher than naked DNA, whereas in DU145 cells, transfection efficiencies remained modest for all formulations despite increased uptake. Conclusions: Microfluidic processing enables the reproducible and scalable preparation of camptothecin-bearing PEGylated DAB dendriplexes with tunable physicochemical properties. Under selected conditions, in vitro cellular uptake and gene expression were comparable to conventional hand mixing, supporting microfluidics as a robust alternative platform for the manufacture of dendrimer-based systems for combined chemo–gene delivery in prostate cancer. Full article

To meet the requirements of next-generation spacecraft thermal protection systems for lightweight materials with high strength, effective thermal insulation, and superior ablation resistance, a novel POSS-modified phenolic aerogel/quartz fiber composite (POSS-PR/QF) was developed using a thiol–ene click reaction combined with a sol–gel process. Covalent incorporation of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) into the phenolic matrix effectively eliminates nanoparticle aggregation and improves interfacial compatibility. As a result, the modified resin is suitable for resin transfer molding (RTM) processes. The resulting composite exhibited an aerogel-like porous structure with enhanced crosslinking density, thermal stability, and oxidation resistance. At 7.5 wt% POSS loading, the composite achieved low density (~0.7 g·cm⁻³) and outstanding mechanical properties, with tensile, flexural, compressive, and interlaminar shear strengths increased by 114%, 79%, 29%, and 104%, respectively. Its thermal conductivity (0.0619 W/(m·K)) and ablation rates were also markedly reduced. Mechanistic studies revealed that POSS undergoes in situ ceramification to form SiO₂ and SiC phases, which create a dense protective barrier. In addition, this ceramification process promotes char graphitization, thereby enhancing oxidation resistance and thermal insulation. This work provides a promising approach for designing lightweight, high-performance, and multifunctional thermal protection materials for aerospace applications. Full article

Accurate power load forecasting is crucial for ensuring the safety and economic operation of power systems. However, the complex, non-stationary, and heterogeneous nature of power load data presents significant challenges for traditional prediction methods, particularly in capturing instantaneous dynamics and effectively fusing multi-feature information. This paper proposes a novel framework—Ensemble Entropy with Adaptive Deep Fusion (EEADF)—for short-term multi-feature power load forecasting. The framework introduces an ensemble instantaneous entropy extraction module to compute and fuse multiple entropy types (approximate, sample, and permutation entropies) in real-time within sliding windows, creating a sensitive representation of system states. A task-adaptive hierarchical fusion mechanism is employed to balance computational efficiency and model expressivity. For time-series forecasting tasks with relatively structured patterns, feature concatenation fusion is used that directly combines LSTM sequence features with multimodal entropy features. For complex multimodal understanding tasks requiring nuanced cross-modal interactions, multi-head self-attention fusion is implemented that dynamically weights feature importance based on contextual relevance. A dual-branch deep learning model is constructed that processes both raw sequences (via LSTM) and extracted entropy features (via MLP) in parallel. Extensive experiments on a carefully designed simulated multimodal dataset demonstrate the framework’s robustness in recognizing diverse dynamic patterns, achieving MSE of 0.0125, MAE of 0.0794, and R² of 0.9932. Validation on the real-world ETDataset for power load forecasting confirms that the proposed method significantly outperforms baseline models (LSTM, TCN, transformer, and informer) and traditional entropy methods across standard evaluation metrics (MSE, MAE, RMSE, MAPE, and R²). Ablation studies further verify the critical roles of both the entropy features and the fusion mechanism. Full article

To address the technical challenge where traditional high-pressure, large-flow emulsion pump stations cannot adapt to the drastic flow rate changes in hydraulic supports due to the fixed displacement of their quantitative pumps—leading to frequent system unloading, severe impacts, and damage—this study proposes an intelligent flow control method based on the digital flow distribution principle for actively perceiving and matching support demands. Building on this method, a compact, electro-hydraulically separated prototype with stepless flow regulation was developed. The system integrates high-speed switching solenoid valves, a piston push rod, a plunger pump, sensors, and a controller. By monitoring piston position in real time, the controller employs an optimized combined regulation strategy that integrates adjustable duty cycles across single, dual, and multiple cycles. This dynamically adjusts the switching timing of the pilot solenoid valve, thereby precisely controlling the closure of the inlet valve. As a result, part of the fluid can return to the suction line during the compression phase, fundamentally achieving accurate and smooth matching between the pump output flow and support demand, while significantly reducing system fluctuations and impacts. This research adopts a combined approach of co-simulation and experimental validation to deeply investigate the dynamic coupling relationship between the piston’s extreme position and delayed valve closure. It further establishes a comprehensive dynamic coupling model covering the response of the pilot valve, actuator motion, and backflow control characteristics. By analyzing key parameters such as reset spring stiffness, piston cylinder diameter, and actuator load, the system reliability is optimized. Evaluation of the backflow strategy and delay phase verifies the effectiveness of the multi-mode composite regulation strategy based on digital displacement pump technology, which extends the effective flow range of the pump to 20–100% of its rated flow. Experimental results show that the system achieves a flow regulation range of 83% under load and 57% without load, with energy efficiency improved by 15–20% due to a significant reduction in overflow losses. Compared with traditional unloading methods, this approach demonstrates markedly higher control precision and stability, with substantial reductions in both flow root mean square error (53.4 L/min vs. 357.2 L/min) and fluctuation amplitude (±3.5 L/min vs. ±12.8 L/min). The system can intelligently respond to support conditions, providing high pressure with small flow during the lowering stage and low pressure with large flow during the lifting stage, effectively achieving on-demand and precise supply of dynamic flow and pressure. The proposed “demand feedforward–flow coordination” control architecture, the innovative electro-hydraulically separated structure, and the multi-cycle optimized regulation strategy collectively provide a practical and feasible solution for upgrading the fluid supply system in fully mechanized mining faces toward fast response, high energy efficiency, and intelligent operation. Full article

An Integrated Energy System (IES) integrates electricity, heat, and natural gas, optimizing energy use and management efficiency. These systems connect to a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) for demand response dispatch in the electricity market. However, the impact of VPP load on the IES is often overlooked, which can limit the IES’s effective market participation and stability. To address this issue, this study introduces a two-layer collaborative model to coordinate VPP scheduling for multiple IES units, aiming to improve collaboration efficiency. The upper level involves the VPP setting electricity prices based on load conditions, guiding IES units to adjust their market strategies. At the lower level, the model encourages integration and optimization of different energy types within the IES through enhanced energy interactions. Additionally, the application of the Shapley value method ensures fair benefit distribution among all IES members. This approach supports equitable economic outcomes for all participants in the energy market. The model employs a multi-strategy improved Dung Beetle Optimizer (FSGDBO) combined with commercial solver techniques for efficient problem-solving. Experimental results demonstrate that the model significantly enhances the VPP’s peak-shaving and valley-filling capabilities while preserving the economic interests of the IES alliances, thereby boosting overall energy management effectiveness. Full article

This study aims to develop a strategy for practical real-time applications in Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). The study combines a Blending Control Scheme (BCS) with an Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy (ECMS) for energy management. During the charge-depleting (CD) mode, a blending control scheme was employed, in which the electric motor served as the primary propulsion source while the engine was selectively engaged to share the load. Within this framework, ECMS was applied to determine the optimal power split between the engine and the electric motor in real time. The ECMS considers both the energy consumed by the electric motor and engine to achieve optimal energy consumption, converting the motor and generator consumed electrical energy into an equivalent fuel consumption and combining it with the internal combustion engine’s fuel consumption to determine the equivalent fuel consumption for each time step, then minimizes this equivalent fuel consumption. A backward, instead of forward, PHEV model was built in MATLAB/Simulink based on the THS. The results of combining BCS and ECMS were compared with those of the Rule-Based Control Strategy, which served as the baseline for comparison. The Toyota Hybrid System (THS) was used. The standard FTP-75 driving cycles, including urban and highway scenarios, were simulated. Results show that the Rule-Based strategy has an equivalent combined fuel economy of 50.7 miles per gallon (MPG-e). The proposed method, combining BCS and ECMS, achieves 56.33 MPG-e, representing an approximately 11.1% improvement over the Rule-Based strategy. BCS and ECMS allowed the engine to engage effectively at the adequate time in its high-efficiency region, as well as the motor throughout the drive cycle, and enabled more refined coordination of engine and electric power sources, and can provide high-efficiency computation to realize real-time optimization-based control. Full article

Temporary ground anchors are widely used to provide anchorage for winches, tensioners, and guy wires during power transmission construction. In mountainous terrain, the drilling efficiency is limited, and conventional cement-grouted rock anchors are typically abandoned after use, causing resource waste and local environmental disturbances. This study proposes a plate–umbrella composite recyclable rock anchor in which a hinged umbrella head can unfold and retract within an end-plate sleeve to mobilize slab-bearing resistance under pull-out. A composite grouting scheme (epoxy mortar plus hot-melt adhesive) combined with resistive heating enables component recovery after service. Field pull-out/recovery trials and ABAQUS simulations were conducted to evaluate load–displacement behavior, recovery feasibility, and key influencing factors (embedment length and drilling/tension angle combinations). Compared with a conventional end-plate anchor of the same short embedment length (1 m), the proposed anchor achieved a markedly higher ultimate capacity and smaller displacement. Angle mismatch between the drilling and tension directions caused substantial capacity loss, highlighting the need for alignment control in practice. Parametric simulations further indicate stable performance across representative weathered granite conditions. The proposed system provides a promising approach for efficient and reusable temporary anchorage in mountainous transmission projects. Full article

Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration is a prevalent condition and a major risk factor for disc herniation. Mechanical overload, aging, injury, and disease contribute to the annulus fibrosus’ structural failure, which allows nucleus pulposus material to escape and reduces the capacity to absorb shock. This study builds on previous investigations by evaluating additional thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filaments as potential materials for additively manufactured intervertebral disc replacements. Materials and Methods: Disc-shaped specimens (Ø50 × 10 mm) were fabricated using fused deposition modeling (FDM). A gyroid infill structure was employed with unit cell sizes ranging from 4 to 10 mm³ and wall thicknesses between 0.5 and 1.0 mm. The outer wall thickness varied from 0.4 to 0.8 mm. Four TPU filaments (Extrudr FlexSemiSoft, GEEE-TECH TPU, SUNLU TPU, and OVERTURE TPU) were tested, resulting in 36 parameter combinations per filament. Printed discs were examined via stereomicroscopy. Tensile testing was conducted according to DIN EN ISO 527-1 using Type 5A specimens. Mechanical performance under physiological loading was assessed through uniaxial compression tests, in which samples were compressed to 50% of their height while force–deformation curves were recorded. Target forces were defined as 4000–7500 N to maintain comparability with prior studies. Results: Across all filaments, a maximum of three parameter combinations per material achieved forces within the target range. Microscopy confirmed the dimensional accuracy of wall thicknesses with minimal deviation. Tensile strength values for GEEE-TECH, SUNLU, and FlexSemiSoft were comparable (10–11 MPa), while OVERTURE showed significantly lower strength (approximately 9 MPa). Tensile modulus values followed a similar trend: 25–30 MPa for three filaments and 17.5 MPa for OVERTURE. Conclusions: All four TPU filaments could be used to fabricate discs that met the mechanical requirements for compression. These results confirm that both the tested TPU materials and gyroid structures are suitable for potential intervertebral disc replacement applications. Full article

This perspective provides a multidisciplinary assessment of the use of lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles (EVs) for second-life applications, motivated by the need to improve resource efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and support a circular battery economy. Second-life deployment requires the integrated consideration of technical performance, legal compliance, and economic viability. The analysis combines a technical evaluation of battery aging mechanisms, operational load effects, and qualification strategies with a legal assessment of the EU Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and an economic analysis of market potential and business models (BM). From a technical perspective, the limitations of State of Health (SOH) as a standalone indicator are demonstrated, highlighting the need for multiple health indicators and degradation-aware qualification. A scalable two-step qualification approach, combining qualitative inspection with a standardized quantitative measurement protocol, is discussed. From a legal perspective, regulatory requirements and barriers related to repurposing, waste classification, and conformity assessment are analyzed. From an economic perspective, business model patterns and market dynamics are evaluated, identifying Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and industrial Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) for renewable firming as particularly promising applications. The paper concludes with recommendations for action and key research needs to enable safe, economically viable, and legally compliant second-life deployment. Full article

Background/Objectives: Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains a critical global public health concern, compromising the efficacy of currently available antibiotics. As the development of new antibiotics offers limited long-term solutions, alternative approaches such as efflux pump inhibition have gained attention. This study reports the development of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) co-loaded with Norfloxacin (NOR) and the efflux pump inhibitor 2-amino-thiophen-6CN-Ethyl, to modulate NOR activity against resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains overexpressing efflux pump genes. Methods: NLCs were produced via the hot emulsion method followed by sonication. The formulations were characterized for encapsulation efficiency (EE%), particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in vitro release kinetics, and stability. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against S. aureus 1199B and K2068 strains. Results: The NLC formulation containing norfloxacin and 6CN-Ethyl (NLC10NOR + 106CN) demonstrated high EE% for both compounds (99.50% for 6CN-Ethyl and 90.91% for NOR) and physicochemical stability over 60 days (particle size < 255 nm, PDI < 0.3, zeta potential < −20 mV). Structural analyses confirmed amorphization and effective encapsulation of the active constituents. Antibacterial assays showed that NLC10NOR + 106CN significantly increased NOR activity compared to the free drug and physical mixture; the effect in 1199B was notably superior to the NOR + CCCP (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone) combination. Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential of NLC-based co-delivery systems as innovative strategies to overcome bacterial resistance, particularly through efflux pump inhibition enhancing antibiotic efficacy. Full article

This paper presents a comprehensive experimental and numerical investigation of the aerodynamics of a vertical-axis Darrieus wind turbine equipped with newly developed modified asymmetric blades intended to enhance performance at low and variable wind speeds. Using URANS modeling (SST k–ω) combined with full-scale testing, a detailed comparison was carried out against the classical NACA 0021 airfoil. The results show that the asymmetric profile increases starting torque by 30–40%, reduces negative torque by 20–25%, and decreases load pulsations by 15–20%, owing to the delayed onset of dynamic stall and the stabilization of the vortex wake structure. Within the optimal operating range of TSR = 2.5–4, an 18–22% increase in pressure differential is observed, resulting in a higher power coefficient; the maximum Cp reaches 0.15, exceeding that of the symmetric configuration by 20–25%. The agreement between CFD predictions and experimental measurements exceeds 95%, confirming the robustness of the numerical model employed. The findings clearly demonstrate the substantial effectiveness of the proposed blade geometry and its strong potential for next-generation VAWTs optimized for regions with low wind resources. Full article

Sandwich panels with trapezoidal (corrugated) cores combine low weight, high specific stiffness, and energy absorption capability. This study analyzes four configurations with different core heights by means of microstructural analyses (optical microscopy, SEM/EDS, XRD) and quasi-static compression tests. The tests yield stress–strain curves with an initial linear stage, a peak, a plateau, and a densification stage. Peak stresses range from 0.5 MPa for the thickest core (P1) to 6.2 MPa for the thinnest core (P4), while the energy absorbed density (EAD) increases with strain: at ε = 30% it varies from 0.031 to 0.670 J/cm³, and at ε = 50% the thin-core configuration reaches ≈1.113 J/cm³. The face sheets and the core are both manufactured from AA 3000 series (Al–Mn) aluminum alloy; widespread micro-porosity and Fe/Mn-rich phases are observed by SEM/EDS. XRD confirms aluminum with different peak intensities ascribable to the manufacturing texture. Increasing the core height promotes earlier local/global instabilities and reduces the peak stress; the thinnest core displays higher stiffness and peak loads. These findings support the use of trapezoidal corrugation where low weight and progressive strain are required. Full article

This study introduces an all-fiber optic sensing network based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) technology for structural health monitoring (SHM) of launch vehicle payload fairings under extreme thermo-mechanical conditions. A wavelength–space dual-multiplexing architecture enables full-field strain and temperature monitoring with minimal sensor deployment. Structural deformations are reconstructed from local measurements using the inverse finite element method (iFEM), achieving sub-millimeter accuracy. High-temperature experiments verified that FBG sensors maintain a strain accuracy of 0.8 με at 500 °C, significantly outperforming conventional sensors. Under 15 MPa mechanical loading and 420 °C thermal shock, the fairing structure exhibited no damage propagation. The sensing system captured real-time strain distributions and deformation profiles, confirming its suitability for aerospace SHM. The combined use of iFEM and FBG enables high-fidelity large-scale deformation reconstruction, offering a reliable solution for reusable aerospace structures operating in harsh environments. Full article

Lumbar shear forces are increasingly recognized as critical contributors to lower-back injury risk, yet most ergonomic assessment tools—most notably the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE)—do not directly estimate shear loading. This study develops and evaluates a family of linear mixed-effects regression models that statistically predict L4/L5 lumbar shear force exposure using traditional NIOSH lifting parameters combined with posture descriptors extracted from digital human models. A harmonized dataset of 106 peak-shear lifting postures was compiled from five controlled laboratory studies, with lumbar shear forces obtained from validated biomechanical simulations implemented in the Siemens JACK (Siemens software, Plano, TX, USA) platform. Twelve model formulations were examined, varying in fixed-effect structure and hierarchical random effects, to quantify how load magnitude, hand location, sex, and joint posture relate to simulated task-level anterior–posterior shear exposure at the lumbar spine. Across all models, load magnitude and horizontal reach emerged as the strongest and most stable predictors of shear exposure, reflecting their direct mechanical influence on anterior spinal loading. Hip and knee flexion provided substantial additional explanatory power, highlighting the role of whole-body posture strategy in modulating shear demand. Upper-limb posture and coupling quality exhibited minimal or inconsistent effects once load geometry and lower-body posture were accounted for. Random-effects analyses demonstrated that meaningful variability arises from individual movement strategies and task conditions, underscoring the necessity of mixed-effects modeling for representing hierarchical structure in lifting data. Parsimonious models incorporating subject-level random intercepts produced the most stable and interpretable coefficients while maintaining strong goodness-of-fit. Overall, the findings extend the NIOSH framework by identifying posture-dependent determinants of lumbar shear exposure and by demonstrating that simulated shear loading can be reliably predicted using ergonomically accessible task descriptors. The proposed models are intended as statistical predictors of task-level shear exposure that complement—rather than replace—comprehensive biomechanical simulations. This work provides a quantitative foundation for integrating shear-aware metrics into ergonomic risk assessment practices, supporting posture-informed screening of manual material-handling tasks in field and sensor-based applications. Full article