Search Results (577)

Kiwifruit softens rapidly after harvest, and its marketable quality depends on firmness, soluble solids, dry matter, acidity, mechanical damage, disease, aroma and other attributes that determine grading, storage and sales. Traditional physicochemical tests are accurate but usually destructive, time-consuming and unsuitable for batch sorting, online monitoring or dynamic quality management. This review summarizes six non-destructive testing approaches: optical, acoustic, electromagnetic, dielectric, mechanical/texture-property and electronic nose technologies. Their principles, system configurations, quality indicators, modeling strategies, applications and limitations are compared, with particular attention to validation design, model transferability, approximate technology maturity and industrial constraints. Current evidence shows that near-infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging are most widely used for soluble solids, firmness, dry matter, chilling injury and early damage detection; machine vision is effective for appearance grading and surface defects; acoustic and mechanical methods mainly support firmness and texture evaluation; dielectric and electromagnetic techniques help characterize moisture, tissue structure and internal disorders; and electronic noses capture volatile signals related to ripening and spoilage. Future work should prioritize cross-variety, cross-origin and cross-device model transfer, multi-source sensor fusion, interpretable modeling, portable instruments, online deployment and standardized validation. Full article

Background/Objectives: While Lebanon’s Vision 2030 prioritizes strengthening Lebanon’s chronically constrained, fragmented, and shocked primary healthcare system, implementation is hindered by weak sensing mechanisms, misaligned spatial distribution, and poorly integrated referral pathways. This study develops a preliminary, context-specific, systems-level healthcare policy assessment and framework for primary healthcare reform by applying biomimicry principles derived from the drought-resistant root architecture of grapevine (Vitis vinifera). Methods: Publicly available data from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, national assessments, and non-governmental organization registries were synthesized to examine mismatches between healthcare need and service capacity. We developed a preliminary healthcare Need Score for Lebanon’s eight governorates based on clinical demand, capacity strain, and socioeconomic vulnerability. An Agent-Based Approach within a biomimicry framework was used to translate grapevines’ biological strategies into healthcare policy design principles. Results: Structural deficiencies were identified in Lebanon’s primary healthcare system, including absence of standardized need-based sensing, uneven geographic service distribution, weak-referral integration, and limited adaptive feedback. Our preliminary Need Score was used four clinical demand indicators for iron deficiency, neonatal and maternal deaths, pre-mature births and birth defects, and disease incidence. Service-capacity strain indicators were primary healthcare center density and staffing. Finally, socioeconomic vulnerability indicators were percentages for non-Lebanese population and food insecurity. The proposed policy framework can translate frontline stress signals to rule-based responses, guide adaptive redistribution of capacity, and structurally anchor primary healthcare centers to referral hubs through defined catchments and electronic referral loops. Conclusions: Biomimicry can shed insight into how to improve primary healthcare governance under chronic scarcity. Need Scores and biological resilience principles can strengthen primary healthcare systems in low-resource settings while aligning with healthcare policy objectives like those in Lebanon’s Vision 2030. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dermatosparaxis Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (dEDS) is a rare autosomal recessive connective tissue disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in ADAMTS2, which encodes the primary N-proteinase responsible for fibrillar procollagen processing. Although defective procollagen cleavage is the defining molecular feature of dEDS, how ADAMTS2 deficiency disrupts extracellular matrix (ECM) organization and tissue integrity remains incompletely understood. Here we characterized the structural, molecular, and cellular consequences of a knock-in Adamts2 mouse model harboring a disease-associated variant and assessed its phenotypic and mechanistic resemblance to human dEDS. Methods: We generated Adamts2^Q226* mice carrying a variant analogous to a human dEDS-causing mutation. Skin from homozygous, heterozygous, and control animals was evaluated using histologic, ultrastructural, biochemical, digital pathology, and single-nucleus RNA-sequencing approaches. Pathway enrichment analyses and the computational tool CellChat were used to infer altered molecular programs and changes in intercellular communication. Results: Homozygous knock-in mice exhibited near-complete loss of dermal ADAMTS2 protein expression, impaired type I procollagen processing, disrupted dermal architecture, and irregular hieroglyphic collagen fibrils characteristic of dEDS. Digital pathology demonstrated reduced collagen bulk, diminished assembled and total collagen, increased fine collagen, and loss of mature collagen architecture, with intermediate changes in heterozygous animals. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing identified fibroblasts as the most affected population, with coordinated downregulation of collagen, microfibrillar, and other ECM-associated genes. Pathway analyses implicated altered ECM organization, receptor-linked signaling, cytoskeletal regulation, protein processing, and metabolism, while CellChat inferred widespread reductions in intercellular communication. Conclusions: ADAMTS2 deficiency causes fibroblast-enriched transcriptional remodeling, impaired collagen processing and ECM maturation, and disrupted tissue-wide cellular communication. This model provides a translational platform for studying dEDS pathogenesis and strategies to restore ECM homeostasis. Full article

Cohen syndrome, caused by pathogenic variants in VPS13B, is characterized by microcephaly, developmental delay, and progressive retinal degeneration, yet the cellular mechanisms linking VPS13B dysfunction to disease pathology remain incompletely understood. Here, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to delete VPS13B exons 2–4 in Phoenix HEK293 cells, generating five independent knockout clones. In all mutant lines, VPS13B disruption caused a marked slowing of cell proliferation due to prolongation of the G1 phase. Immunocytochemistry and transmission electron microscopy revealed that VPS13B mutations causes Golgi apparatus fragmentation, loss of VPS13B Golgi localization, ER lumen dilation with rigid membrane morphology, mitochondrial damage, impaired autophagic maturation, and the appearance of cytoplasmic fibrillary inclusions located close to ER and absent from control cells. RNA-seq analysis identified 27 differentially expressed genes common to all four mutant clones, including downregulation of genes involved in transcriptional regulation, lipid metabolism, and neuronal signaling, alongside upregulation of the stress-response genes CLU and CDKN1A (p21). While our results do not support classical unfolded protein response activation, they are consistent with a model in which lipid bilayer stress and disrupted ER–Golgi trafficking may play a role in the pathophysiology of Cohen syndrome. Together, these findings demonstrate that VPS13B deficiency results in coordinated defects in organelle homeostasis, proteostasis, and cell-cycle progression, providing new dates for understanding Cohen syndrome pathogenesis. Full article

The growing need to ensure the safety, resilience, and sustainability of existing building structures has accelerated the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) for structural condition assessment and rehabilitation. This critical narrative review synthesizes 82 retained sources, including 33 application-oriented sources, through a transparent, structured literature search and study-selection process; it is not a formal systematic review or meta-analysis. To organize this fragmented evidence base, the review introduces the Data-to-Decision (D2D) Continuum, a unifying conceptual framework that traces eight engineering stages from data acquisition through damage detection, localization, quantification, condition and performance assessment, prognosis, reliability and risk assessment, to rehabilitation decision support. Classical machine learning, deep and temporal models, physics-guided and probabilistic approaches, and emerging foundation models are examined according to the engineering output required at each stage. The strongest evidence concerns bounded defect detection and localization, whereas uncertainty-aware prognosis, risk-informed rehabilitation selection, multi-site validation, and governed deployment remain markedly less mature. By integrating existing monitoring, digital-twin, life-cycle risk, and maintenance-decision concepts into an interface-centered evidence chain, the D2D framework clarifies what must be validated before an AI output can responsibly influence an intervention. Full article

Electric aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) depend on lightweight composites to preserve payload and range, yet mass reduction, recycled content, or bio-based content alone does not establish component suitability. Candidate systems must also satisfy coupled structural, thermal, fire, electrical, manufacturing, durability, repair, and circularity requirements. This structured critical narrative review evaluates thermoplastic carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) systems, recycled-carbon-fibre composites, natural-fibre systems, bio-based and recyclable matrices, hybrid architectures, and multifunctional composites using a component-specific framework based on source role, evidence maturity, test comparability, and failure consequence. The framework links processing and chemistry to defects, retained performance, repair and recovery, and the evidence required for defined aircraft and UAV components. Thermoplastic CFRP provides the strongest near-term pathway for secondary and semi-structural components, although weld durability, impact tolerance, fire response, and process conformity remain system specific. Recycled-carbon-fibre and natural-fibre systems are most defensible for lower-consequence covers, fairings, housings, interiors, and UAV parts when feedstock variability, moisture, porosity, and fire performance are controlled. Battery enclosures, primary structures, rotor-support members, and structural-battery systems require representative coupled-hazard and component-scale evidence. The resulting adoption pathways are bounded by component and operating conditions, with manufacturing, durability, repair, recovery, and qualification evidence specified for each application. Full article

Battery packs for new energy vehicles have evolved from simple load-bearing and protective assemblies into multifunctional safety structures integrating structural support, crash protection, thermal-runaway mitigation, flame retardancy, electrical insulation, electromagnetic interference shielding, waterproof sealing, and long-term reliability. Fiber-reinforced polymer composites are promising for upper covers, underbody shields, trays, cross beams, side frames, and local protective structures because of their low density, corrosion resistance, design flexibility, and functional-integration potential. However, composite-part performance is strongly governed by forming. Resin flow, impregnation, curing or cooling shrinkage, fiber orientation, filler dispersion, and interfacial bonding may induce voids, dry spots, resin-rich regions, delamination, warpage, and fiber waviness, thereby affecting load bearing, sealing, thermal protection, and durability. This review focuses on composite-forming technologies for new energy-vehicle battery packs. It summarizes component-level service requirements and material systems and compares representative forming routes, including sheet molding compound (SMC), prepreg compression molding/wet compression molding (PCM/WCM), resin transfer molding/high-pressure resin transfer molding (RTM/HP-RTM), vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), long-fiber thermoplastic direct processing (LFT-D), glass-mat thermoplastic (GMT), thermoplastic sheet forming, pultrusion, and multi-material joining. These routes are evaluated from six dimensions: material form, forming cycle, typical defects, representative mechanical performance, applicable components, and engineering maturity. The review further discusses defect mechanisms, performance effects, detection and control methods, and the roles of in-line monitoring, non-destructive testing, process simulation, machine learning, and digital twins in closed-loop quality manufacturing. Finally, engineering challenges are examined in multi-material joining, thermal-safety integration, low-carbon recycling, and standard certification. Composite-material battery-pack structures should therefore be developed as coordinated design and closed-loop manufacturing systems linking materials, processes, defects, performance, and validation. Full article

Ribonucleoprotein granules such as processing bodies (P-bodies) and stress granules (SGs) are membrane-less organelles that regulate mRNA metabolism through liquid–liquid phase separation. UBAP2L drives SG assembly and can bridge P-bodies with SGs, yet how it is mobilized between these compartments remains unclear. Here, using co-immunoprecipitation, GST pull-down, CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout, and immunofluorescence microscopy, we demonstrate that CCHCR1 directly binds UBAP2L and that this interaction is dynamically regulated by stress intensity. Under mild oxidative stress, CCHCR1 retains UBAP2L in P-bodies; as stress intensifies, this interaction weakens, permitting UBAP2L release for SG assembly. CCHCR1 deficiency aberrantly traps UBAP2L in P-bodies via enhanced DDX6 association, resulting in defective SG assembly, delayed maturation, and increased P-body–SG fusion. These findings establish CCHCR1 as a stress-responsive switch that controls UBAP2L partitioning between P-bodies and stress granules, thereby controlling the threshold and kinetics of SG biogenesis. Full article

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is a globally vital high-biomass sugar crop with a massive demand for potassium (K). Low-K⁺ stress severely restricts its yield and stress resistance. Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) play pivotal roles in transmembrane water transport and ion homeostasis; however, their evolutionary characteristics and molecular mechanisms underlying nutritional stress responses in the complex polyploid sugarcane remain poorly understood. In this study, genome-wide identification in the sugarcane cultivar XTT22 yielded 149 PIP gene family members (comprising 54 PIP1s and 95 PIP2s). Phylogenetic and chromosomal localization analyses demonstrated that the sugarcane PIP family underwent drastic paralogous expansion during evolution, with tandem duplication acting as the core driving force for the dramatic expansion of the PIP2 subfamily. Spatiotemporal expression profiling unveiled significant modular functional division among PIP genes, identifying a core co-expression group driving rapid early seedling elongation and a PIP2-specific expression cluster dedicated to the physiological homeostasis of mature stems. Notably, the core member ScPIP2-70 exhibited significant early-induced responses at both transcriptional and protein levels in roots under low-K⁺ stress. Functional complementation assays in the K⁺-uptake deficient yeast strain R5421 further confirmed that the heterologous expression of ScPIP2-70 effectively rescued the growth defects of yeast under low-K⁺ conditions, demonstrating its potential transmembrane K⁺ transport activity. This study not only comprehensively elucidates the evolutionary dynamics and spatiotemporal expression profiles of the sugarcane PIP gene family but also uncovers the novel pleiotropic function of ScPIP2-70 in mediating low-K⁺ stress tolerance, providing critical theoretical support and candidate gene resources for breeding “potassium-efficient” sugarcane cultivars via modern biotechnology. Full article

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a systemic metabolic disorder associated with male reproductive dysfunction. Given the pivotal role of actin cytoskeleton remodeling in spermatogenesis and sperm function, this study investigated the effects of T1D on actin-regulating pathways in rat testis and spermatozoa (SPZ). Adult Wistar rats were rendered diabetic by streptozotocin administration (65 mg/kg, i.p.). Testicular analysis revealed a reduced F-/G-actin ratio together with marked F-actin disorganization, consistent with altered actin cytoskeleton remodeling. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying these alterations, key regulators of actin dynamics were examined. Diabetic animals displayed impaired expression of EPS8, Fascin, N-WASP, and the ARP2/3 complex, suggesting altered regulation of actin assembly, bundling, and branching. Further analyses demonstrated dysregulation of signaling pathways governing cytoskeletal organization. Reduced levels of phosphorylated Disheveled-2, DAAM1, RhoA-GTP, and ROCK1 indicated impairment of the planar cell polarity pathway. In parallel, changes in LIMK1/cofilin phosphorylation supported abnormal regulation of actin filament turnover. Alterations in the RICTOR/PKC/MARCKS signaling pathway further highlighted defects in cytoskeletal control. Similar abnormalities were observed in mature SPZ, where altered F-actin distribution and DAAM1 localization suggested persistent cytoskeletal defects. Moreover, diabetic SPZ exhibited a reduced ability to undergo acrosome reaction, accompanied by altered MARCKS phosphorylation, highlighting defects in actin-dependent processes essential for sperm function and fertilizing capacity. These findings indicate that disruption of actin cytoskeleton dynamics may represent a major mechanism contributing to testicular and sperm abnormalities in T1D, providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying diabetes-associated male reproductive dysfunction. Full article

Rough volatility and jump clustering are empirically important features of equity dynamics, yet their joint treatment in American-option pricing remains computationally demanding. We develop a Volterra–Hawkes stochastic-volatility model in which a regularized weakly singular fractional kernel governs both rough diffusive memory and variance-jump propagation. Regularizing the kernel at an explicit resolution scale preserves complete monotonicity and a nonnegative Bernstein representation while replacing the unresolved zero-lag jump response by a finite plateau. A positive exponential-sum approximation then yields a finite-dimensional Ornstein–Uhlenbeck Markovian lift; we identify and correct a rank-one covariance defect in the naive shared-shock simulation of the lifted factors and combine the corrected scheme with least-squares Monte Carlo valuation for American puts. We assess the model by an ablation over a two-branch nested design—rough-Heston diffusion as the common base, a price-jump Hawkes channel and a variance-jump Hawkes channel as two parallel single-channel extensions, and the full model combining both—calibrated and evaluated out of sample on short-maturity puts for five underlyings (NVDA, TSLA, META, AAPL, MSFT). Pooled across assets, the full model attains the lowest per-date vega-weighted RMSE on $77.8\%$ of out-of-sample dates and the lowest pooled error on four of five underlyings, with META the exception. The improvement is not claimed to be uniform, and the two jump channels are complementary rather than individually sufficient. The evidence in this short-maturity sample supports the presence of both channels through their baseline intensities; the identification of their self-exciting feedback is left to a longer-maturity panel. Full article

Background: Loss of epithelial integrity leaves the wound bed open to opportunistic bacterial colonization, and the risk of secondary infection persists for as long as the defect remains unclosed. Wound dressings must therefore provide an immediate external barrier while accelerating restoration of the skin’s own barrier. This study aims to develop and evaluate a bioactive nanotechnological platform comprising dexpanthenol (Dxp)-engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) embedded within cross-linked hyaluronic acid hydrogels (HA@Dxp-engineered EVs) for targeted wound treatment and protection against external contaminants. Methods: EVs were engineered via exogenous (extrusion; Exo EV) and endogenous (co-incubation; Endo EV) strategies to encapsulate Dxp. The physicochemical properties of the HA@Dxp-engineered EV systems were characterized, and their therapeutic efficacy was validated through in vitro assays, including fibroblast migration and endothelial tube formation, and in vivo using a full-thickness excisional wound model in mice. Results: Both engineering strategies successfully encapsulated Dxp while preserving the structural integrity of the EVs. The HA hydrogel enabled sustained EV release and provided a physical barrier. In vitro, HA@Endo EVs significantly promoted fibroblast proliferation, migration, and the formation of mature capillary-like networks in HUVECs compared to controls. In vivo, the HA@Endo EV group demonstrated accelerated wound closure, achieving 99.88% healing by day 10, and promoted tissue remodeling with upregulated expression of COL1A1, VEGF, and HIF-1α. Conclusions: The HA@Endo EV system provides a dual-action strategy against secondary infection risk. It supplies an immediate physical barrier over the wound bed and simultaneously accelerates re-epithelialization, thereby shortening the interval during which the tissue remains exposed. Full article

Solute Carrier Family 13 Member 5 (SLC13A5) encodes the sodium-dependent citrate cotransporter NaCT, which mediates citrate transport across cell membranes. Pathogenic variants in SLC13A5 cause developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 25 with amelogenesis imperfecta, DEE25; OMIM #615905, a debilitating autosomal recessive disorder. To better define the role of NaCT in ameloblast function and enamel mineralization, we used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate Slc13a5^R337* knock-in mice that terminate NaCT translation at the Arg337 codon, which is homologous to the human SLC13A5^R333* variant associated with DEE25. We compared enamel phenotypes among wild-type, Slc13a5^+/+; heterozygous, Slc13a5^+/R337*; and homozygous, Slc13a5^R337*/R337* mice using light microscopy, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, backscattered scanning electron microscopy (bSEM); and focused ion beam–scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) with quantitative imaging of organelles and matrix. Citrate bioassays were performed on serum, long bones, such as the femur and tibia, and developing mouse first molars, including enamel organ epithelium, mineralized tooth matrix, and pulp mesenchyme, to assess citrate levels during the presecretory, secretory, and maturation stages of enamel formation. In addition, first molars collected at postnatal days 0, 3, 5, and 12 were analyzed to characterize glycolytic and TCA cycle-related metabolic signatures. Homozygous Slc13a5^R337*/R337* mice exhibited severe defects during the secretory and maturation stages of amelogenesis. Most notably, Slc13a5^R337*/R337* ameloblasts failed to develop a Tomes’ process, detached from the enamel matrix surface, and produced a thin, poorly mineralized crust on the dentin surface rather than organized enamel ribbons. Despite the absence of normal enamel deposition, ameloblasts initially appeared viable and did not become dysplastic until the late secretory stage. Cellular and subcellular analyses revealed increased secondary lysosomes and intracellular accumulation of enamel matrix proteins, consistent with impaired matrix processing or secretion. Citrate concentrations were elevated in serum and long bones at both 7 and 35 weeks of age. Citrate was elevated in secretory-stage Slc13a5^R337*/R337* molars at days 0 and 3, the enamel organ epithelium (including ameloblasts), the pulp mesenchyme (including odontoblasts), and mineralizing dentin and enamel matrices. These levels gradually declined at day 5 and into the enamel maturation stage (day 12). GC-MS-based analysis of central carbon metabolites revealed increased intracellular accumulation of citrate, malate, and pyruvate, suggesting altered energy metabolism and reduced metabolic efficiency in Slc13a5^R337*/R337* mice. Together, these findings indicate that loss of NaCT function in the ameloblasts causes citrate accumulation, which impairs hydroxyapatite formation. Consequently, only a thin, structurally defective mineral crust forms on the dentin surface, while mineral nodules develop ectopically within the maturation-stage enamel organ epithelium. We conclude that regulating citrate concentration is essential for proper appositional growth of enamel. Full article

This paper presents a critical review of surface protection strategies for refurbished hydropower components, with emphasis on the manufacturing and materials-processing logic that links damage mechanisms, substrate condition, deposition route, microstructure, and service performance. The literature indicates that cavitation erosion, sediment abrasion, corrosion, and their synergistic interactions are intensified by flexible and off-design hydropower operation, making refurbishment decisions increasingly surface-sensitive rather than purely bulk-material problems. Thermal spray and laser cladding remain the dominant industrially relevant routes, while cold spray and emerging multi-principal-element, high-entropy, and Fe-based amorphous systems expand the design space for lower heat input, better defect control, and improved cavitation resistance. Across the considered studies, the most consistent conclusion is that hardness alone is not a reliable selection criterion; porosity, interfacial integrity, crack susceptibility, residual stress, and the ability to accommodate local deformation govern real durability. Chemical pre-treatments, sealants, and hybrid finishing routes appear less mature as standalone hydropower solutions, but are important enablers for substrate activation, coating densification, and corrosion mitigation. Therefore, the review proposes a refurbishment-oriented framework in which route selection is based on the initial damage state of the component, the admissible thermal load on the substrate, the required build-up thickness, and the expected cavitation/slurry/corrosion regime. Full article

Accurate tomato maturity detection is essential for harvesting decisions, quality grading, and postharvest handling in greenhouse production. However, leaf occlusion, fruit overlap, complex backgrounds, illumination variation, and subtle color differences between adjacent maturity stages limit real-time detection performance. To improve accuracy and deployment efficiency, this study proposes TMAF-YOLO, a lightweight detection model based on YOLOv8n. In this model, LGhostConv replaces selected convolutional structures to reduce redundant computation. A tomato maturity-aware aggregation fusion module, termed TMAF, is introduced to enhance color, texture, and local structural feature representation in the detection branches. MA-CB Focal Loss is used to improve learning under class imbalance and hard-sample conditions. Experimental results showed that TMAF-YOLO achieved Precision, Recall, mAP50, and mAP50-95 values of 0.889, 0.873, 0.954, and 0.776, respectively. The model contained 2.647 M parameters and required 7.3 GFLOPs, with an inference speed of 209.030 FPS. Compared with YOLOv8n and heavier detection models, TMAF-YOLO achieved higher detection accuracy with fewer parameters and lower computational cost. It also outperformed YOLOv11n and YOLOv12n in detection accuracy while maintaining real-time inference performance. These results indicate that the proposed model is suitable for real-time greenhouse tomato maturity detection and can support automated harvesting and grading. Full article