Search Results (2,549)

Chronic low-grade inflammation is a hallmark of aging and a major driver of metabolic and degenerative diseases. While systemic immune dysfunction has been widely investigated, the contribution of barrier tissues to persistent inflammatory signaling remains incompletely defined. The oral mucosa represents a uniquely exposed barrier, continuously challenged by microbial, mechanical, and metabolic stressors and characterized by a specialized immune architecture. Here, we synthesize current evidence supporting the oral barrier as an active immunometabolic interface linking local immune activation to systemic inflammatory tone. Spatially organized epithelial, neutrophil, and antigen-presenting cell (APC) compartments coordinate immune responses tightly coupled to metabolic reprogramming, including hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)-dependent glycolysis and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production. In parallel, the oral microbiota provides ligands and metabolites such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and succinate, which activate pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), including toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, thereby sustaining nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NF-κB)-mediated inflammatory signaling. Barrier disruption and dysbiosis promote microbial translocation and persistent innate immune activation, while saliva and gingival crevicular fluid facilitate systemic dissemination of inflammatory mediators. Overall, sustained immunometabolic engagement at the oral barrier emerges as a key driver of chronic low-grade systemic inflammation and a potential therapeutic target in inflammaging. Full article

Arsenic represents a ubiquitous element in the environment, characterized by high mobility, complex chemical speciation and a strong sensitivity to redox conditions and biological activity, with microbial processes play a central role in its biogeochemical cycling. The present review provides a comprehensive and integrative synthesis of arsenic biogeochemical cycling across terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments, in which chemical speciation is explicitly treated as the central unifying concept controlling arsenic mobility, transformation and bioavailability, linking geological, chemical and biological processes across environmental compartments. Natural processes regulating arsenic distribution are examined from mineralogical sources and soil–water interactions to biologically mediated transformations in aquatic and marine biotic compartments, largely driven by microbial activity, highlighting the contrast between inorganic arsenic dominance in abiotic reservoirs and the prevalence of organoarsenicals in tissues of living organisms. The review further explores arsenic behaviour under natural environmental alterations and in extreme or unconventional ecosystems, where redox constraints, sulphide chemistry or intense fluid–sediment exchanges lead to deviations from the baseline speciation patterns. Against this framework, anthropogenic perturbations are discussed through several documented case studies, illustrating how industrial releases, the long-term effects of mining activities, agricultural practices and the use of synthetic arsenical compounds may change arsenic pathways primarily by altering geochemical and biological controls rather than through a generalized increase in total arsenic content. Overall, the topics covered provide an integrated framework for interpreting arsenic dynamics across environmental systems, emphasizing the complex biogeochemical processes governing arsenic cycling. Full article

This review explicitly focuses on agricultural attachments and executing components that interact directly with soil and crops, rather than the tractor vehicle itself. Operating within complex and variable farmland media environments, the key components of agricultural machinery have long been constrained by bottlenecks such as high-energy draught resistance, severe solid–liquid interfacial adhesion, and intense abrasive wear. Bionic functional surfaces, based on the coupling of micro-geometric morphology and surface-interface physical chemistry, provide a scientific approach to overcoming traditional tribological limitations by reconstructing the contact mechanics and fluid dynamics boundaries at the interface. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the latest research progress regarding bionic functional surfaces in the fields of friction reduction, wear resistance, and anti-adhesion in agricultural machinery. The article systematically categorises typical biological prototypes, such as soil-burrowing animals, aquatic organisms, and plant leaves, alongside their multidimensional feature extraction methods. It provides an in-depth analysis of core interaction mechanisms, ranging from static air cushion effects and dynamic wetting evolution to active electro-osmotic soil detachment, interfacial stress redistribution, and microscopic wear debris capture. Furthermore, it evaluates the efficacy of cross-scale coupled numerical simulation technologies in resolving interfacial interactions. At the engineering application level, this review extensively discusses the field performance of bionic structures in typical operational scenarios, including draught reduction in tillage and land preparation, blockage prevention in seed-metering channels, and low-damage harvesting in agricultural machinery. Finally, countermeasures are proposed to address the fatigue degradation of bionic surfaces under alternating field loads and the barriers to the large-scale fabrication of large-sized components. The paper further highlights the development trend towards the deep integration of bionic tribology with digital twins and intelligent wear-state perception technologies, aiming to provide systematic underlying theoretical and technical references for the research and development of the next generation of intelligent agricultural equipment characterised by low energy consumption and a prolonged service life. Full article

Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models more faithfully reproduce native tissue organization and function than conventional two-dimensional systems, yet many existing bioprinting methods depend on scaffolds, complex instrumentation, or limited control over cell positioning. This review examines magnetic bioinks as a versatile platform for contactless 3D cell manipulation and biofabrication. It first outlines the fundamentals of magnetophoresis and defines magnetic bioinks as combinations of magnetic agents, including magnetic nanoparticles or paramagnetic salts, with biological components such as cells, proteins, or fluids. The review then compares label-based strategies, in which cells are magnetized and guided by positive magnetophoresis, with label-free approaches that exploit magnetic susceptibility differences to position diamagnetic cells through negative magnetophoresis. Across these methods, magnetic bioinks have enabled single-cell sorting, spatial patterning, spheroid and co-culture assembly, multilayer tissue formation, and hydrogel-integrated printing. These capabilities support applications in disease modeling, drug screening, biosensing, regenerative medicine, and emerging biofabrication under microgravity conditions. The paper also highlights key limitations, including nanoparticle biocompatibility, paramagnetic salt toxicity, osmotic stress, and the need for better assay standardization and translational validation. Overall, magnetic bioinks represent a promising scaffold-free approach for rapidly producing physiologically relevant 3D biological constructs for research and clinical innovation. Full article

The most recent research has demonstrated that oscillatory nano-structures found on the lumenal walls of deep cerebral veins likely contribute significantly to the regulation of the function of deep cerebral veins. The oscillatory nano-structures consist of very small, intricately organized “nanoflaps,” each consisting of a hinge element with an attached lipid bilayer architecture. These nanoflaps have distinct mechanical properties, are in close proximity to mechanically sensitive protein assemblies, and therefore it is hypothesized that the nanoflaps generate rhythmic oscillations that control the distribution of both pressure and fluid flow through the veins and also regulate the metabolic condition of the surrounding tissue. In addition, the behavior of the nanoflaps indicate that there exists a hitherto unappreciated level of venous biomechanics at the nanometer scale that regulates the hydraulic stability of the veins and may also contribute to the structural integrity of the surrounding tissues. The purpose of this review is to provide a theoretical framework for understanding the recent discoveries of the structure, oscillation and hydrodynamic effects of nanoflaps, including resonance drift, waveform irregularity, and multi-scale biomechanical interactions. Additionally, this review will present the idea that disruption of the normal oscillatory processes that occur in the nanoflaps may lead to the development of abnormal micro-environments in the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, abnormalities of compliance, dysautonomic states, traumatic injury and micro-circulatory stress. Finally, this review will describe several pharmacological strategies that may be used to stabilize the oscillations generated by the nanometer-scale oscillatory nano-structure by modifying the torque applied to the hinge, the viscoelasticity of the membrane and the feedback pathways for mechanotransduction. Full article

Toluene, as a common organic solvent in academic laboratories in university campuses, poses potential exposure concerns to students and staff in university campuses. Hence, by using a computational fluid dynamics simulation, we investigated the dispersion characteristics of toluene at a campus in Guangzhou under meteorological conditions and the impact of newly constructed buildings on toluene concentrations. The numerical simulation results reveal that toluene is readily accumulated in the free movement area under the prevailing east wind, in the administrative area under the prevailing north-northeast wind, and in the teaching area under the prevailing south wind. Therein, the teaching buildings (TB3–TB6) possess the highest average concentration of toluene compared with other functional areas. In the presence of newly constructed buildings, the toluene concentrations are decreased under the south-southeast wind but are aggravated under the southeast wind. As the height increases, under south-southeast winds, the merging of vortex structures continuously reduces toluene concentrations at TB3 and TB4 and the expansion of the wake region rebounds the toluene pollution at TB5 and TB6; under southeast winds, the expanding vertical vortex structures aggravate toluene pollution at TB3 and TB5 but attenuate toluene pollution at TB4 and TB6. Our results reveal that the teaching areas of the target campus represent a critical zone for potential student exposure during summer and require particular attention. This study provides new insights into the coupled effects of prevailing wind conditions and campus morphology on VOC dispersion characteristics and improves the understanding of airflow pollutant interactions in complex campus environments. Full article

Wine production is one of the most important agricultural activities worldwide, and generates significant amounts of organic by-products, particularly grape pomace. Traditionally, this was seen as waste, but currently, this residue has been reanalyzed from the perspective of the principles of the bioeconomy and circular economy, demonstrating its potential as a rich source of bioactive compounds with great potential for valorization. Its heterogeneous composition accumulates a variety of polyphenols, dietary fibers, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and other secondary metabolites that confer important biological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. The chemical composition of grape pomace varies substantially according to variety, winemaking method, and extraction conditions, directly impacting its potential application. Extraction methods have progressed from traditional procedures to more advanced techniques such as ultrasound, supercritical fluids, and natural solvents, enabling the selective separation of high-value compounds. This review provides a comprehensive and critical overview of grape pomace valorization, emphasising its composition, green extraction and current industrial applications. In addition, regulatory frameworks and sustainability strategies supporting the integration of grape pomace into value-added production chains are discussed. Overall, grape pomace valorization supports waste reduction and the production of new functional products that balance economic efficiency and environmental responsibility. Full article

The Zeta-Minimizer Theorem (ZMT) provides a complete deductive unification of statistical mechanics, number theory, helical geometry, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism from three primitive axioms alone. Starting with the non-proper Archimedean conical helix and the explicit covariant fugacity Hessian, the universal grand-partition function Z(s) is constructed via the integer-gear rule. This functorially invariant object yields gear occupations, Lyapunov exponents, and interaction parameters that govern all subsequent results. Interface matching and marginal stability λ_2,19 (x_2) = 0 trigger superconductivity at solid–fluid boundaries, while the categorical invariance of Z(s) produces exact magnetic and electric equilibrium curves. The Variational Reaction Rate Theorem then projects the framework onto dynamics, yielding Maxwell’s equations, demystified electrical units as helical torque quantities, and a complete classification of electronic phases. Phonons, Cooper pairing, the superconducting gap, and the full BCS correspondence follow without additional postulates. The same marginal-stability condition reproduces the Casimir effect, the Quantum Hall effect, and the entire 115-year experimental history of superconductivity. Generalization of interface matching to arbitrary solid–liquid pairs and introduction of Variational Anchor Cancellation (VAC) self-organizes a shielded superconducting layer. Finally, the first-principles engineering blueprint of the Radial Helical Gear Condenser (RHGC) delivers a modular, self-regulating device that engineers superconductivity at ambient or near-ambient temperature using only a radial pressure gradient and existing pipeline technology. All predictions are zero-parameter and fully deducible from the three axioms. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma is a rare and highly aggressive variant of renal cell carcinoma, frequently associated with advanced-stage disease, early metastatic spread, and poor prognosis. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have improved outcomes in metastatic renal cell carcinoma, particularly in tumors with sarcomatoid differentiation, they may also induce severe immune-related adverse events involving multiple organ systems. Case Presentation: We report the case of a 54-year-old woman with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid differentiation, previously treated with nivolumab plus ipilimumab and subsequently with pazopanib, who was admitted with severe dehydration, repeated vomiting, marked asthenia, lower-limb-predominant muscle weakness, and inability to maintain orthostatism. Laboratory investigations revealed severe hyperkalemia, hyponatremia, hypoglycemia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and prerenal acute kidney injury. The patient had a previous history of severe endocrine immune-related toxicity, including autoimmune hypophysitis and hypothyroidism, which had led to discontinuation of immunotherapy. Following fluid resuscitation, electrolyte correction, and supportive treatment, the metabolic abnormalities resolved and renal function improved significantly. Given the severity of the muscle weakness, a possible immune-mediated neuromuscular adverse event was also considered, although hyperkalemia remained a plausible contributing factor. Conclusions: This case highlights the complex interplay between prior immune checkpoint inhibitor exposure, endocrine dysfunction, metabolic decompensation, and possible neuromuscular involvement in metastatic sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma. Early recognition, careful differential diagnosis, and multidisciplinary management are essential to prevent rapid clinical deterioration and optimize outcomes in patients with complex immune-related toxicities. Full article

Background Granulomatous lung diseases include a spectrum of disorders, both infectious and noninfectious, unified by the presence of granulomas in the lung parenchyma. Granulomas are microscopic, organized collections of immune cells that arise as a response to persistent antigenic stimulation. Infectious granulomatous lung diseases arise from a variety of microbial agents, that include most frequently Mycobacterium tuberculosis, non-tuberculous mycobacteria, Nocardia, and Borrelia, as well as a wide range of fungal pathogens including Histoplasma, Cryptococcus, Pneumocystis, and Aspergillus species. Methods and Results: Definitive diagnosis is achieved through direct identification and subsequent culture of the causative pathogen in appropriate clinical specimens, including sputum, bronchoscopic samples, gastric aspirates, or pleural fluid. Imaging is fundamental for the detection and characterization of pulmonary granulomas. HRCT allows precise assessment of the number, size, and distribution of granulomatous lesions, can suggest an infectious etiology based on specific imaging patterns, and is essential for monitoring response to therapy over time. Differential diagnosis is challenging due to the numerous different imaging appearances with whom granulomatous lung diseases may manifest. Conclusions: The purpose of our review is to describe the spectrum of infectious granulomatous lung diseases caused by bacterial pathogens, highlighting their diverse radiologic presentations in order to assist radiologists in recognizing these entities and improving diagnostic accuracy. Full article

Percussion instruments exhibit complex vibrational behavior characterized by transient excitation, high modal density, and strong structural–acoustic coupling. Numerical modeling—especially the finite element method (FEM)—has become essential for analyzing realistic geometries, material heterogeneity, and fluid–structure interaction. This review systematically synthesizes FEM-based studies on percussion instruments, organized by their physical classification into idiophones and membranophones. The present work thematically compares modeling strategies and their trade-offs and highlights actionable research gaps. FEM and coupled FEM–boundary element (BEM) approaches applied to bars, plates, shells, membranes, and vibroacoustic systems are reviewed, with emphasis on modal behavior, tuning strategies, excitation mechanisms, nonlinear phenomena, and fluid–structure interaction. A key feature is the consistent validation of simulations against experimental measurements. The analysis reveals that while FEM is mature for modeling bars, plates, shells, and single-membrane systems, significant gaps remain: bar–resonator coupling and damping/residual stress modeling in idiophones, coupled clapper–bell–air simulations for bells, and fully coupled double-membrane simulations for drums. The latter directly affects predictions of modal frequencies, decay rates, and timbre. The review concludes by identifying priority research directions: fully coupled double-membrane models, material nonlinear viscoelasticity, efficient FEM–BEM coupling, and integration of performer-informed excitation for sound synthesis. Full article

Cystic fibrosis is a multi-organ disease in which pancreatic involvement occurs early and contributes significantly to disease progression. Despite this, most mechanistic and pharmacological studies of CFTR have been conducted in airway epithelia, while pancreatic duct models remain relatively poorly represented. In this study, we establish CAPAN-1 cells as a reproducible in vitro model of pancreatic duct epithelium and assess wild-type CFTR function under basal and inflammatory conditions. Cells were cultured as polarized monolayers and analysed for transepithelial conductance, ion transport, luminal fluid pH regulation, and microviscosity. CFTR activity was stimulated with forskolin and further modulated using the potentiator ivacaftor (VX770) and the correctors tezacaftor (VX661) and elexacaftor (VX445), while specificity was confirmed with the CFTR inhibitor PPQ102. Inflammation was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). CAPAN-1 cells formed a functional epithelium. CFTR activation increased epithelial conductance, promoted apical surface fluid alkalinization, and reduced apical surface fluid microviscosity, while PPQ102 consistently inhibited these effects. CFTR modulators enhanced functional responses in the presence of forskolin, although with moderate magnitude, consistent with wild-type CFTR expression. LPS exposure altered epithelial properties, increasing baseline conductance and impairing pH regulation, and induced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Notably, inflammatory stimulation did not abolish CFTR modulator responses, although it modified some downstream epithelial outputs. These findings identify CAPAN-1 cells as a physiologically relevant model for investigating CFTR function in the pancreatic duct environment and show that CFTR modulator responses are maintained, although functionally reshaped, under inflammatory conditions. Full article

This study presents a comprehensive exergy-based thermodynamic analysis of a standalone liquid air energy storage (LAES) system integrated with internal thermal storage and an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) for sustainable large-scale energy storage applications. Unlike conventional studies, this work focuses on providing a scalable design framework by quantifying storage fluid requirements on a per-unit-mass-flow and per-MWh-capacity basis, enabling the results to be generalized for various power outputs and storage capacities. The proposed system configurations with two- and three-stage compression were compared in terms of liquid yield, round-trip efficiency (RTE), exergy efficiency, and storage fluid requirements. Results indicate that the optimal operating pressures are 190 bar for charging and 130 bar for discharging. At 200 bar charging pressure, the liquid yield increases from 0.51 (at 60 bar) to 0.86, while the maximum RTE reaches 62% in the base case and 68% with ORC integration. Incorporating ORC enhances the RTE by approximately 6–7% compared with conventional configurations through improved low-grade waste heat recovery and energy utilization. The two-stage compression configuration with ORC demonstrates the best thermodynamic performance, providing higher exergy efficiency, greater net power output, and lower thermal storage requirements. Furthermore, the reduction in thermal storage fluid demand contributes to improved resource utilization and lower infrastructure requirements for large-scale deployment. Additional sensitivity analyses indicate that thermal losses significantly reduce system performance, whereas ambient temperature fluctuations within ±15 K have only a minor influence on round-trip efficiency and liquid yield due to compensating effects between charging and discharging processes. The findings of this study provide scalable design insights for LAES systems and demonstrate the potential of ORC-assisted LAES technology to support renewable energy integration, sustainable grid flexibility, and low-carbon energy infrastructure development. Full article

Coke deposition on the inner wall of helical coils in organic heat carrier (OHC) furnaces imposes additional thermal resistance, which impairs heat transfer and may trigger tube over-temperature failure. However, the quantitative coupling among the coking degree, flow conditions, and wall temperature response in helical coils remains insufficiently characterized. To address this gap, a three-dimensional steady-state conjugate heat-transfer model that resolves the additional thermal resistance of the coke layer is established using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A dimensionless coking degree ω, defined as the ratio of coke layer thickness to inner tube radius, is introduced to parameterize the deposition state. Parametric simulations are performed at ω = 0–20%, with oil inlet velocities of 1–3 m/s. As ω increases from 0% to 20%, the maximum outer wall temperature rises by 66.1% (344 °C to 572 °C), whereas the maximum inner wall temperature decreases by 6.5%. The inner–outer wall temperature difference increases by over two orders of magnitude (1.61 °C to 251 °C), and the heat absorption of thermal oil declines by 53.4%. Raising the inlet velocity lowers the outer-wall temperature under clean-wall conditions, whereas this cooling effect is markedly diminished under severe coking. These findings provide a quantitative basis for the early-stage diagnosis of coking and safety evaluation of OHC furnaces. Full article

Background/objectives: severe mastitis is one of the leading causes of mortality in dairy cows. Its primary complication is shock, predominantly associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, which remains extremely challenging for practitioners to manage. The average mortality rate is estimated at approximately 25%. Many authors recommend the use of fluoroquinolones for this indication. However, these antibiotics are classified as critically important for human health, and their use requires strict compliance with specific guidelines (bacteriological analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing). In addition, some practitioners remain reluctant to use this class of antibiotics in field conditions. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of systematic antibiotic therapy using fluoroquinolones in cases of severe mastitis and to identify factors that may influence treatment success. Methods: a total of 323 cows with severe mastitis were enrolled by eight participating veterinary clinics located across different regions of France. The study design included: (i) clinical scoring based on a standardized grid developed by practitioners routinely managing this condition, (ii) bacteriological analysis of milk samples (with antimicrobial susceptibility testing performed when Gram-negative bacteria were isolated), and (iii) post-treatment follow-up consisting of telephone interviews conducted at 5 and 15 days after inclusion. Cows presenting with a clinical score ≥3 (scale 0–36) in association with local signs of mastitis were classified as having severe mastitis and received an injection of 10 mg/kg marbofloxacin along with 2.2 mg/kg flunixin (unless another NSAID had been administered within the previous 24 h). When the clinical score was ≥6, cows additionally received intravenous fluid therapy consisting of 3 L of 7.2% NaCl, supplemented by oral drenching if spontaneous water intake was insufficient. Results: a total of 43 cows died or were euthanized during the study period, corresponding to a mortality rate of 13.3%. The mean clinical score at inclusion was 12.6. The clinical signs most strongly associated with mortality were decubitus and hypothermia at admission. Escherichia coli was isolated in 67.0% of severe mastitis cases, either as a single pathogen (82.9%) or in mixed infections (17.1%). Overall, Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, other Gram-negative organisms) were identified in 79.0% of cases. A total of 188 coliform isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. All isolates (100%) were susceptible to marbofloxacin, as were all tested Gram-negative strains, whereas only 79.9% of E. coli isolates were susceptible to sulfonamide/trimethoprim. Compared with previously published data, the observed mortality rate was lower despite the poor clinical condition of cows at admission. Conclusion: the timeliness of initiating effective antimicrobial therapy appears to be a critical determinant of survival in cows with severe mastitis. Full article