Search Results (686)

Due to the increasing heterogeneity of consumer needs and preferences, manufacturing companies are forced to expand their product range to maintain market share while avoiding cost increases. However, increasing product variety increases the complexity of assembly systems and complicates planning, design, and production management. The quantification of manufacturing complexity and its impact on key performance indicators remains a subject of debate. To examine the relationship between assembly complexity, assembly line balance, and productivity from an operator-oriented perspective, an empirical complexity indicator for mixed-model assembly workstations is proposed. This indicator is based on experimentally collected data and analysis of working time variability. The proposed indicator is evaluated through controlled experimental case studies conducted in a learning factory environment. The results indicate that the relationship between complexity and productivity is not linear. Instead, within the investigated experimental boundaries, the observed trend suggests a turning point beyond which further increases in complexity are associated with decreased productivity, while line balance continues to improve. This finding suggests that integrating the proposed complexity indicator into production planning and management may support decision-making related to assembly line balancing and complexity management in manual assembly systems. Full article

This study presents a reusable adjoint-octree multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) for full-wave radar scattering analysis of multi-state unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) formations. The method is motivated by remote-sensing applications in which dense angular sampling or long motion sequences are required for physically reliable signature generation. Instead of rebuilding a global octree for the full formation at every motion state, the proposed approach assigns each sub-target an independent target-attached local octree that translates and rotates with the rigid body. This preserves mesh–cell affiliation in the body-fixed frame and separates the system operator into a state-invariant intra-target near-field component and a state-dependent inter-target far-field component. Consequently, near-field matrices and sparse approximate inverse preconditioners are assembled once and reused throughout the state sequence, while only inter-target far-field coupling terms are updated. The method is evaluated for six representative UAV formations at 3.5 GHz using monostatic radar cross section (RCS) over a full azimuth sweep. Across all tested formations, the proposed solver reproduces the RCS behavior of conventional MLFMA while substantially reducing computational cost. For Formation A, the center-state total time decreases from 251.4 s to 66.06 s; for Formation C, it decreases from 470.95 s to 76.06 s. Over 100-state sequences, the resulting acceleration reaches approximately 11.8-fold and 15.2-fold, respectively. Jitter-envelope analysis further shows that orientation perturbation produces stronger signature uncertainty than planar displacement. The proposed framework therefore provides an efficient and physically consistent forward solver for radar remote-sensing studies of cooperative UAV formations. Full article

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have emerged as versatile antiviral nanoplatforms because their size, morphology, plasmonic properties, and surface chemistry can be precisely engineered. In this review, we summarize the core design principles of antiviral AuNPs from a structure–function–mechanism perspective. We first outline representative synthetic and interface-programming routes for AuNP preparation, including citrate reduction, Brust–Schiffrin synthesis, seed-mediated growth, green synthesis, direct thiol-conjugation, and mixed-ligand shell strategies, emphasizing how these approaches define particle size, morphology, surface accessibility, interfacial composition, and downstream biofunctionalization potential. We then discuss major surface engineering strategies, including polyethylene glycol, nucleic acids, antibodies and nanobodies, peptides, glycans, antiviral drugs, and biomimetic coatings, with particular attention to how ligand density, orientation, flexibility, and interfacial stability determine biological performance. Next, we examine how functionalized AuNPs inhibit different stages of the viral life cycle, including viral attachment and entry, intracellular replication, assembly and egress, photothermal inactivation, and immune modulation or vaccine delivery. Finally, we highlight current challenges, including incomplete structure–activity relationships, dynamic nano–bio interactions under physiological conditions, limited standardization across studies, and translational barriers related to safety, reproducibility, and scale-up. This review provides a conceptual framework for the rational development of next-generation AuNP-based antiviral nanotherapeutics. Full article

Virtual reality can support the preparation and rehearsal of assembly tasks by providing a safe and repeatable digital representation of workstations. This study presents the development and laboratory feasibility validation of a geometry- and procedure-oriented VR simulation model for the assembly and disassembly of end-effectors on an industrial robot. The workflow was implemented using the Almega AX-V6 robotic workstation as a case study and included geometric acquisition of the real robot, CAD modelling in SolidWorks, redesign of the original end-effector connection using a quick-change flange concept, creation of two alternative end-effector models, modelling of the laboratory workspace in SketchUp, and scene enhancement in Twinmotion. The resulting robot and environment models were integrated in Pixyz Review and deployed through an Oculus Rift-based VR setup. Compared with the original flange concept, which required twelve screws, the redesigned training concept used two screws and two nuts, reducing the number of fastening elements by 66.7% and the number of screw positions by 83.3%. The VR implementation supported visual inspection, controller-based placement and alignment, and symbolic confirmation of fastening steps; it did not include force feedback, threaded fastening physics, automatic error scoring, or quantified transfer-of-training evaluation. Laboratory feasibility validation confirmed correct asset integration, spatial correspondence with the physical workplace, and functional executability of the target exchange sequence. The results show that the workflow is useful as a case-study pipeline for CAD-to-VR modelling and assembly rehearsal, while controlled user studies are still required before claims about training effectiveness can be made. Full article

Superparamagnetic materials have attracted increasing attention for high-frequency microwave absorption because superparamagnetic relaxation can partially overcome the high-frequency limitations of conventional magnetic absorbers. Herein, Fe₃O₄/rGO composite powders were prepared by electrostatic self-assembly and subsequently incorporated into an epoxy matrix, and magnetic-field-induced alignment was introduced during curing. Owing to the synergistic effects of interfacial polarization, magnetic dissipation, and improved impedance matching, the optimized composites exhibited markedly enhanced microwave absorption performance. In particular, when the rGO content was 10 wt% and an external magnetic field was applied, the composite achieved effective absorption across the entire X-band (8–12 GHz) within a thickness range of 1–3 mm, together with a minimum reflection loss of −40.3 dB. The enhanced performance is attributed to the combined contributions of abundant heterogeneous interfaces, superparamagnetic relaxation, and field-induced orientation of Fe₃O₄-decorated rGO sheets. This work provides a simple physical strategy for the microstructural regulation of magnetic–dielectric composites toward high-performance microwave absorption. Full article

In mesoscopic domain energy models of electrical steel sheets, the demagnetizing field H_d is usually held constant at its domain-wall-complete value throughout magnetization. This treatment overestimates the magnetostatic energy at intermediate states and distorts the simulated hysteresis loop. We introduce a field-dependent coefficient υ_H that scales the magnetostatic energy at each field step. The coefficient is calculated from the aligned-domain area measured by magneto-optical Kerr microscopy and is anchored at the negative coercivity point H = −H_c, where the macroscopic magnetization vanishes and the aligned-domain area S₀ is minimal. The definition follows from the linear relation H_d ≈ N_d·M that holds during domain-wall motion. Measurements in two observation zones of a grain-oriented steel give consistent υ_H curves, confirming the repeatability of the method. When the correction is incorporated into an Assembly Domain Structure Model, the coercivity error drops from 113% to 9–22% relative to the experimental average, with the predicted value falling inside the experimental range, and the remanence error drops from 39.9% to 15–17%. The same correction, applied to a second grain-oriented steel of a different grade, likewise reduces the coercivity and remanence errors (to about 23% and 18%, respectively), confirming that the method is applicable across grades. Full article

The spatial organization of microscale fillers is critical for macroscopic performance, yet precise control over their distribution and orientation remains a major challenge in direct ink writing. Here, we present an acoustofluidic capillary nozzle that integrates acoustic manipulation into direct ink writing, enabling programmable in situ assembly of functional fillers during extrusion. By coupling a piezoelectric transducer with a commercial glass capillary, stable acoustic standing waves are established within the flow channel, driving suspended filler particles toward pressure nodes via acoustic radiation forces. Simulations and experiments systematically investigate how capillary geometry and material properties influence acoustic energy distribution and particle assembly behavior. In particular, rectangular capillaries generate stable multi-node standing waves, inducing periodic alignment of nickel-coated carbon fibers into ordered conductive bundles. This acoustically programmed microstructure reduces the percolation threshold from 8 wt% to 2 wt% and enhances electrical conductivity by up to 32.1-fold at identical filler contents. Meanwhile, the composites exhibit pronounced anisotropic conductivity and maintain excellent mechanical flexibility, with stable electromechanical performance under 16% bending strain and cyclic loading. This work demonstrates a simple and scalable acoustofluidic nozzle platform for programmable microstructure engineering in direct ink writing, offering new opportunities for fabricating high-performance multifunctional composites. Full article

Daqu is a key starter used in Baijiu production, and its microbial composition and associated metabolic functions play critical roles in fermentation performance and flavor development. This work aimed to reveal how Daqu-making temperature regulates microbial community divergence and subsequent metabolite formation via multi-omics analysis so as to provide theoretical guidance for Daqu quality control. In this study, physicochemical analysis, metagenomic sequencing, and metabolomic profiling were combined to investigate the microbial community structure, functional differentiation, and metabolite characteristics of nine Daqu samples collected from six major Baijiu-producing regions in China. The temperature during Daqu preparation was found to be a primary factor driving microbial community assembly and functional specialization. Medium-temperature Daqu exhibited higher saccharifying activity (up to 867 U) and greater microbial diversity with the enrichment of amino acid metabolism-related pathways, indicating enhanced protein degradation and amino acid utilization for the formation of flavor precursors. In contrast, high-temperature Daqu showed stronger capacities for carbohydrate degradation and conversion, particularly in starch and sucrose metabolism, which were closely associated with the enrichment of thermotolerant fungi and bacteria. LEfSe analysis identified 47 distinct microbial biomarkers (LDA score > 3.0), which could differentiate between medium- and high-temperature Daqu. Redundancy analysis indicated that environmental factors (moisture and acidity) together with functional properties (fermentation, esterification, liquefaction, and saccharification) act as key drivers of microbial functional patterns. Metabolomic analysis further revealed that medium-temperature Daqu had higher abundances of esters and fatty acids, whereas high-temperature Daqu had higher proportions of alcohols and ketones. Taken together, these results provide a multi-omics perspective on temperature-driven microbial functional differentiation in Daqu and offer a scientific basis for quality-oriented regulation and process optimization in Baijiu production. Full article

Accurate detection and reliable grasping of small bolts are essential for intelligent manufacturing and automated assembly. However, this remains a challenge due to the small size, slender geometry, and metallic reflective surfaces of bolts. In this paper, we propose a vision-guided robotic bolt handling framework that integrates lightweight object detection, optimization-oriented grasp execution, and collision-aware trajectory planning. The lightweight YOLOv8n-BoltLite detector, improved with E-C2f, LCA, SA-PAN, and WD-IoU loss, enhances localization accuracy and feature representation for small and slender bolts. A robotic grasping framework is designed to transform detection results into executable robotic actions through 3D pose estimation, mid-shank grasp point generation, and optimization-oriented execution formulation. Additionally, a five-segment trajectory planning strategy ensures safe and efficient robot motion. Experimental results show that YOLOv8n-BoltLite achieves a five-run average mAP of 99.64 ± 0.05% with 198 FPS, and 3.02 M parameters. On an additional challenging external test set involving illumination variation, clutter, partial occlusion, reflection, and clustered bolts, the proposed detector achieves 94.62 ± 0.18%, outperforming recent lightweight detectors under the same training protocol. Robotic experiments involving 1000 controlled grasping trials and 300 multi-target grasping attempts demonstrate a controlled-condition success rate of 97.0% and improved target-selection reliability in multi-bolt scenes. These results suggest that the proposed framework offers a practical and efficient solution for automated bolt handling in intelligent manufacturing environments. Full article

Hypsizygus marmoreus (Peck) H.E. Bigelow is a commercial edible mushroom includes two primary commercial varieties: brown and white. To reveal the genetic and metabolic differences between these two varieties, genomic and metabolomic comparisons of the white strain F4 and the brown strain B5-15 were performed. The assembled genome sizes were 40,851,948 bp for F4 and 41,902,673 bp for B5-15. Molecular clock analysis estimated that H. marmoreus diverged from Termitomyces sp. approximately 59.4 million years ago during the Paleocene based on the genomic information. The two genomes showed little difference in the gene compositions related to β-Glucosidase and certain lignin degrading auxiliary enzymes. In contrast, the structures of the mating-type loci, including gene copy numbers and the transcriptional orientation of open reading frames, differed between the varieties, and it exhibited higher mating-type locus diversity. Comparative genomic analysis further indicated that the brown strain can biosynthesize melanin-like compounds using chorismate as the starting molecule, with tyrosinase acting as a key enzyme. Moreover, metabolomic profiling based on principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) revealed distinct metabolic profiles between the two varieties. Collectively, these findings improve our understanding of the genetic basis underlying the phenotypic differences between the two H. marmoreus varieties. Full article

This study focuses on the design and development of the Double Purpose Bench Vise to address safety, efficiency, and adaptability challenges in welding and fabrication environments. The project responds to limitations of conventional vises that restrict precision and increase the risk of strain-related injuries when handling heavy, irregular, or vertically oriented workpieces. Through an engineering-based development approach involving analysis, design, fabrication, and performance evaluation, the study introduces a Double Jaw Vertical Bench Vise equipped with a dual-clamping system and an integrated hydraulic jack mechanism for precise vertical adjustment with minimal physical effort. The device is designed to securely hold various materials, including metal bars, pipes, and wooden components, during cutting, grinding, shaping, welding, and assembly operations. Evaluation results from functional testing and user feedback indicate improved clamping stability, alignment accuracy, and ergonomic performance compared to traditional models, although refinements in structural optimization, weight distribution, and user interface components are recommended. The study suggests further prototype enhancement, extended field testing, and integration of advanced ergonomic and safety features to maximize durability, usability, and overall productivity in professional workshops and technical training laboratories. Full article

This study reports a hierarchically structured quasi-three-dimensional (quasi-3D) hydrogel/feather fabric composite evaporator, with MXene integrated as the photothermal material, fabricated via an in situ freeze–thaw and mechanical interlocking strategy. Benefiting from the rational quasi-3D structural design, the evaporator effectively retains the intrinsic facile weaving and assembly advantages of textile substrates, while addressing the poor mechanical stability and disordered water transport channels inherent to conventional hydrogels. The synergistic coupling between the low-evaporation-enthalpy hydrogel network and vertically oriented feather yarns expands the channels for light reflection and absorption, thereby synergistically enhancing light harvesting, thermal regulation, water transport, and salt rejection. The as-prepared evaporator exhibits a light absorption efficiency of 97.6% and an evaporation rate of 2.13 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ under 1 sun illumination, while sustaining stable performance over 15 consecutive days of outdoor operation. The incorporation of a foam support layer further facilitates effective heat localization and self-flotation, effectively mitigating thermal losses. This work demonstrates an efficient, flexible, and scalable solar evaporator with great potential for sustainable freshwater production. Full article

Regulated cell death is essential for tissue homeostasis, immune defense, and disease progression, yet the lipid-based regulatory mechanisms that coordinate cell death signaling remain incompletely understood. Protein palmitoylation is a dynamic and reversible lipid post-translational modification that controls protein membrane association, trafficking, stability, and signaling complex assembly. This review summarizes the regulatory roles of palmitoylation and depalmitoylation in major forms of regulated cell death, including apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and autophagy-related cell death. Particular attention is given to representative palmitoylated substrates, including Fas cell surface death receptor (Fas), receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), gasdermin D (GSDMD), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), autophagy-related 16 like 1 (ATG16L1), and Beclin1. These substrates illustrate how palmitoylation links membrane organization, metabolic status, inflammatory signaling, and cell fate decisions. Disease-oriented evidence further indicates that dysregulated palmitoylation contributes to cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and inflammatory or immune-related disorders by modulating cell death resistance, inflammatory amplification, immune evasion, or impaired proteostasis. Current challenges include limited quantitative information on palmitoylation dynamics, incomplete evidence for some enzyme–substrate relationships, and insufficient distinction between disease-driving and secondary palmitoylation events. Targeting zinc finger Asp-His-His-Cys (zDHHC) palmitoyl acyltransferases, depalmitoylating enzymes, or specific palmitoylated substrates may provide new therapeutic opportunities. Overall, this review positions protein palmitoylation as a dynamic molecular switch linking lipid metabolism, membrane signaling, regulated cell death, and disease remodeling. Full article

Phytoplankton communities in the proposed water source area of the Western Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project showed multi-level responses across monitoring-period groups and diversion areas. Based on 64 valid samples, total biomass ranged from 0.027 to 5.659 mg L⁻¹ and showed no consistent differences between monitoring-period groups or diversion areas, indicating site- and sampling-period-scale patchiness. Among the dominant biomass-contributing taxa, most were diatom taxa, and the relative contributions of the top ten dominant taxa and Other taxa were reorganized among monitoring-period–area combinations. NMDS, PERMANOVA, and PERMDISP showed that monitoring period was significantly associated with community structure, whereas diversion-area effects were not significant. dbRDA indicated significant environmental–spatial constraints on community composition, with an adjusted explanatory power of 28.2%; T, NH₄⁺–N, TN, NO₃⁻–N, EC, pH, DO, and DTN were significant predictors. VPA showed stronger pure environmental than pure spatial effects, while DDR and EDR revealed significant geographic and environmental distance relationships. Taxonomic Bray–Curtis null models suggested a predominance of stochastic-like taxonomic turnover signatures, with stronger deterministic-like deviations in the upper-line diversion area. GAM identified NH₄⁺–N, DO, and EC as significant biomass predictors. These findings support integrating biomass, community composition, measured physicochemical variables, and taxonomic assembly signatures into sustainability-oriented phytoplankton monitoring for high-elevation riverine water source areas, thereby providing ecological evidence for sustainable water source protection and adaptive management. Full article

Design for Disassembly (DfD) is often assessed theoretically, with limited empirical evaluation of operational effort at the component level. This paper proposes an empirical assessment framework to evaluate DfD strategies in panelized light timber systems by disaggregating disassembly into individual actions and calculating performance indices. A Disassembly Effort Factor is introduced and, combined with reuse and recycling outcomes, used to calculate a Reuse Potential Index and a Recycling Potential Index. The framework was evaluated through experimental disassembly tests of two full-scale (1:1) assemblies with different DfD strategies. Results showed comparable total disassembly times between Model A (181 min) and Model B (186 min), but contrasting recovery outcomes: Model B achieved a higher average ReuPI (35% versus 16%), whereas Model A showed a higher average RecPI (35% versus 20%). These findings demonstrate that the proposed framework enables empirical comparison of DfD strategies by linking operational effort with recovery potential, supporting DfD-oriented design decision-making in panelized timber systems. Full article