Search Results (21,283)

Sol–gel-based optical functional sensor coatings were developed for real-time monitoring of multiphase saponification reactions in microreactors. Various pH-sensitive indicator mixtures, including bromocresol green and bromocresol purple (BCG and BCP) and methyl red–methyl orange, were incorporated into sol–gel coatings and evaluated on test plates across pH range of 2–12. Coatings with BCG and BCP 1:3 demonstrated the most pronounced color change at high pH (11–12), with distinct hue (H) transitions providing a reliable measure of local pH. These optimized coatings were integrated into microreactor channels to track the passage of oil and NaOH slugs under varying flow rates. Hue analysis produced reproducible plateaus corresponding to NaOH-rich (H = 50°) and oil-rich (H = 41°) phases, enabling droplet-level resolution of slug flow and detection of flow-regime transitions. The sensor response was fully reversible, highlighting the robustness and reusability of the coatings. Unlike previous high-resolution fluorescence-based systems, this approach relies on simple visible-light imaging and low-cost data extraction, leaving the reaction chemistry unaltered. The results demonstrate that sol–gel coatings coupled with hue-based analysis provide a practical, noninvasive, and real-time monitoring strategy for multiphase reactions in microreactors, with potential for implementation in industrial or IoT-enabled process control systems. Full article

This study assesses carbon footprint (CF) and explores mitigation potentials through improved resource efficiency for fire-resistant wood doors (WFDs) and fire-resistant bamboo doors (BFDs). Both WFDs and BFDs are certified to the Chinese national fire resistance standard GB 12955-2024, ensuring the same core fire resistance performance and functional equivalence. Results show that WFDs have a slightly lower CF (806.04 kg CO₂ e/m³) than BFDs (830.54 kg CO₂ e/m³), where the raw material phase acts as the main contributor (58.57–64.32%). Crucially, significant mitigation potentials are identified by enhancing resource efficiency across the product life cycle through reducing processing loss, and extending service lifespan, and sustainable recycling. Approximately 35.2 billion kg CO₂ will remain after reducing carbon loss by 5% in the Chinese wood/bamboo industrial sector. Recycling approaches (wood/bamboo panels, bio-based pellet fuel, and biochar) can be utilized with fewer emissions to economize bio-resources. The use of biochar provides greater carbon storage benefits and will help to limit the effects of climate change. Full article

Optimizing neuromuscular strength and balance is essential for performance and injury prevention in elite Paralympic sport. However, limited evidence describes how these parameters change over time during specific phases of the training season in athletes with lower limb deficiencies. This retrospective case series aimed to describe longitudinal changes in neuromuscular and balance performance during the fundamental preparation period in elite athletes using prosthetic devices. Routinely collected performance data from five international-level Paralympic athletes (Para-swimming and Para-athletics) were retrospectively analyzed across two preparatory observation windows conducted in consecutive competitive seasons. Neuromuscular performance was assessed using countermovement jump variables, while static balance was evaluated through Inertial Measurement Unit-derived sway metrics. Within-athlete changes were examined using descriptive and exploratory analyses. At the group level, changes were observed in selected neuromuscular and balance outcomes over time, including jump height and path length. Individual analyses revealed substantial inter-athlete variability in the magnitude and direction of changes across all outcomes. Overall, the findings indicate that neuromuscular and postural performance may fluctuate meaningfully during preparatory phases in elite athletes with lower limb deficiencies. This study provides exploratory insights derived from real-world training settings and highlights the value of longitudinal monitoring to support individualized performance management in Paralympic sport. Full article

Chronic neck pain (CNP) is associated with pain-related neuromuscular adaptations; however, in contrast to other superficial neck muscles, the influences of pain on hyoid muscles remain to be investigated. This study investigated how hyoid and superficial neck muscle activity differ between individuals with and without CNP during dynamic neck flexion and extension. In this observational cross-sectional, case–control study, 20 individuals with CNP and 20 sex- and age-matched asymptomatic controls were recruited. All participants performed dynamic neck flexion and extension in a crook-lying position at a controlled tempo. Surface electromyography was used to examine bilateral sternocleidomastoid (SCM), anterior scalene, upper trapezius, suprahyoid, and infrahyoid muscle activity. Normalised EMG values and their absolute phase-to-phase changes were analysed using linear mixed-effects models. A significant group × muscle interaction was observed (F = 3.34, p < 0.001, η² = 0.04), with higher normalised EMG values in the bilateral anterior scalene (left: GMR = 1.42, p = 0.01; right: GMR = 1.37, p = 0.03) and suprahyoid muscles (left: GMR = 1.42, p = 0.01; right: GMR = 1.37, p = 0.03) in individuals with CNP. In contrast, the phase-to-phase changes did not differ between the groups. These findings suggest that individuals with CNP exhibit selective alterations in muscle activation patterns. Full article

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) establishes lifelong infection in most humans, yet its biology in immunocompetent hosts is commonly framed as a binary alternation between latency and productive lytic replication. Accumulating molecular and single-cell evidence challenges this view, indicating that EBV frequently enters abortive forms of lytic reactivation that do not culminate in virion production. Here, we propose a conceptual framework in which EBV persistence is governed by feedback-regulated interactions and permissive conditions for reactivation rather than a strictly sequential life cycle. Immediate-early and early gene expression can be repeatedly induced by inflammatory signaling, cellular stress, and epigenetic changes. However, progression to viral DNA replication represents a highly functional barrier that likely requires the coordinated convergence of multiple viral and host conditions. Failure to reach this threshold arrests reactivation before late gene expression, generating a stable partial lytic state characterized by sustained immunomodulatory viral protein expression without the production of infectious particles. Immune surveillance reinforces this bottleneck by eliminating cells undergoing full lytic replication while sparing those stalled in early phases. We argue that EBV persistence reflects a dynamic equilibrium shaped by regulatory interactions between viral gene expression and host immunity, with implications for biomarker interpretation and therapeutic strategies in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease. Full article

To investigate the effects of incorporating nanomaterials—carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene oxide (GO)—on the axial compressive mechanical properties of alkali-activated recycled aggregate concrete (AARAC) after high-temperature exposure, this study designed 51 sets of specimens with recycled coarse aggregate replacement rate, nanomaterial content, and temperature as the main parameters. Compression tests were conducted to analyze the failure mode and strength variation in AARAC specimens after heating. In addition, microscopic tests, including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and computed tomography (CT scanning), were performed to analyze the microstructural characteristics of the post-heated AARAC specimens. The results indicate that as the replacement rate of recycled coarse aggregate increased from 0% to 100%, the residual compressive strength after exposure to 600 °C decreased from 33.6 MPa to 19 MPa. When 0.1 wt% of CNTs is added, the compressive strength of AARAC after exposure to a high temperature of 600 °C increases by approximately 30.4% compared to that of AARAC without nanomaterial addition. When 0.1 wt% of CNTs and 0.05 wt% of GO are added, the compressive strength after exposure to a high temperature of 600 °C increases by approximately 44.3%, while the size of scattered fragments upon failure increased, and the failure mode appeared more complete. Microscopic test results indicate that the high-temperature treatment did not cause significant changes in the main phase composition of AARAC. The synergistic effect of the nanomaterials CNTs and GO can fully utilize their functions as nucleation sites, pore fillers, and crack bridging agents. By strengthening the Interfacial Transition Zone between the recycled coarse aggregate and the cement paste, refining the Matrix Pore Structure, dispersing local thermal stress, and suppressing the propagation of high-temperature cracks, the mechanical properties of AARAC after high-temperature exposure can be effectively maintained. Full article

Background: Zangqing ‘1127’, a hull-less barley type recognized for its high β-glucan content, holds significant agricultural and nutritional potential. Nonetheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying the degradation of β-glucan during barley germination have yet to be thoroughly investigated. Objectives: This study sought to identify the key proteins and pathways involved in this process using quantitative proteomics. Methods: Seeds of Zangqing ‘1127’ were collected at 0, 24, and 96 h post germination, and TMT-based quantitative proteomics was used to analyze changes in the proteome. To annotate the functions of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed. Results: In total, 3230 unique proteins were identified, which included 610 DEPs during the germination phase. Enrichment analysis showed that these DEPs were primarily associated with key biological processes involved in β-glucan degradation, including cell wall modification, polysaccharide metabolism, and carbon metabolism. Five proteins exhibiting notably high expression levels were identified as potential regulatory candidates for this process. Conclusions: These results enhance our comprehension of the proteomic dynamics associated with β-glucan degradation during barley germination and suggest new candidate targets for functional studies. This study provides deeper insight into the molecular mechanisms governing β-glucan metabolism, with potential implications for agricultural improvement and the nutritional quality of barley. Full article

Although coral bleaching–associated microbial changes have been widely studied, bacterial succession during bleaching, particularly in partly bleached corals, remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated bacterial community dynamics in healthy, partly bleached, and bleached Goniopora sp. collected from the Sanya Coral Reef Conservation District, South China Sea. A total of 599,003 valid sequences were obtained and clustered into 5094 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). These OTUs spanned 45 bacterial phyla and were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, revealing a highly diverse bacterial community associated with Goniopora sp. Alpha diversity differed significantly among health statuses, with partly bleached Goniopora sp. (PBG) exhibiting the highest bacterial diversity (Shannon index: 6.25 ± 0.11), followed by bleached Goniopora sp. (BG) (5.49 ± 0.18) and healthy Goniopora sp. (HG) (3.04 ± 0.17). Beta diversity analyses showed clear separation of microbial community structures among HG, PBG, and BG. Successional analyses revealed a progressive decline in putatively beneficial bacterial taxa, including the phylum Pseudomonadota and the genus Cohaesibacter with increasing bleaching severity, whereas the relative abundance of opportunistic or stress-associated bacteria, such as Blastopirellula, Mycobacterium, and some unclassified taxa, increased. Notably, many bacterial taxa, including Acidobacteriota, Woeseia and Ruegeria, displayed non-linear abundance patterns, with pronounced shifts during the partly bleached stage. These findings highlight substantial microbial restructuring during coral bleaching and underscore the importance of the partly bleached status as a transitional phase in coral-associated bacterial succession. Full article

Phase change materials (PCMs) offer potential for passive thermal regulation in building envelopes through latent heat storage; however, their effectiveness remains strongly climate-dependent, and configurations optimized for one region often underperform in others. Existing evaluation approaches rely largely on location-specific simulations or surrogate models with limited climate transferability. This study develops a physics-informed, climate-aware machine-learning framework to assess PCM-integrated wall assemblies across diverse climates. A structured dataset of 720 EnergyPlus simulations was generated across nine PCM materials, ten ASHRAE climate zones, two placement configurations, and four thickness levels using automated model generation and batch simulation through Eppy-based workflows. Ensemble-based models (XGBoost, LightGBM, CatBoost, Random Forest) were trained under climate-grouped validation to predict total annual energy consumption, peak cooling demand, and peak heating demand. The models achieved high predictive accuracy for total annual energy use (R² ≈ 0.98–0.99) and peak cooling demand (R² ≈ 0.93–0.96), outperforming statistical, climate-only, and PCM-agnostic baselines. In contrast, peak heating demand showed low predictability (R² ≤ 0.26), indicating limited sensitivity to PCM parameters under the studied configuration. These results demonstrate that climate-aware validation enables defensible cross-climate PCM assessment, supporting energy demand reduction and sustainable envelope design decisions aligned with global building decarbonization goals. Full article

Environmental sustainability has emerged as a strategic requirement of those organizations that want to remain competitive in the long run, but most companies continue to adopt green human resource management (GHRM) practices and organizational change initiatives individually, thus restraining their potential transformation. This paper constructs and confirms a combined approach of how the fit between GHRM practices and adaptive change management processes results in high performance in sustainable innovation. In this study, 83 organizations from both the manufacturing and service sectors were selected using a purposive sampling method, to ensure diversity across developed and developing countries and varying levels of GHRM integration (low, moderate, and high). The sample was chosen to represent a broad spectrum of sustainability maturity levels, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of how GHRM practices influence green product, process, and business model innovation. This selection, alongside 30 peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025, underpins the conceptual framework used to activate change preparedness and link GHRM dimensions with innovation outcomes. I demonstrate that organizations with a high GHRM–change management fit have much higher levels of innovation performance—both in terms of the number of green product innovations (485%) and more sustainable performance improvement (90.5 on average)—than low-integration organizations. Findings also reveal that leadership commitment, employee engagement, organizational learning, and systemic reinforcement are key mediating processes that enhance the effect of GHRM activities. Temporal trajectory analysis demonstrates that integrated organizations go through deployment, consolidation, and optimization phases, as well as increasing returns to performance, with an accelerating trend of 36 months. This paper is important in management research as it fills in gaps in the literature, providing an explanation of how human resource practices facilitate organizational change at the system level. In practice, this study offers evidence-based recommendations to managers who want to establish sustainability-oriented innovation capability by implementing a coordinated GHRM and adaptive change management approach. Full article

Objective: The effects of fatigue on swimming propulsion are unclear. This study examined upper-limb propulsive force and bilateral coordination during constant-speed front crawl performed until exhaustion. Methods: Twelve competitive swimmers completed a visually paced front-crawl trial performed at a constant speed (95% of maximal speed) until volitional exhaustion. Upper-limb propulsion (pressure-derived) was quantified using wearable differential-pressure mini-paddles synchronized with high-speed video. Propulsive force and impulse were analyzed at ten standardized time points (10–100% of test duration), distinguishing the early (entry–catch–pull) phase and the push phase of the stroke cycle. Results: Total overall propulsive impulse (time-integral of propulsive force) and mean propulsive force decreased significantly as early as 30–40% of test duration, with the largest reductions occurring during the push phase. Interestingly, push-phase impulse declined earlier in the non-dominant left arm (from 20% of test duration) compared to the dominant right arm (from 40%), whereas force generated during the early phase did not change. Peak propulsive force decreased at later stages, while intra-cycle timing indices (peak timing and force centroid) and inter-limb asymmetry remained unchanged. Stroke frequency increased from mid-test onward and was strongly negatively associated with stroke efficiency (r = −0.79). Stroke efficiency correlated positively with push-phase impulse and peak force. Conclusions: During constant-speed front crawl performed to exhaustion, propulsion progressively declines, primarily through reduced force and impulse during the push phase rather than changes in the early (entry–catch–pull) phase or temporal and asymmetry-related variables. Increased stroke frequency initially compensates for declining propulsion but ultimately fails to maintain the imposed swimming velocity. Full article

Accurate prediction of CO₂ diffusion in multicomponent fluids is crucial for efficient enhanced oil and gas recovery (EGR) and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) operations. Conventional experimental methods struggle to accurately reproduce diffusion processes under reservoir conditions and provide limited insight into molecular-scale mechanisms. Therefore, a detailed microscopic understanding of CO₂ diffusion in complex fluids is urgently needed. In this study, the diffusion behavior and underlying mechanism of the CO₂-CH₄-H₂O system under reservoir temperature and pressure conditions were explored using both experimental techniques and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results indicate that at 354.15 K, the diffusion coefficients follow the order D_CH4 > D_CO2 > D_Fick and decrease with increasing pressure. Higher CO₂ concentrations and water content lead to a reduction in D_CO2. Gravity exhibits a relatively minor influence, slightly enhancing D_CO2 while marginally reducing D_CH4. Near the critical point, a significant decrease in the thermodynamic factor indicates drastic changes in thermodynamic properties. Furthermore, the presence of water promotes CO₂ enrichment at the gas-water interface, consequently reducing both D_CO2 and D_CH4. This work provides valuable insights into bulk-phase transport in multicomponent aquifer systems under reservoir conditions and offers theoretical support for optimizing gas injection strategies and improving the efficiency of EGR and CCUS processes. Full article

Repeated wetting–drying cycles accelerate scouring and deteriorate soil structure by increasing pore-water pressure. This study examines the durability of sand treated with zein biopolymers subjected to wetting–drying cycles and compares its uncycled condition with that of xanthan gum (XG). The treated specimens are prepared with biopolymer contents of 1% and 3% by mass of sand. The specimens are cured for an initial period of 7 days under atmospheric conditions, whereafter they are subjected to a series of wetting–drying cycles. Subsequently, the dimensions and mass of the specimens are measured to evaluate bulk density-related changes during the cycles. The strength and degradation characteristics of the specimens are evaluated through unconfined compression tests after being subjected to different numbers of cycles. The bulk unit weight after the drying phase remains nearly constant, whereas that after the wetting phase increases with both the number of cycles and biopolymer content. Overall, specimens with higher biopolymer content exhibit lower bulk unit weights. The XG-treated specimens show earlier strength improvement than the zein-treated specimens due to the faster curing-related strength development associated with water-based gelation. Moreover, the XG-treated sand rapidly fails after the first wetting phase, while the compressive strength of the cycled zein-treated specimens is lower than that of the uncycled specimens. Zein-treated sand with 3% biopolymer content shows a higher durability index after 10 cycles than sand treated with 1% biopolymer content. Therefore, a higher zein content can be used to enhance the durability of sand subject to frequent wetting and drying cycles. Full article

In the last two decades, the utilization of solar energy has been growing rapidly worldwide, mainly due to the increasing adoption of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Since solar energy is one of the most weather-dependent renewable energy sources, an increasing number of meteorological studies have focused on PV potential (PV_pot) and its projected changes under global warming. GCM outputs disseminated through the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) are often applied in energy-related urban climate studies, as they can be downscaled either statistically or dynamically. It is essential to evaluate raw (not bias-corrected) GCM data, which helps to determine the uncertainties in the GCM simulations before downscaling. Despite their coarse resolution, some studies even rely directly on the GCM grid cell time series to represent individual locations. Accordingly, this study evaluates 10 CMIP Phase 6 (CMIP6) GCMs with respect to some atmospheric variables (air temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed, which are the primary drivers of PV_pot) in four lowland grid cells representing four major urban areas in Central and Southeast Europe: Belgrade (Serbia), Budapest (Hungary), Vienna (Austria), and Prague (Czechia). The use of solar energy has increased significantly in most of these regions in recent years; however, it remains less studied than in Western Europe. ERA5 reanalysis is used as the reference dataset. We analyzed the boreal summer (JJA) days of three overlapping 30-year time periods: 1971–2000, 1981–2010, and 1991–2020. Our main findings are as follows: GCMs tend to overestimate solar radiation and underestimate maximum near-surface air temperature relative to ERA5 in all time periods and in all the four urban areas, which leads to a significant overestimation of the number of JJA days with high PV_pot (PV_pot,90). PV_pot,90 is increasing from 1971–2000 to 1991–2020 in the vast majority of GCMs, in all the four regions. EC-Earth3 and its different configurations (EC-Earth3-Veg, EC-Earth3-CC) are considered the most accurate GCMs relative to ERA5. Full article

This paper proposes a novel four-dimensional strongly dissipative nonlinearly coupled hyperchaotic system, investigates its dynamical characteristics, and demonstrates its applicability through Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)-encoded RGB image encryption. First, a four-dimensional nonlinearly coupled hyperchaotic system with strong dissipativity is constructed. Nonlinear dynamics analysis methods, including phase trajectory diagrams, Lyapunov exponent spectra, and bifurcation diagrams, are employed to thoroughly reveal the system’s complex dynamical evolution mechanisms. The analysis indicates that the system not only possesses a wide range of chaotic parameters but also exhibits rich phenomena of multiple coexisting attractors, demonstrating a high degree of multistability. This characteristic offers potential advantages for image encryption, as it increases the diversity of dynamical behaviors and enhances sensitivity to initial conditions. The physical realizability of the chaotic behavior is further verified through an analog circuit implementation. Consequently, the system supports the design of encryption algorithms with larger key spaces, stronger resistance to phase space reconstruction, and improved pseudo-randomness, making it particularly suitable for applications with extremely high security requirements. Subsequently, leveraging the highly random chaotic sequences generated by this system, combined with various DNA coding rules and operations, the RGB image components are scrambled and diffused for encryption. Security analysis demonstrates that the algorithm effectively passes examinations across multiple dimensions, including histogram analysis, information entropy, adjacent pixel correlation, Number of Pixel Change Rate (NPCR), Unified Average Changing Intensity (UACI), and The Peak Signal-to-noise Ratio (PSNR). It achieves favorable encryption results, significantly enhances image resistance against attacks, and provides a reliable technical solution for the secure transmission of remote sensing and military images. Full article