Search Results (2,141)

Novel polyester–polyurethane polymeric materials were formulated by combining a natural aliphatic polyester, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB), with a synthetic aliphatic polyurethane via melt blending. The resulting fully biodegradable compositions were functionally modified through the incorporation of urea, with the aim of enabling post-consumer utilization of the material residues as nitrogen-rich fertilizers. The fabrication process was systematically established and optimized, focusing on homogeneous blending and processability. Comprehensive mechanical characterization—including tensile strength, impact resistance, and Shore hardness—was performed. Among the tested formulations, composites containing 1 wt.% urea demonstrated superior mechanical performance and optimal processing behavior. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to investigate molecular-level interactions between polymeric phases and urea, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to assess the morphological characteristics of the resulting biocompositions. Comparative analyses of the physico-mechanical properties and biodegradability were conducted among the urea-modified compositions, binary P3HB–polyurethane blends, and neat P3HB. The observed improvements in mechanical integrity and functional biodegradability suggest that the developed urea-enriched compositions are promising candidates for the fabrication of eco-friendly seedling pots via injection molding technology. Full article

Palatability is a critical determinant of pet food performance, directly influencing voluntary intake, nutrient utilization, and therapeutic efficacy. In this systematic review, we examine peer-reviewed research publications, patent filings, and commercial product data pertaining to palatant technologies in dry and wet pet food from 2014 to 2024. Major palatant classes—including fats, proteins, yeast extracts, and novel plant-derived or insect-based hydrolysates—are evaluated for their physicochemical properties, flavor-release mechanisms, and stability during processing. We analyze formulation techniques such as microencapsulation, Maillard-reaction enhancement, and multilayer coating systems, focusing on their impact on aromatic compound retention and palatability consistency. Patent landscape assessment identifies over 15 key innovations in delivery systems, life-stage-specific palatant modulation, and dual-phase release architectures. Dual-phase release architectures are defined as systems that deliver active compounds in two sequential phases, such as immediate and sustained release. Sensory evaluation methodologies—ranging from multivariate preference mapping to descriptive analysis—are critically appraised to correlate human-panel metrics with canine and feline feeding behavior. We also discuss strategic integration of palatants at different processing stages (pre-conditioning, extrusion, and post-extrusion) and the challenges of balancing taste masking with nutritional requirements, particularly in formulations containing alternative proteins for sustainability. Despite rapid market growth in functional palatant-infused products, peer-reviewed literature remains relatively limited, suggesting opportunities for further research on species-specific flavor drivers, synbiotic flavor–nutrient interactions, and novel delivery platforms. This comprehensive overview of palatant science, patent innovations, and market evolution provides evidence-based guidance for researchers, formulators, and veterinarians seeking to optimize organoleptic properties and consumer acceptance of next-generation pet foods. Full article

Food product labels serve as a critical source of information, providing details about nutritional content, ingredients, and health implications. These labels enable Food and Drug Authorities (FDA) to ensure compliance and take necessary health-related and logistics actions. Additionally, product labels are essential for online grocery stores to offer reliable nutrition facts and empower customers to make informed dietary decisions. Unfortunately, product labels are typically available in image formats, requiring organizations and online stores to manually transcribe them—a process that is not only time-consuming but also highly prone to human error, especially with multilingual labels that add complexity to the task. Our study investigates the challenges and effectiveness of leveraging large language models (LLMs) to extract nutritional elements and values from multilingual food product labels, with a specific focus on Arabic and English. A comprehensive empirical analysis was conducted using a manually curated dataset of 294 food product labels, comprising 588 transcribed nutritional elements and values in both languages, which served as the ground truth for evaluation. The findings reveal that while LLMs performed better in extracting English elements and values compared to Arabic, our post-processing techniques significantly enhanced their accuracy, with GPT-4o outperforming GPT-4V and Gemini. Full article

Sustainability has an ever-increasing importance in our lives, mainly due to climate changes, finite resources, and a growing population, where each of us is called to make a change. Although climate change is a global phenomenon, our individual choices can make the difference. The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to global carbon emissions, making the transition toward sustainable mobility a critical priority. The adoption of electric vehicles is widely recognized as a key solution to reduce the environmental impact of transportation. However, their widespread acceptance depends on various technological, behavioral, and economical factors. Within this research we use as an artifact the CO₂ Emission Management Gauge (CEMG) devices to better understand how the manufacturers, with integrated features on vehicles, could significantly enhance sales and drive the movement towards electric vehicle adoption. This study proposes an innovative new theoretical model based on Task-Technology Fit, Technology Acceptance, and the Theory of Planned Behavior to understand the main drivers that may foster electric vehicle adoption, tested in a quantitative study with structural equation modelling (SEM), and conducted in a South European country. Our findings, not without some limitations, reveal that while technological innovations like CEMG provide consumers with valuable transparency regarding emissions, its influence on the intention of adoption is dependent on the attitude towards electric vehicles and subjective norm. Our results also support the influence of task-technology fit on perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use, the influence of perceived usefulness on consumer attitude towards electric vehicles, and the influence of perceived ease-of-use on perceived usefulness. A challenge is also presented within our work to expand CEMG usage in the future to more intrinsic urban contexts, combined with smart city algorithms, collecting and proving CO₂ emission information to citizens in locations such as traffic lights, illumination posts, streets, and public areas, allowing the needed information to better manage the city’s quality of air and traffic. Full article

Conventional reports on wildfire damage focus on damage to built structures and life loss without capturing the long-term loss of many environmental benefits provided by natural capital. The assessment of the full cost of a wildfire event can be very challenging and time-consuming due to its broad range of impacts traversing decades. Two major wildfires, the 2021 Caldor Fire and 2022 Mosquito Fire, impacted rural communities and burned nearly 30 percent of the approximately 1 million acres of forests and private timber lands in the Upper American River Watershed (UARW) in California’s Sierra Nevada headwaters. The UARW provides a stock of natural capital that provides a flow of environmental benefits, or ecosystem goods and services, including California statewide water supply that was not recognized in the conventional reporting to properly inform decisions and investments for mitigation and recovery. Leveraging new tools available through the recent valuation of the UARW’s ecosystem goods and services, this study provides a first look at the magnitude of damage to the headwaters’ ecosystem from wildfires and, thus, informs proactive, adaptive management actions and post-disaster recovery and restoration. Using burn severity data and per-acre estimates of ecosystem goods and services, we estimate natural capital damage of over USD 14.8 billion across an optimistically estimated period of 20 years. Several recovery time horizons are used to evaluate the sensitivity of the analysis. These findings provide important benchmarks and a viable approach for all levels of government and private entities responsible for allocating resources, mitigating wildfire risks, and improving watershed health. Full article

Background: The process of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) plays a pivotal role in the enhancement of muscle function. Following a bout of exercise, the rate of MPS experiences an elevation for a brief period, known as the “anabolic window.” Despite whey protein supplementation has been demonstrated to augment the post-exercise anabolic window, the optimal timing and dosage remain controversial. Therefore, the present systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the effects of whey protein supplementation on post-exercise MPS and its protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in healthy adults. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, this review included 21 RCTs, with 15 studies subjected to meta-analysis and 6 studies to qualitative analysis. Eligible studies examined myofibrillar fractional synthetic rate (FSR) or the AKT/mTOR pathway-related protein phosphorylation levels in muscle biopsy samples. Results: The combination of whey protein supplementation and exercise has been shown to significantly enhance FSR (Hedge’s g = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.71–1.77; p < 0.001), with increases ranging from 1.3 to 1.6 folds when consumed immediately after exercise and up to 2.5 folds when given 45 min prior to multiple-set resistance exercise. A dose-dependent increase in FSR was observed in response to whey protein supplementation, ranging from 10 to 60 g. In comparison to the placebo group, whey protein supplementation enhanced the phosphorylation levels of AKT, mTOR, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein-1 (4E-BP1), 70 kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K), and ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6) at 1–2 h post-exercise. Phosphorylation levels of p70S6K and rpS6 decreased 4–5 h after exercise. Conclusions: The combination of whey protein supplementation and exercise improves MPS in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Consumption of 20–40g of whey protein before multiple sets of resistance exercise may enhance myofibrillar FSR and activate the AKT/mTOR pathway, thereby augmenting MPS and extending the anabolic window. Full article

Certain probiotic strains have been proposed to alleviate mental health conditions, such as anxiety and stress, by modulating the gut–microbiota–brain axis through the production of metabolites like gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This study evaluated kefir-derived microbial strains for their GABA-producing capacity in mono- and co-culture systems using whey as the growth substrate. Based on the screening results, two microbial consortia were selected to develop fermented whey beverages with raspberry (FWF-R1 and FWF-R2). These beverages were characterized for their technological and functional properties over 21 days of refrigerated storage and following gastrointestinal digestion. Both formulations maintained stable acidity and showed a slight increase in viscosity during storage. The microbial counts remained above 8.5 log colony-forming units/mL, with high post-digestion viability, confirming their probiotic potential. The GABA levels increased progressively during storage, reaching 2.67 mM in FWF-R1 and 4.65 mM in FWF-R2, with recovery rates of 40–45% after digestion. The total phenolic content decreased moderately during storage but increased ~5-fold after digestion; the total anthocyanins declined by up to 70%. FWF-R2 achieved higher sensory acceptability and was preferred by 58% of consumers, emerging as the most promising formulation. These findings highlight the psychobiotic potential of these beverages and support the sustainable valorization of dairy and fruit by-products. Full article

Background: Street food vending provides vital employment and nutrition in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but poor health and safety compliance pose significant public health and business risks. Despite growing policy recognition, the link between hygiene practices and vendor performance remains underexplored. Objective: This integrative review examines the influence of health and safety practices on the business performance of informal street food vendors, with a particular focus on both global and South African contexts. Methods: A total of 76 studies published between 2015 and 2025 were retrieved between June 2024 and May 2025 and analyzed using an integrative review methodology. Sources were identified through five major academic databases and grey literature repositories. Thematic synthesis followed PRISMA logic and was guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Balanced Scorecard (BSC) frameworks. Results: There was a marked increase in publications post-2019, peaking in 2023. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for the majority of studies, with South Africa (28%) and Ghana (14%) most represented. Among the 76 included studies, the most common designs were quantitative (38%), followed by qualitative (20%), case studies (14%), and mixed-methods (11%), reflecting a predominantly empirical and field-based evidence base. Thematic analysis showed that 26% of studies focused on food safety knowledge and practices, 14% focused on infrastructure gaps, and 13% focused on policy and regulatory challenges. Of the 76 studies included, 73% reported a positive relationship between hygiene compliance and improved business performance (such as customer trust, revenue, and operational resilience), based on vote-counting across qualitatively synthesized results and business outcomes. The review identifies a conceptual synergy between the HBM’s cues to action and the BSC’s customer dimension, highlighting how hygiene compliance simultaneously influences vendor behaviour and consumer trust. Conceptual saturation was observed in themes related to hygiene protocols, consumer trust indicators, and regulatory barriers. Conclusions: Health and safety practices function not only as compliance imperatives but also as strategic assets in the informal food economy. However, widespread adoption is impeded by structural barriers including limited infrastructure, education gaps, and uneven regulatory enforcement. The findings call for context-sensitive policy interventions and public health models that align with vendor realities and support sustainable, safe, and competitive informal food systems. Full article

Background: The increasing popularity of fruit juices as part of perceived healthy dietary choices has raised concerns regarding their erosive effects on dental enamel. While prior in vitro studies have largely relied on commercial fruit drinks and non-human enamel samples, this study adopts a more ecologically valid approach by using fresh local fruit juices and extracted human teeth to evaluate enamel erosion. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the consumption patterns, oral hygiene behaviours, and awareness of the erosive potential of fruit juices among Malaysian adults and to evaluate the erosive effects of freshly squeezed local fruit juices on human dental enamel under simulated oral conditions. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey (n = 189) was conducted among dental clinic attendees to assess fruit juice intake habits, oral health practices, and awareness levels. In parallel, an in vitro study was performed using 40 extracted premolar teeth immersed in lime juice, pineapple juice, citric acid (positive control), or distilled water (negative control) over a 10-day period. Enamel volume loss, surface roughness, and microhardness were analysed pre- and post-immersion. Results: Fruit juice consumption was highly prevalent, with lime (57.7%) being the most commonly consumed, followed by watermelon (53.0%), star fruit (15.9%), and pineapple (15.4%). The majority of respondents preferred sweetened juices (75.7%) and demonstrated only moderate oral hygiene, with just 53.4% reporting brushing their teeth twice daily. Awareness of the dental effects of acidic beverages was limited. In vitro results confirmed that both lime and pineapple juices significantly reduced enamel microhardness and increased surface roughness (p < 0.0001), with lime juice causing the greatest enamel volume loss due to its higher acidity. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for public health strategies that raise awareness on the implications of dietary acids and promote protective oral health behaviours. Dental practitioners should incorporate dietary counselling in routine care, particularly for populations at higher risk. Full article

Dental implant components are typically fabricated using subtractive manufacturing, often involving metal materials that can be costly, inefficient, and time-consuming. This study explores the use of additive manufacturing (AM) with zirconia for dental implant overdenture bars, focusing on mechanical performance, stress distribution, and fit. Solid and lattice-structured bars were designed in Fusion 360 and produced using LithaCon 210 3Y-TZP zirconia (Lithoz GmbH, Vienna, Austria) on a CeraFab 8500 printer. Post-processing included cleaning, debinding, and sintering. A 3D-printed denture was also fabricated to evaluate fit. Thermography and optical imaging were used to assess adaptation. Custom fixtures were developed for flexural testing, and fracture loads were recorded to calculate stress distribution using finite element analysis (ANSYS R2025). The FEA model assumed isotropic, homogeneous, linear-elastic material behavior. Bars were torqued to 15 Ncm on implant analogs. The average fracture loads were 1.2240 kN (solid, n = 12) and 1.1132 kN (lattice, n = 5), with corresponding stress values of 147 MPa and 143 MPa, respectively. No statistically significant difference was observed (p = 0.578; α = 0.05). The fracture occurred near high-stress regions at fixture support points. All bars demonstrated a clinically acceptable fit on the model; however, further validation and clinical evaluation are still needed. Additively manufactured zirconia bars, including lattice structures, show promise as alternatives to conventional superstructures, potentially offering reduced material use and faster production without compromising mechanical performance. Full article

Background: Plant-based protein supplementation in supporting muscle recovery following resistance exercise remains an area of growing interest, particularly among vegan athletes, as a potential alternative to animal-based proteins. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of plant-based proteins on recovery from resistance exercise-induced muscle damage in healthy young adults. Methods: A systematic and comprehensive search was administered in eight databases up to 1 May 2025, identifying 1407 articles. Following deduplication and screening, 24 studies met the eligibility criteria, including 22 randomized controlled trials and 2 non-randomized studies, with the majority from high income western countries. Results: Interventions primarily involved soy, pea, rice, hemp, potato, and blended plant protein sources, with doses ranging from 15 to 50 g, typically administered post resistance exercise. Outcomes assessed included muscle protein synthesis (MPS), delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), inflammatory biomarkers, muscle function, and fatigue. The review findings reaffirm that single-source plant proteins generally offer limited benefits compared to animal proteins such as whey, particularly in acute recovery settings, a limitation well-documented consistently in the literature. However, our synthesis highlights that well-formulated plant protein blends (e.g., combinations of pea, rice, and canola) can stimulate MPS at levels comparable to whey when consumed at adequate doses (≥30 g with ~2.5 g leucine). Some studies also reported improvements in subjective recovery outcomes and reductions in muscle damage biomarkers with soy or pea protein. However, overall evidence remains limited by small sample sizes, moderate to high risk of bias, and heterogeneity in intervention protocols, protein formulations, and outcome measures. Risk of bias assessments revealed concerns related to detection and reporting bias in nearly half the studies. Due to clinical and methodological variability, a meta-analysis was not conducted. Conclusion: plant-based proteins particularly in the form of protein blends and when dosed appropriately, may support muscle recovery in resistance-trained individuals and offer a viable alternative to animal-based proteins. However, further high-quality, long-term trials in vegan populations are needed to establish definitive recommendations for plant protein use in sports nutrition. Full article

Isotopic investigations focused on determining the mobility and provenance of ancient human civilizations and sourcing of archeological artifacts continue to gain prominence in archeology. Most studies focus on the premise that the geographic variation in isotope systems of interest (e.g., Sr, Pb, Nd, O) in the natural environment is recorded in both human hard tissues of local individuals and raw materials sourced for artifacts within the same region. The introduction of multi-collection–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) and laser ablation systems are techniques that consume smaller sample sizes compared to previous mass spectrometric approaches due to their higher ionization efficiency and increased sensitivity. This development has facilitated the isotopic measurement of trace elements present at low abundances (e.g., Pb, Nd, <1-to-low ppm range) particularly in human tooth enamel. Accurate interpretation of any isotope ratio measurement for the proveniencing of such low-abundance samples requires the adequate evaluation of post-mortem diagenetic alteration. A synopsis of practices currently in use for identifying post-mortem alteration in human archeological samples is discussed here. Post-mortem shifts in radiogenic isotope signatures resulting from secondary alteration are distinct from those potentially related to the impact of climate change on the bioavailable budgets for these elements. This topic is of interest to the archeological community and discussed here in the context of Holocene-aged samples from burial sites within the Nile River Valley System, and preferred dust source areas from the neighboring Sahara Desert. Full article

Interest in the wine sector focusing on no- or low-alcohol wines is growing. De-alcoholation, typically a post-fermentation process, faces restrictions in some countries and is often quite costly. Using raw materials like low-sugar grapes suitable for this purpose seems logical, yet the literature currently lacks contributions in this area. In this review paper, we outline an ideal ripening process where the goal of producing “low-sugar grapes” can be achieved through various methodologies applied at (i) the whole-canopy level (minimal pruning, hedge mechanical pruning with or without hand finishing, cane pruning combined with high bud load and no cluster thinning, applications of exogenous hormones, late irrigation, and double cropping); (ii) the canopy microclimate level, involving changes in the leaf area-to-fruit ratios (netting, apical or basal leaf removal, late shoot trimming, use of antitranspirants); and (iii) through new technologies (high-yield plots from vigor maps and the adoption of agrivoltaics). However, the efforts in this survey extend beyond merely achieving the production of low-sugar grapes in the vineyard, which is indeed primary but not exhaustive. Therefore, we also explore solutions for obtaining low-sugar grapes while simultaneously enhancing features such as lower acidity, increased phenolics, and aroma potential, which might boost consumer appreciation. The review emphasizes that (i) grapes intended for low-alcohol wine production should not be viewed as a low-quality sector but rather as an alternative endeavour, where the concept of grape quality remains firmly intact and (ii) viticulture for low sugar concentration is a primary strategy, rather than merely a support to dealcoholization techniques. Full article

For high-voltage signal detection applications, an auto-zero and chopper operational amplifier (OPA) is proposed in this paper. With the auto-zero and chopper technique, the OPA adopts an eight-channel Ping-Pong mechanism to reduce the high-frequency ripple and glitch generated by chopper modulation. The main transconductor effectively suppresses low-frequency noise and offset by combining input coarse and output fine auto-zero. A common-mode voltage tracking circuit is presented to ensure constant gate-source and gate-substrate voltages of the chopper, which reduces the charge injection caused by threshold voltage drift of their transistors and improves output signal resolution. The OPA is implemented using CMOS 180 nm BCD process. The post-simulation results show that the unit gain bandwidth (UGB) is 2.5 MHz and common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) is 137 dB when the power supply voltage is 5–55 V. The noise power spectral density (PSD) is 6.6 nV/√Hz, and the offset is about 47 µV. The overall circuit consumes current of 960 µA. Full article

This longitudinal study examines how perceived brand globalness (PBG) influenced sustainable purchase intentions (SPI) between 2021 and 2024, incorporating factors such as perceived brand quality (PBQ), perceived brand prestige (PBP), brand–cause fit (BCF), and the moderating effect of consumer ethnocentrism (CE). Using survey responses from 415 participants, the study employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS4. The findings reveal that CE emerged as significant in 2024, while PBP’s impact on SPI weakened—suggesting a growing consumer association of prestige with sustainability. Heightened post-pandemic ethical awareness further underscores the importance of brand values. Contrary to earlier research indicating low CE in developing markets, the 2024 results demonstrate an unexpected rise in CE, highlighting its evolving significance. Overall, the study emphasizes the necessity for global brands to adopt sustainable, locally attuned strategies to succeed in developing countries. Full article