Search Results (412,224)

Biogas is a key renewable energy vector that can support the transition toward a net-zero carbon economy. Its direct use as a natural gas substitute is limited because it must be upgraded to meet CH₄ purity specifications required for injection into the gas grid or for use as a vehicle fuel. This review summarizes current progress in photosynthetic biogas upgrading, an emerging biotechnology based on the symbiotic action of microalgal–bacterial consortia capable of supporting gas purification with nutrient recovery in a single integrated process. This biotechnology relies on two stages: an absorption unit that enables gas–liquid mass transfer of the biogas pollutants, and a photobioreactor in which CO₂ and other contaminants are removed. Optimal system performance is strongly influenced by the liquid to gas (L/G) ratio, with values between 0.5 and 1.0, typically balancing effective CO₂ removal and limited CH₄ dilution. High-alkalinity nutrient media (1.5–2.5 gIC L⁻¹) and pH > 9 remain essential to sustain the chemical gradients driving CO₂ mass transfer. Robust microalgae/cyanobacteria such as Chlorella vulgaris and Pseudanabaena sp. frequently dominate these systems. Recent efforts in the biostimulation of photosynthesis are presented based on their potential to enhance biomass productivity and CO₂ removal, which could decrease the footprint of the process and facilitate its large-scale adoption for biomethane production. Full article

Silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-based products have been increasingly applied in aquaculture due to their antimicrobial properties and capacity to modulate host immunity. This study investigated the biological activities of synthesized silver nanowires (AgNWs), with particular emphasis on their anti-Vibrio efficacy and immunomodulatory effects, to evaluate their potential application in shrimp aquaculture. Antibacterial activity was assessed using nonlinear regression analysis to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against three major Vibrio pathogens, while cytotoxicity and immune responses were evaluated using white shrimp hemocytes through cell viability assays and in vitro gene expression analysis, respectively. AgNWs exhibited antibacterial effects on Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Vibrio harveyi, with MIC values of 873.7, 58.78, and 672.1 μg/mL, respectively. Hemocyte viability remained above 90% at AgNW concentrations of up to 1000 mg/L, indicating good biocompatibility. AgNWs significantly upregulated immune-related lipopolysaccharide and β-1,3-glucan-binding protein (LGBP) and Toll gene expression at specific concentrations, indicating immunostimulation. These results suggest that AgNWs possess antibacterial activity and immunomodulatory potential with low cytotoxicity, supporting their promise as a novel functional agent for shrimp disease management. Full article

The PRDM (PR domain-containing) family consists of transcriptional regulators characterized by a PR (PRDI-BF1 and RIZ homology) domain, a subtype of the SET domain, and a variable number of zinc finger motifs. Nineteen PRDM family members have been identified in both mice and humans, and increasing evidence supports their roles as epigenetic regulators in development and disease. PRDM proteins share a conserved structure, comprising an N-terminal PR domain with potential histone methyltransferase activity and C-terminal C2H2-type zinc fingers involved in protein–protein, protein–RNA, and protein–DNA interactions. Recent studies indicate that multiple PRDM family members are involved in the regulation of the neuro-motor system, including neural lineage specification, neuronal differentiation, motor function maintenance, and neuromuscular-related pathological processes. This review summarizes current evidence on the functions and regulatory mechanisms of PRDM family members in the neuro-motor system. Overall, PRDM family members act as important epigenetic regulators in the neuro-motor system. Clarifying their molecular mechanisms may contribute to a better understanding of neuro-motor regulation and provide a theoretical basis for future research in exercise and movement science. Full article

Background/Objectives: Severe and recurrent infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa necessitate alternative antimicrobial strategies. Fermented cacao beans represent a niche microbial ecosystem with the potential to harbor beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This study aimed to isolate and characterize LAB strains from fermented cacao beans in southern Thailand and to evaluate their probiotic potential and antimicrobial activity against MDR P. aeruginosa. Methods and Results: Five Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolates were identified via MALDI-TOF MS and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). All strains demonstrated antimicrobial activity against 17 clinical MDR P. aeruginosa isolates and CR14 exhibited the largest inhibition zone. The isolates displayed robust probiotic traits, including survival under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Acid tolerance (pH 2.0) reached 61.15 ± 7.75%, while resistance to pepsin, pancreatin, and bile salts exceeded 88%, 91%, and 92%, respectively. Strong adhesion was confirmed via auto-aggregation (55.02 ± 1.75%), hydrophobicity (45.58 ± 0.96%) and Caco-2 cell attachment (up to 98.11 ± 3.28%). WGS revealed multiple plantaricin-encoding clusters. Coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations showed that two-peptide plantaricins (plnJ/K and plnNC8-αβ) self-assembled and formed stable pores in bacterial membrane models, confirming a pore-forming antimicrobial mechanism. The strains lacked acquired resistance genes and virulence factors, confirmed by in silico safety assessments. Conclusions: Thus, these L. plantarum strains are promising probiotics for managing MDR P. aeruginosa via functional foods or adjunct therapies. Full article

University mobility in medium-sized cities faces increasing challenges arising from traffic congestion, urban sprawl, and the limited availability of sustainable transport options. In this context, the bicycle represents an efficient and environmentally low-impact alternative, provided that safe and connected infrastructure exists to facilitate its adoption. This study assesses the potential for bicycle use in the Andean city of Loja, Ecuador, taking as a case study the university community of the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL). Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools, origin–destination (OD) matrices, and logistic models were integrated to analyze the relationship between three key variables: terrain slope, minimum travel time, and the percentage of protected cycling infrastructure. The results show that protected cycling infrastructure shows the strongest positive association with the modeled probability of use, while slopes greater than 15% and trips longer than twenty minutes are associated with lower modeled probabilities. The geospatial analysis identified priority corridors where improvements in cycling protection would yield higher modeled modal returns. It is concluded that strengthening cycling connectivity and the continuity of protected routes may inform scenario-based planning to support active university mobility, offering a replicable framework for medium-sized cities with similar topographic conditions. Full article

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is widely used in medical, cosmetic, and nutraceutical applications, yet the systemic fate of orally administered HA, particularly non-animal forms, remains poorly characterised. This study investigates the stability, absorption, metabolism, and biological effects of a novel fungal-derived HA extracted from Tremella fuciformis using a sequential in vitro multi-barrier model simulating human physiological compartments, including gastric, intestinal, hepatic, renal, chondrocyte, and keratinocyte environments. Across the gastrointestinal stages, fungal-derived HA demonstrated high structural stability, maintained molecular weight, and exerted superior antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity compared with sodium hyaluronate. It efficiently crossed the intestinal barrier without increasing hyaluronidase activity, indicating protection from premature enzymatic degradation. In hepatic cells, fungal-derived HA exhibited reduced intracellular uptake and greater extracellular persistence, suggesting lower first-pass metabolism and suggesting improved persistence under in vitro conditions. At peripheral targets, it increased the cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) expression and HA internalisation in chondrocytes and keratinocytes, supporting anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative effects. Renal assessments revealed minimal excretion and no cytotoxicity, supporting potential systemic availability. Overall, these results provide the first integrated in vitro evidence describing the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion process of fungal-derived HA. This supports the conclusion that this form of HA is stable, biocompatible, and bioactive with therapeutic potential for joint and skin health, as suggested by the in vitro models. Full article

Gaze estimation, a critical facet of understanding user intent and enhancing human–computer interaction, has seen substantial advancements with the integration of deep learning technologies. Despite the progress, the application of deep learning in gaze estimation presents unique challenges, notably in the adaptation and optimization of these models for precise gaze tracking. This paper conducts a thorough review of recent developments in deep learning-based gaze estimation, with a particular focus on the evolution from traditional methods to sophisticated appearance-based techniques. We examine the key components of successful gaze estimation systems, including input feature processing, neural network architectures, and the importance of data preprocessing in achieving high accuracy. Our analysis extends to a comprehensive comparison of existing methods, shedding light on their effectiveness and limitations within various implementation contexts. Through this systematic review, we aim to consolidate existing knowledge in the field, identify gaps in current research, and suggest directions for future investigation. By providing a clear overview of the state-of-the-art in gaze estimation and discussing ongoing challenges and potential solutions, our work seeks to inspire further innovation and progress in developing more accurate and efficient gaze estimation systems. Full article

Low-salinity water flooding (LSWF) has been widely investigated as an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method for carbonate reservoirs; however, the relative contributions of wettability alteration and oil–brine interfacial tension (IFT) reduction remain poorly understood, particularly under strongly oil-wet conditions. This study systematically investigates the physicochemical mechanisms governing oil recovery during hybrid LSWF–surfactant flooding in oil-wet carbonate systems. Oil-wet Indiana limestone cores were used as representative carbonate reservoir rocks. Seawater and its diluted analogs were employed as base brines and combined with anionic and cationic surfactants at varying concentrations. Zeta potential and pH measurements were conducted to characterize electrostatic interactions at the rock–brine and oil–brine interfaces, while dynamic contact angle and pendant-drop IFT measurements were used to quantify wettability evolution and fluid–fluid interactions. Core flooding experiments were subsequently performed to link interfacial phenomena to macroscopic oil recovery behavior. The results demonstrate that brine dilution induces more negative surface charges at both interfaces, promoting double-layer expansion and electrostatic repulsion, which stabilizes the aqueous film and drives wettability alteration toward a water-wet state. The addition of anionic surfactants further amplifies this effect by increasing surface charge negativity, whereas cationic surfactants preferentially adsorb onto the negatively charged rock surface, limiting wettability alteration despite producing greater IFT reduction. Sulfate ions enhance wettability alteration by facilitating divalent cation interactions with adsorbed oil components; however, excessive sulfate concentrations lead to precipitation-induced flow impairment. Core flooding results reveal that diluted seawater combined with an anionic surfactant yields the highest incremental oil recovery. Our findings conclusively demonstrate that wettability alteration—rather than IFT reduction—is the more dominant recovery mechanism in oil-wet carbonate reservoirs under the investigated conditions. These results provide mechanistic guidance for optimized brine and surfactant design in hybrid LSWF–chemical EOR applications. Full article

The upscaling of turbines in the offshore wind industry has been unprecedented, as compared to 5–6 MW rated turbines 10 years ago. A typical 20–26 MW rated turbine in modern commercial applications (MingYang MySE 18.X-20 MW installed in 2025 and 26 MW prototype by Dongfang Electric tested in 2025) has been demonstrated. This scaling has been made possible by increasing rotor diameters (>250 m) and hub heights (>150–180 m) to achieve capacity factors of up to 55–65%, annual energy generation of more than 80 GWh/turbine, and significant decreases in levelised cost of energy (LCOE) to current values of up to 63–65 USD 2023/MWh globally averaged in 2023 (with minor variability in 2024 due to market changes and new regional areas). The paper analyses turbine upscaling over three levels of hierarchy, including turbine scale—rated capacity and physical aspect, project scale—multi-gigawatts of farms, and market scale—the global pipeline > 1500 GW level, and combines techno-economic evaluation, structural evaluation of loads, and infrastructure needs assessment. The upscaling has the advantage of reducing the number of turbines dramatically (e.g., 500 to 67 turbines in a 1 GW farm, as turbine size is increased to 15 MW) and balancing-of-plant (BoP) CAPEX (turbine-to-turbine foundations and cables) by some 20 to 30 percent per unit of capacity, and serial production learning rates of between 15 and 18% per doubling of capacity. But the problems that come with the increase in ultra-large designs are nonlinear increments in mass and load (i.e., blade-root and tower-bending moments), logistical constraints (blades > 120 m, nacelle up to 800–1000 tonnes demanding special vessels and ports), supply-chain issues (rare-earth materials, vessel shortages increase day rates by 30–50%), and technology limitations (aeroelastic compounded by numerical differences between reference 5 MW, 10 MW, and 15 MW models), it becomes evident that there is a significant increase in deflections of the tower and blades and platform surge/pitch responses with continued increases in power levels, but without a correspondingly mature infrastructure. The regional differences (mature ports of Europe vs. U.S. Jones Act restrictions vs. scale-up of vessels/manufacturing in China) lead to the necessity of optimisation depending on the context. The analysis concludes that, to the extent of mature markets with adapted logistics, continuous upscaling is an effective business strategy and can result in 5 to 12 percent further reductions in LCOE, but beyond that point, gains become marginal or even negative, as risks and costs increase. The competitiveness of the future depends on multi-scale/multi-market-based approaches—modular-based families of turbines, programmatic standardisation, vibration control innovations, and industry coordination towards supply-chain alignment and standards. Its major strength is that it transcends mere size–cost relationships and shows how nonlinear structural processes, aero-hydro-servo-elastic interactions, and bottlenecks in logistical systems are becoming more determinant of the efficiency of ultra-large turbines. The study demonstrates that upscaling turbines has LCOE benefits through the support of associated improvements in installation facility, supply-chain preparedness, and structural vibration control potential, based on the comparisons of quantitative loads, techno-economic scaling trends, and regional market differentiation. Full article

Power-to-X technologies play a crucial role in accelerating the energy and material transition. A key opportunity lies in integrating these systems with existing bio-based infrastructures such as anaerobic digesters, providing a reliable source of biogenic carbon. Developing effective Power-to-Methanol (PtM) pathways requires a comprehensive understanding of process behavior through detailed simulation, including technical performance, economic feasibility, and environmental consequences. Despite growing interest, substantial variation remains in published levelized methanol costs, and many assessments insufficiently account for the full environmental footprint of production routes. This study evaluates the potential of PtM deployment in the Netherlands by comparing two pathways that utilize biogenic carbon sources: (i) hydrogenation of captured CO₂ using green hydrogen and (ii) dry methane reforming (DMR) of biogas, followed by catalytic syngas conversion to methanol. Results indicate that operational expenses—mainly driven by renewable electricity consumption—far outweigh capital investment. Both routes yield an LCoMeOH of approximately €2630 per tonne, about five times the cost of fossil-based methanol. Life cycle analysis shows that DMR performs more favorably overall, although elevated freshwater ecotoxicity and eutrophication result from digestate application as fertilizer. Continued improvements in renewable energy integration and nutrient recovery technologies are essential for enhancing future economic and environmental performance. Full article

Mitophagy serves as an essential quality control mechanism that maintains mitochondrial homeostasis through selective autophagic clearance of damaged organelles. Vascular dementia (VD) has been increasingly associated with mitophagy dysregulation in recent studies. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying mitophagy’s involvement in VD pathogenesis remain poorly characterized. To elucidate the role of mitophagy in VD, we systematically examined the expression of key mitophagy pathways in hippocampal neurons of bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) rats and in oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD)-treated HT22 cells. Intriguingly, under autophagy-deficient conditions, both BNIP3 and BNIP3L were markedly downregulated, whereas FUNDC1 expression increased; PINK1/Parkin levels remained unaltered. To further dissect the functional contributions of BNIP3 and BNIP3L, we administered the mitochondrial fission inhibitor Mdivi-1 to BCCAO model rats. Histopathological analysis revealed pronounced neuronal damage and apoptosis in the hippocampal region, which was further exacerbated upon Mdivi-1 treatment. In vitro, BNIP3 silencing significantly compromised cell viability, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), suppressed mitophagy, and increased apoptotic rates. Conversely, BNIP3 overexpression reversed these detrimental effects. Notably, treatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) diminished LC3B-Tomm20 colocalization and intensified apoptosis, reinforcing the critical role of BNIP3-mediated mitophagy in neuronal survival. Similarly, BNIP3L overexpression enhanced cell viability, attenuated ROS production, restored ΔΨm, and mitigated apoptosis, while 3-MA treatment again impaired mitophagic flux and worsened cell death. Collectively, these findings underscore the critical and distinct roles of BNIP3 and BNIP3L in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and neuronal survival under ischemic conditions. Full article

Ready-to-eat (RTE) fresh salads are widely consumed for their convenience and nutritional value, but they could represent a relevant food safety concern, as they do not undergo a lethal heat treatment before consumption, and furthermore, they may support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes during refrigerated storage. In this study, the growth potential of L. monocytogenes was evaluated by standardised challenge tests in five commercially available RTE salads: crispy lettuce, baby lettuce, a baby lettuce–spicy mustard mix, and two mâche products from different producers. Three different batches for each product were inoculated with a three-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes at a target level of approximately 2–3 log CFU/g and stored under conditions simulating reasonably foreseeable refrigerated storage (7 °C for approximately two-thirds of their shelf life, followed by 10 °C for the remaining one-third), in accordance with ISO 20976-1 and EURL L. monocytogenes guidelines. The growth potential (Δ) was calculated as the difference between the highest mean L. monocytogenes concentration observed during storage and the mean of the initial concentration at time zero, both in three replicate samples; Δmax was defined as the highest Δ value among the tested batches. Crispy lettuce, baby lettuce, and the mixed salad supported the growth of L. monocytogenes, with Δmax values of 2.33, 2.60, and 3.65 log CFU/g, respectively. In contrast, both mâche products showed Δmax values ≤ 0.5 log CFU/g, indicating an inability to support pathogen growth under the tested conditions. These results demonstrate that the growth potential of L. monocytogenes in RTE salads is strongly product-specific and likely influenced by intrinsic characteristics and background microbiota, as well as by storage temperature. The findings underline the importance of strict temperature control and product-specific risk assessment to ensure compliance with microbiological criteria throughout shelf life and to mitigate the risk of listeriosis associated with RTE salads. Full article

Comamonas testosteroni is an aerobic, Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the class of β-proteobacteria that is naturally present in soils, wastewater and sludge. It has recently gained popularity for its ability to act as a biocatalyst for the degradation of microplastics and other complex organics. Microplastics are globally considered as ubiquitous pollutants due to the increased use of polymers (plastics) which break down over time. In the urban water cycle, the drinking water treatment plants and the wastewater treatment plants are the first and last barriers to microplastics pollution, respectively. While conventional water and wastewater treatment has seen continuous technological improvements in producing cleaner effluents, industry technology adoption for the targeted removal of microplastics has been minimal. Therefore, the treatment of microplastics in soils and wastewater is of growing interest, and understanding C. testosteroni may provide insight into biological treatment and degradation of these pollutants. This review provides a summary of (1) favorable microbiological and environmental properties of C. testosteroni that lend themselves to bioremediation; (2) evidence of the bacterium’s ability to degrade microplastics, steroids, and organic pollutants; (3) implementation potential in the wastewater treatment process train; and (4) challenges and limitations in its application for microplastics biodegradation. Overall, while treatment applications of C. testosteroni through inoculation of media such as soil and wastewater are mentioned, further research into C. testosteroni concentrations found typically at wastewater treatment facilities would be beneficial. Full article