Search Results (168)

Accurate photovoltaic (PV) power forecasting is important for grid dispatch, energy-storage management, and electricity-market trading. This paper presents a PV power forecasting framework that combines multi-model ensemble learning with multi-perspective interpretability analysis. A 22-dimensional feature set was constructed from irradiance, meteorological, temporal, and lagged-power variables. Five supervised regressors, a zero-shot Chronos-Bolt-Small time-series foundation model, and six additional forecasting baselines were evaluated at two PV plants. The three ensemble schemes used only the five supervised regressors and were compared on the final 20% of the 2019 development data; the complete 2020 period was used only for final evaluation. The selected methods achieved normalized RMSE values of 0.0350 and 0.0376 at Sites 1 and 2, respectively. SHAP, PDP/ICE, LIME, and permutation importance were applied to the ensemble model at each site. Recent power-history features dominated this one-step-ahead forecasting task with a 15 min horizon, while irradiance features provided additional site-dependent information. Full article

Background/Objectives: Morinda lucida Benth is widely distributed throughout Central and West Africa. It has traditionally been used to treat and manage various diseases. However, scientific research on its phytochemical and pharmacological properties remains scarce. This study investigated the phytochemical profiles, antioxidant activities, α-glucosidase inhibitors, and cytotoxic effects of compounds derived from various parts of M. lucida. Methods: Seventy-seven natural compounds were putatively annotated using ¹H-NMR, UHPLC–Q Exactive Orbitrap MS, and molecular networking techniques. The antioxidant activities of the crude extracts were assessed in vitro using DPPH free radical scavenging and reducing power assays, whereas the in vitro α-glucosidase inhibition activity and toxicity of the crude extracts were evaluated using the α-glucosidase inhibition and MTT assays. Molecular docking was used to assess the interactions between the identified glycosides and the α-glucosidase protein. Results: The root extract exhibited the highest DPPH free radical scavenging (IC₅₀ = 7.7550 ± 6.9142 μg/mL) and reducing power capacity (IC_0.5 = 0.0052 ± 0.0025 μg/mL). In contrast, the stem bark extract demonstrated significant inhibition of alpha-glucosidase (IC₅₀ = 79.9 ± 16.1 µg/mL). Sophoricoside, formononetin 7-O-glucoside, and epicatechin identified in the stem bark extract showed notable in silico interactions with the α-glucosidase protein. The stem bark and leaf extracts were more toxic than the root extract at different concentrations. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate the therapeutic potential of M. lucida and provide information on its phytochemical composition and pharmacological properties. Full article

Emulsified oily wastewater from industrial activities remains challenging to treat because kinetically stable oil droplets hinder efficient separation, threatening water resources and ecological environments. To address this issue, this work develops an inclined solar-driven evaporator based on a polypyrrole (PPy)-coated bacterial cellulose (BC) gel (PPy-BC gel), which has enlarged effective evaporation areas and an environmental heat effect. Under one sun (1 kW m⁻² under standard solar illumination), the PPy-BC gel achieves an evaporation rate of 2.14 kg m⁻² h⁻¹, which is 494% higher than that of the uncoated BC gel. In diesel-in-water emulsions with oil concentrations ranging from 0 to 15 vol%, the gel maintains stable evaporation performance, achieving an oil removal efficiency exceeding 99% across all tested concentrations. After 15 consecutive cycles of treating actual oily wastewater, no significant performance degradation is observed. The collected condensate exhibits excellent water quality, with removal efficiencies for total organic carbon (TOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total dissolved solids (TDS), and ionic conductivity (IC) exceeding 94%. This work presents a solar-powered evaporation platform, which demonstrates potential in the stable treatment of complex oily wastewater, and offers a sustainable reference solution for decentralized industrial wastewater management. Full article

Digital transformation (DT) reshapes supply chain ecosystems and promotes inter-firm synergistic development. Using a sample of 2417 focal firm–partner dyads of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2013 to 2023, we employ regressions with industry and year fixed effects and mediation analysis to examine how focal firms’ DT affects partners’ internal control (IC) quality. We find that focal firms’ DT enhances partners’ IC quality, robust to various tests (e.g., IV, PSM). Mechanism analysis reveals two distinct pathways: transformation contagion (focal firms’ DT drives partners’ synchronized DT) and management spillover (focal firms’ DT-driven control activities exported to partners). Heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive transmission effect is stronger in geographically distant or low-concentration supply chain relationships, as well as for focal firms with greater market power. This study extends research on IC determinants beyond firm boundaries and shifts DT externality research from operational to governance outcomes, providing a governance-level synergistic pathway to supply chain sustainability. Full article

To meet the requirements of wide-temperature reliability and fast transient response in power management ICs for automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications, this paper presents a fast-response low-dropout regulator (LDO) based on a 0.18 μm high-temperature SOI process. Benefiting from the buried oxide isolation structure of the SOI technology, leakage current and parasitic effects under high-temperature conditions are effectively suppressed. The proposed LDO employs an NMOS power transistor, with an on-chip charge pump used to enhance the gate driving capability. In addition, a triple-loop regulation scheme consisting of a main negative feedback loop, an auxiliary positive feedback loop, and a current-mode feedback loop is adopted to improve transient performance and enhance loop stability. The fabricated chip occupies an area of 2840 μm × 1490 μm and supports an input voltage range of 3–5.5 V and an output voltage range of 1.2–3.3 V. Over a temperature range of −55 °C to 175 °C, the LDO can deliver a maximum load current of 400 mA. At 175 °C, the measured overshoot and undershoot voltages are 64 mV and 94 mV, respectively, with a maximum recovery time of 336 μs. Moreover, the power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) reaches 56.8 dB at 100 Hz. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed LDO exhibits excellent high-temperature adaptability, strong load-driving capability, and superior transient response performance. Full article

Icing and galloping disasters threaten the safe operation of power transmission lines, and effective response depends on multi-agent collaboration. To address the insufficient attention paid in existing studies to grassroots execution constraints, this paper constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model involving local governments, power grid enterprise O&M management, and grassroots O&M teams. The model integrates collaborative investment, agency costs, benefit sharing, and multi-layer reward–punishment mechanisms into a unified framework. Replicator dynamics and numerical simulations are then used to analyze the evolution of collaborative strategies; the parameters are non-dimensional benchmark values rather than empirically calibrated estimates. The results show that the system exhibits multi-stability and path dependence, with fully non-collaborative and fully collaborative equilibria possibly remaining stable simultaneously. The combination of strong government regulation and incentives with high-level enterprise collaborative management is the key mechanism for overcoming the low-collaboration trap, and strict accountability has higher marginal policy efficiency than equivalent subsidies. Reducing grassroots execution costs and moderately increasing their share of disaster mitigation benefits can accelerate collaborative convergence and expand the attraction basin of the high-collaboration equilibrium. This study provides theoretical support and mechanism-design implications for enhancing the resilience of collaborative emergency response for power transmission lines under extreme weather conditions. Full article

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global health challenge characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and oxidative stress. Pithecellobium dulce root has long been recognized for its antidiabetic potential; however, its specific bioactive constituents and mechanisms of action remain poorly defined. This study aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic and antioxidant properties of extracts and isolated molecules from P. dulce root bark. Methods: The DCM/MeOH crude extract of P. dulce root bark was fractionated with n-hexane (PDEH) and ethyl acetate (PDAE), followed by chromatographic purification and spectroscopic characterization, yielding seventeen compounds (1–17). The antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP) and antidiabetic potential of PDEH, PDAE, and 1–17 were assessed in vitro using yeast-derived enzymes and in silico (targeting human α-glucosidase [PDB: 2QLY] and human α-amylase [PDB: 4GQR]). The in vitro α-glucosidase experiments used saccharomyces cerevisiae enzyme, which varies from the human target. Therefore, these results should be taken as preliminary screening data that needs confirmation with human enzymes. Results: Compound 1 was identified as new, while 2 was isolated for the first time from a natural source. The cell-free chemical tests DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP measured antioxidant capability. These tests quantify radical-scavenging and electron-transfer capabilities in vitro and are preliminary chemical screening methods. They do not directly represent biological antioxidant activity in cells or organisms. PDEH demonstrated strong radical scavenging against DPPH (IC₅₀ = 15.30 μg/mL) and ABTS (IC₅₀ = 12.80 μg/mL), while pristriol (16) showed ferric reducing power (EC₅₀ = 4200 μM FeSO₄/g). Enzyme inhibition assays demonstrated activity against α-amylase (IC₅₀ 53.88–112.24 µg/mL; acarbose IC₅₀ = 91.20 µg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC₅₀ 18.38–136.88 µg/mL; acarbose IC₅₀ = 11.31 µg/mL). Compounds 15, 1, and 2 showed superior activity compared to acarbose for α-amylase, with effect sizes (Cohen’s d) of 2.15, 0.94, and 0.82, respectively, and IC₅₀ values of 53.88, 88.15, and 92.62 µg/mL; for α-glucosidase, IC₅₀ values were 18.38, 39.25, and 36.40 µg/mL, respectively. Docking studies supported these findings, revealing binding energies of −9.08, −8.34, and −7.22 kcal/mol for compounds 1, 2, and 15 with α-amylase, and −10.35 and −9.79 kcal/mol for compounds 1 and 2 with α-glucosidase. ADME profiling further identified 1 and 2 as promising lead candidates for dual-enzyme inhibition. Conclusions: P. dulce root bark represents a potent source of bioactive molecules with both antioxidant and dual-enzyme-inhibitory properties. These findings validate its traditional use and highlight its potential in the development of multitarget therapies for T2DM management. Full article

Industrial control systems (ICS), which manage critical infrastructure such as power grids and water treatment, are increasingly exposed to cyber threats and operational faults as their connectivity to external networks grows. AI-based anomaly detection has emerged as a key defense, yet three limitations restrict its practical deployment: (i) detected anomalies are treated uniformly without distinguishing between transient faults and intentional attacks, hindering tailored incident response; (ii) the trade-off between detection accuracy and the false-positive rate burdens experts with extensive manual triage and delays prompt action; and (iii) prevailing feature-attribution Explainable AI (XAI) techniques such as SHAP and LIME produce fragmented sensor-level explanations and fail to capture correlations among sensors in time-series data, undermining trust in model decisions. To address these gaps, this paper proposes a graph-based deep learning framework that (a) defines anomaly types in terms of the anomalous-sensor ratio measured before and after smoothing—which operationalizes the correlation-maintenance principle that faults keep coupled sensors jointly anomalous while attacks isolate them—enabling explicit separation of faults, attacks, false positives, and false negatives; (b) identifies ambiguous decisions near the detection threshold as candidate false alarms via dynamic threshold smoothing; and (c) provides correlation-aware graph visualizations for intuitive interpretation. Experiments on the Secure Water Treatment (SWaT) dataset center on this post-detection layer: built on a standard graph-based detector (F1-score 0.787 at Top-K = 10) that serves only as the substrate, the categorization separates faults from attacks, and the subsequent ambiguity analysis identifies false negatives with 83% precision and false positives with 73% precision. By separating attacks from faults and surfacing high-likelihood false alarms together with intuitive sensor-correlation explanations, the proposed approach reduces analyst workload and supports more reliable, prioritized incident response in ICS environments. Full article

Heat exchanger integration is a key design consideration for engines adapted to run on hydrogen and requiring liquid hydrogen to be preheated prior to combustion. For a typical small turboshaft, a comparison is made of fuel heating via an intercooler, a recuperator, or both in combination. This steady-state, zero-dimensional thermodynamic assessment examines the overall performance effects of the heat exchanger installations, heat loads and setpoint temperatures. It shows that exhaust gas recuperation provides up to 15% SFC reduction relative to an engine using power offtake for fuel preconditioning, with an average reduction of 14% across the evaluated operating points. Fuel heating via an intercooler is constrained by off-design and low-temperature thermal management requirements, so it only gives modest SFC benefits and will reduce specific power unless the engine is substantially redesigned. Within the evaluated design space, the combined intercooled and recuperated arrangement does not provide the lowest SFC, but it offers a balanced heat load distribution that may help to mitigate the risk of local air-side icing in the heat exchangers. Unlike previous works that considered turbofan engine architectures, this study focuses on turboshaft and turbogenerator installations where shaft power objectives and operating constraints determine the relative merits of alternative heat exchanger integration strategies. It includes an assessment of potential effects on NOx emissions as well as SFC. The study provides guidance for preliminary design and sizing of heat exchangers for fuel thermal management, but analysis of transients in the cryogenic systems and detailed assessments of aircraft-level integration penalties will be specific to particular engine applications and are beyond the scope of the present study. Full article

Hyperloop transport operates in a low-pressure environment in which convective heat transfer is strongly limited, making conventional air-based cooling ineffective. One promising thermal management approach is therefore to absorb the waste heat generated during travel in a thermal energy storage (TES) system and dissipate it during stops. In this context, latent heat storage based on water–ice systems is particularly attractive because of its high energy density and nearly constant-temperature heat absorption. However, experimental validation of such systems beyond laboratory scale is still lacking. This study therefore investigated a large-scale direct contact latent heat storage (DCLHS) system for Hyperloop thermal management, using water as heat transfer fluid and ice as phase change material. The system was evaluated for two ice morphologies, crushed ice and ice block, under both constant and time-variant cooling power profiles representative of Hyperloop operation. The objective was to assess thermal performance, exergy efficiency, and hydraulic stability at application-relevant scale, and to identify morphology-dependent trade-offs relevant for system integration. The results show that the large-scale system can operate reliably under dynamic loads and that upscaling leads to smoother thermal behavior and reduced boundary effects. Crushed ice demonstrated superior thermal responsiveness, maintaining outlet temperatures close to the phase change temperature and achieving exergy efficiencies up to 0.72 at cooling powers up to 3.8 kW while enabling stable operation at 15 °C. In contrast, the ice block configuration provided higher volumetric energy density but exhibited delayed thermal response and required substantially higher mass flow rates, which limited operation to approximately 25 °C and reduced exergy efficiency to 0.03–0.35. Overall, the results show that large-scale DCLHS is a feasible option for Hyperloop thermal management, while also revealing that system behavior at larger scale is strongly influenced by storage morphology. Full article

Cymodocea nodosa, growing at low water depth, is affected by various environmental changes and is expected to adapt to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress in living leaves (LC) and beach deposits (NC) of C. nodosa activated superoxide dismutase (SOD), which was higher in LC, leading to significant neutralization of the produced H₂O₂ and destruction of protein generation. Higher antioxidant capacity (using a UV/Vis spectrophotometer) to scavenge 2.2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS^•+) (IC₅₀: 5 in LC vs. 22 μg mL⁻¹ in NC) and OH^• (hydroxyl) radicals (IC₅₀: 132 in LC vs. 281.7 μg mL⁻¹ in NC), compared to 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH^•) (IC₅₀: 63 in LC vs. 45 μg mL⁻¹ in NC) and superoxide anion (O₂^•−) radicals (IC₅₀: 190 in LC vs. 94 μg mL⁻¹ in NC), and similar reducing power (RP) were recorded in LC compared with NC extracts (IC₅₀: 53 in LC vs. 52 μg ml⁻¹ in NC). Phenolic compounds were not significantly lost during plant exposure on shores (mean value: 57.00 in LC vs. 45.48 mg g⁻¹ d.w. in NC). Phenolic compounds identified, using UHPLC-DAD analysis, in both LC and NC extracts were chicoric, trans-ferulic, caftaric, p-coumaric, sinapic, and trans-cinnamic acid and rutin hydrate, whereas caffeic acid, in traces, was identified in NC extracts. NC showed higher cytotoxic activity in inhibiting LS 174 colon cancer cells than LC. In cases of plant cultivation or management plans for seagrass meadows and their beach deposits, with the least possible impacts, both LC and NC extracts could be exploited for their antioxidant and anticancer properties. In a ‘case study’, the amounts of individual phenolic compounds that can be produced from NC utilization were estimated. Full article

Larrea ameghinoi Speg., an endemic species of Argentine Patagonia traditionally used in folk medicine to treat fever, stomach disorders, respiratory conditions, back pain, and as an emmenagogue, among others, still remains chemically and biologically underexplored compared to the other four members of the genus. This study aimed to perform a comprehensive metabolomic characterization of methanolic extracts from two populations (EMLaSAO and EMLaMAQ) using ultra-high-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC–ESI–QTOF–MS) and to evaluate their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and enzyme-inhibitory activities of relevance to human health. Thirty-three compounds were tentatively identified by extensive UHPLC–MS analysis, including flavones, two major lignans, and oleanane-type triterpenes. Both extracts exhibited high phenolic content (215–239 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g extract) and strong free radical scavenging activity, as evidenced by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, EC₅₀ ≈ 10 μg/mL), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity (TEAC) assays. In addition, significant inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (IC₅₀ ≈ 50 μg extract/mL) and α-glucosidase, together with selective antibacterial activity against methicillin-sensitive and resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 125 μg extract/mL), were recorded. These findings suggest that L. ameghinoi possesses a distinctive phytochemical composition conferring multitarget bioactivity, differing from other Larrea species dominated by lignans such as nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) and its derivatives. Overall, this work supports the potential of L. ameghinoi as a novel source of bioactive metabolites for managing oxidative stress-related disorders and opportunistic infections. This warrants future in vivo studies investigating biological activities associated with oxidative stress and their relevance to human health. Full article

Driven by demanding global emission regulations and the urgent requirements for sustainable mobility, Electric Vehicles (EVs) have emerged as the primary alternative to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles. Central to this transition is the electric propulsion system (EPS), a multidisciplinary integration of power electronics, advanced motor drives, and electrochemical energy storage. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of power electronic drives, focusing on the evolution of high-efficiency traction motors and next-generation energy storage systems (ESSs), and advancements in ultra-fast chargers. The analysis explores the vital impact of power converters, evaluating recent breakthroughs in wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors and advanced control topologies that enhance energy density and thermal management. Furthermore, the study identifies critical challenges in the design, modulation, and operational reliability of converters under dynamic automotive environments. By synthesizing current research trends and technical bottlenecks, this paper offers insights into the future trajectory of power electronics in achieving high-performance, cost-effective, and carbon-neutral transportation. Full article

Background: Momordica balsamina L. is widely used in traditional medicine for the management of diabetes in South Africa and globally. This study evaluated the in vitro antidiabetic and cytotoxic effects of M. balsamina leaf extracts and identified bioactive compounds potentially responsible for its activity. Methods: Leaves were sequentially extracted using solvents of increasing polarity. Phytochemical composition was determined using standard colorimetric assays, while gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed for compound identification. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using dot blot, DPPH radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and ferric reducing power assays. Antidiabetic potential was assessed using α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and β-glucosidase inhibitory assays, with acarbose as the reference drug. Cytotoxicity was determined by using the MTT assay on Vero and HEK-293 cell lines. Results: Phytochemical screening revealed alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, glycosides, and steroids. GC–MS analysis identified compounds associated with antidiabetic activity, including vanillin, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, oleic acid, phytol, and hexadecenoic acid. All extracts exhibited antioxidant activity, with the ethyl acetate extract showing the strongest effect. Enzyme inhibition was concentration dependent. The dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts showed stronger α-amylase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 0.149 and 0.146 mg/mL) than acarbose (0.209 mg/mL). For α-glucosidase, acarbose showed the highest activity, while extracts displayed moderate inhibition. In β-glucosidase assays, both extracts were more active than acarbose. Both extracts were non-cytotoxic up to 500 µg/mL. Conclusions: These findings support the traditional use of M. balsamina and highlight its potential as a safe source of antidiabetic agents, warranting further investigation. Full article

The reaction of aluminum with water is a promising method for producing hydrogen on demand for autonomous energy systems. However, its practical implementation faces the challenge of process control due to high exothermicity, leading to particle sintering and thermal instability, especially when using highly reactive nanopowders. The goal of this study is to implement an integrated approach to controlling this reaction, aimed at minimizing these risks. The approach is based on the principle of spatial and temporal distribution of reactants to ensure uniform heat release. Two process management methods were investigated: electrostatic application of aluminum powder to the reactor walls with its gradual release and pre-treatment of a nanopowder-ice mixture. Using a macrokinetic mathematical model, calculations of the conversion kinetics and heat release were performed and compared with experimental data. The results showed that both methods prevent slurry self-heating and achieve uniform hydrogen generation at a constant rate. In particular, the use of a pre-frozen mixture ensured stable hydrogen production over a long period of time without additional heating or stirring. The proposed approaches can be used in the design of safe and efficient hydrogen generators for autonomous power plants. Full article