Search Results (10,651)

With the expansion of global oil and gas resource exploration and development into deep and ultra deep layers, the efficient development of deep carbonate rock fracture cave reservoirs has become the key to ensuring energy security. However, this type of reservoir commonly faces high temperatures, high salinity, and extremely strong heterogeneity, leading to increasingly severe water content spikes caused by dominant water flow channels. Although the existing traditional inorganic plugging agent has good temperature resistance, it has the defects of great brittleness and easy cracking, while the organic polymer gel is prone to degradation failure under high temperature and high salt environments. In order to solve the above problems, a new biochar-enhanced inorganic composite gel system was constructed by using biochar prepared from agricultural and forestry waste pyrolysis as a functional enhancement component. Through rheological testing, high-temperature and high-pressure mechanical experiments, long-term thermal stability evaluation, and dynamic sealing experiments of fractured rock cores, the reinforcement and toughening laws and rheological control mechanisms of biochar on inorganic matrices were systematically studied. Research has found that a biochar content of 0.5 wt% can significantly improve the micro pore structure of the matrix. By utilizing its micro aggregate filling effect and interfacial chemical bonding, the compressive strength of the solidified body can be increased to over 2 MPa, and there is no significant decline in strength after aging at 130 °C for 30 days. More importantly, the unique “adsorption slow-release” mechanism of biochar effectively stabilizes the hydration reaction kinetics at high temperatures, extending the solidification time of the system to 15 h and solving the problem of flash condensation in deep well pumping. This system exhibits excellent shear thinning characteristics and crack sealing ability, and presents a unique “yield reconstruction” toughness sealing feature. This study elucidates the multidimensional strengthening mechanism of biochar in inorganic cementitious materials, providing technical reference for stable oil and water control in deep fractured reservoirs. Full article

A commercially available nitric oxide (NO)-releasing solution (NORS) has demonstrated in vitro efficacy for dermatophytosis, but a NO-releasing gel (NORG) may be more suitable for patient self-application. We present a preliminary investigation of NORS for tinea pedis and an in vitro investigation of NORG for dermatophyte infection, to complement the existing published data and expand support for a possible role of NO formulations in superficial dermatophyte infection. In vitro usage of NORS and NORG is reviewed. The antifungal efficacy of NORG was assessed via time-kill assays, zone of inhibition tests with synthetic dermal membrane permeation, and scanning electron microscopy. A randomized, controlled pilot study of NORS for tinea pedis investigated the safety and efficacy of treatment over three consecutive days, with a day-31 follow-up. The NORG demonstrated rapid fungicidal activity against T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes and effective dermal membrane penetration while retaining antifungal action. Significant morphological damage to fungal cells was noted, indicating possible fungicidal activity. The clinical NORS treatment reduced the clinical symptom severity score by 67% on average, with no significant safety findings. These findings, in addition to existing publications, support NO-releasing formulations as potential therapies that warrant further clinical investigation for superficial fungal infection. Full article

Understanding the long-term production trends of MDFLAM panels, which are widely used in panel furniture manufacturing, is important for evaluating the sector’s competitiveness and environmental performance. In this study, MDF/HDF production data for Türkiye covering the period 1995–2024 were analyzed. The observations for 1995–2019 were used for model estimation, while the period 2020–2024 was reserved for out-of-sample validation. Production projections for 2025–2030 were generated using the ARIMA time series model. The relationships between fiberboard production and selected socio-economic variables (population, GDP per capita, forest area, and number of enterprises) were evaluated through correlation analysis. While strong correlations were observed in the level data, additional analysis using first-differenced (growth rate) series indicated that these relationships are weak and statistically insignificant in the short term, suggesting that the observed associations are largely influenced by common time trends. Assuming that approximately 60% of total fiberboard production consists of MDFLAM, future GWP values were estimated using verified EPD data. The results indicate that production is expected to continue increasing in the coming years. Although negative GWP values are observed due to biogenic carbon storage during the production stage, this reflects temporary carbon sequestration rather than a permanent reduction in atmospheric emissions. Emissions are expected to increase during end-of-life stages as the stored carbon is released. Overall, the study provides a forward-looking framework by integrating time-series forecasting with EPD-based environmental indicators, offering a useful basis for sustainability assessment and policy-oriented decision-making in the wood-based panel sector. Full article

As widely adopted privacy models in privacy-preserving data publishing (PPDP), k-anonymity and ℓ-diversity have been extensively studied by researchers to enable the release of useful information while preserving data privacy. However, existing methods suffer from several limitations. They often rely on single-dimensional privacy models and lack unified metrics for accurately quantifying privacy leakages. Many approaches overlook the impact of semantic similarity and adversarial prior and posterior beliefs among sensitive attributes and frequently employ suboptimal similarity measures that fail to account for the heterogeneous nature of quasi-identifiers, thereby degrading both privacy protection and data utility. To address these challenges, this paper proposes CAMDP, a unified clustering-based anonymization method for privacy-preserving data publishing with multidimensional privacy quantification. CAMDP constructs equivalence classes that satisfy k-anonymity while simultaneously enhancing sensitive attribute diversity, reducing semantic similarity, and limiting divergence between prior and posterior adversarial beliefs. A unified multidimensional metric is introduced to jointly quantify privacy leakage and information loss, guiding the anonymization process. Additionally, a similarity-aware distance metric tailored to mixed-type quasi-identifiers is employed to reduce information loss. Experimental results on three benchmark datasets, Adult, Careplans, and Airline, demonstrate that CAMDP consistently outperforms state-of-the-art methods. Across all tested configurations, CAMDP achieves the lowest average privacy leakage (0.1235, 0.0795, and 0.1855, respectively), lower average information loss (0.626, 0.636, and 0.60, respectively), and the lowest average intra-cluster dissimilarity (0.586, 0.635, and 0.573, respectively), while maintaining competitive execution time across the three datasets. Full article

This study aimed to develop a 100 mg immediate-release (IR) tablet containing dasatinib monohydrate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, using a Quality by Design (QbD) framework at laboratory scale. The development strategy focused on systematic identification and control of critical process parameters (CPPs) affecting tablet quality during wet granulation. Preformulation studies were conducted to evaluate key physicochemical properties of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), including solubility, particle size distribution, and crystallinity, which may influence dissolution behavior. A risk assessment approach based on preliminary hazard analysis (PHA) and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) was applied to identify high-risk process variables. Based on the risk assessment results, chopper speed during wet granulation and compression force during tableting were identified as critical process parameters. These factors were further investigated using a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach based on Define Custom Design (DCD) and response surface methodology (RSM) to evaluate their effects on critical quality attributes (CQAs), including dissolution performance, disintegration time, and tablet friability. Response surface analysis established a design space in which chopper speed ranged from approximately 2300–2500 rpm and compression force ranged from 11 to 13 kN, ensuring consistent tablet quality within the investigated operating range. The optimized process conditions produced tablets that satisfied predefined quality targets. Comparative dissolution studies demonstrated dissolution profiles comparable to the reference product across pH 1.2, 4.0, and 6.8 media, with similarity factor (f₂) values ranging from 51.18 to 85.23. The experimentally established design space demonstrated reproducible in vitro performance and physicochemical stability under accelerated storage conditions. Overall, this study demonstrates the practical application of a QbD-based development strategy integrating risk assessment and response surface optimization to improve process understanding and manufacturing robustness in wet granulation-based tablet production. Full article

In ground-source heat-pump (GSHP) systems equipped with a single U-tube borehole heat exchanger (BHE), the heat-carrier fluid in the return leg may release heat to the surrounding ground in the shallow part of the borehole. From a fluid energy balance perspective, this is an exothermic process; however, it is detrimental during heating operation: It lowers the effective source temperature available to the heat pump and therefore degrades the overall coefficient of performance (COP). This study proposes a measurement-driven procedure to determine the exothermic transition depth $z_{\uparrow }^{*}$ from temperature profiles recorded at multiple depths along the ascending (return) pipe. The borehole is discretized into axial segments and, assuming a constant mass flow rate, the linear heat-exchange rate is estimated from the segment-wise enthalpy change. Time integration yields the segment-wise net energy exchange $Q_{\uparrow ,i}$, which is then classified as exothermic or endothermic using an uncertainty-based threshold derived from the standard uncertainty of the temperature sensors. The exothermic transition depth $z_{\uparrow }^{*}$ is defined as the first statistically stable sign change in the integrated segment energy (from exothermic to endothermic) and is obtained by linear interpolation between adjacent segment centres. By summing the exothermic energy exchange and the corresponding average loss power, an equivalent change in source-side outlet temperature $∆T_{out}$ is estimated and interpreted in terms of COP impact using a Carnot-scaled surrogate model. For two representative operating conditions, $z_{\uparrow }^{*}$ was found at $31.17 \mathrm{m}$ and $24.01 \mathrm{m}$, respectively, while the average exothermic loss power remained approximately 0.48 kW. The estimated $∆T_{out}$ ranged from $0.52$ to $0.75 \mathrm{K}$, corresponding to a diagnostic COP improvement if this parasitic exothermic exchange could be mitigated. The present results should therefore be interpreted as a case study-based demonstration of the method on one instrumented borehole rather than as a universal quantitative prediction for other sites or borehole fields. Full article

Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) and microfluidic technologies are rapidly reshaping the development pipeline for nano drug delivery systems (DDSs) by enabling precise control of physicochemical properties, high-throughput screening, and integrated biological evaluation within miniaturized platforms. This review synthesizes recent advances in microfluidic principles, fabrication strategies, and sensing modalities that facilitate continuous flow synthesis, real-time characterization, and adaptive formulation of nanoparticles. We highlight how LoC-enabled systems improve monodispersity, reproducibility, and tunability of liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, and metallic nanocarriers, while providing powerful tools for assessing pharmacokinetics, drug release, and systemic responses using organ-on-chip (OoC) models. Emerging trends, including AI-driven autonomous optimization, stimuli-responsive materials, 3D-printed hybrid architectures, and self-powered portable devices, are discussed in the context of future integrated nano-pharmaceutics platforms. Despite existing challenges related to biocompatibility, standardization, data integration, and translation to industrial and clinical applications, the synergistic evolution of LoC engineering and nanomedicine holds transformative potential for personalized and next-generation therapeutic strategies. Full article

Autoantibodies (AAbs) play an important role in the development of autoimmune diseases. While many AAbs induce apoptosis of target cells, a distinct subgroup, termed functional autoantibodies (fAAbs) against G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), can modulate physiological receptor signaling without inducing cell death. The functional activity of GPCR-fAAbs may be influenced by various cofactors, including inflammation (e.g., inflammatory cytokine, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF)) and ischemia. As ischemia triggers a substantial release of arachidonic acid (AA) from membrane phospholipids, the present study aimed to examine exploratively the influence of AA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and CNTF on the responses of spontaneously beating neonatal rat cardiomyocytes to GPCR agonists and GPCR-fAAbs. AA and EPA differentially influenced responses in cardiomyocytes induced by GPCR-fAAbs: AA altered the functional responses associated with adrenergic β₂-fAAb, adrenergic α₁-fAAb, angiotensin II (AT1)-fAAb, endothelin A (ETA)-fAAb and angiotensin 1–7 MAS-fAAbs. However, muscarinergic M₂-fAAb responses remained largely unaffected. In contrast, EPA attenuated the responses to β₂-fAAb, α₁-fAAb, AT1-fAAb, and ETA-fAAb, while MAS-fAAb and M₂-fAAb responses were not markedly altered. CNTF acted as a time-dependent modulator of cardiomyocyte chronotropic responses and influenced the magnitude of GPCR-mediated signaling on a cardiomyocyte bioassay. Together, these findings might suggest that lipid mediators such as AA and EPA or CNTF may modulate functional responses of cardiomyocytes associated with GPCR-fAAbs. Full article

To promote the high-value utilization of fly ash (FA) and address the prolonged setting time and limited strength associated with conventional single-alkali activation, this study proposes a synergistic dual-alkali activation strategy using Ca(OH)₂ and Na₂SiO₃ in combination with microwave-assisted curing for low-calcium fly ash. Samples containing varying amounts of Ca(OH)₂ were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), compressive strength testing, and pore structure analysis. The results show that Ca(OH)₂ facilitates the formation of calcium aluminosilicate hydrate (C-A-S-H) gel, while Na₂SiO₃ sustains the alkaline environment and enhances the dissolution of SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ from FA. The dual-alkali synergistic system, when coupled with microwave treatment, markedly refines the pore structure, increases the degree of polymerization, and improves compressive strength from 0.5 MPa to 1.7 MPa with increasing Ca(OH)₂ content. In addition, the prepared fly ash-based geopolymer (FABG) demonstrates pronounced pH-buffering capacity in acidic environments and exhibits antibacterial activity, primarily attributable to its sustained release of alkalinity. This work highlights that integrating dual-alkali activation with microwave curing can simultaneously enhance microstructural development, chemical stability, and functional performance in low-calcium FA systems, thereby offering a viable route for the development of sustainable and multifunctional green building materials derived from industrial solid waste. Full article

Longwall paste backfilling mining is a core sustainable green mining technology for coal resources under buildings, railways and water bodies (BRW), yet its large-scale application is severely restricted by the sequential mining–isolation–backfilling–curing operation mode that causes low production efficiency and poor economic feasibility, which hinders the sustainable exploitation of BRW coal reserves and the ecological protection of mining areas. Taking the E1302-B paste backfilling face of Gaohe Coal Mine as the engineering background, this study systematically identified the key efficiency-restricting factors considering the face’s complex geological conditions (maximum roof–floor undulation 300 mm, 72.6% of roof–floor dip angle >1° and irregular cross-section), including low isolation efficiency, cumbersome backfilling process, prolonged paste curing time and insufficient system operation controllability. Technological innovations were carried out from four core dimensions: high-efficiency isolation, high-efficiency backfilling, accelerated curing and intelligent safety control, and a high-efficiency integrated technology system for longwall paste backfilling mining was thus formed, which realizes the synergistic improvement of mining efficiency, economic benefits and sustainability performance. Industrial test validation demonstrated that the technical system significantly boosts the efficiency of isolation, backfilling and solidification in the backfill mining cycle, cutting the time of a single backfill mining operation cycle by 57%. The annual production capacity of the E1302-B face was increased to 0.81 Mt, with a comprehensive backfilling mining cost of 466.63 CNY/t, an annual economic benefit of 108.03 million CNY and a static investment return rate of 48.96%. The E1306 face achieved an even higher annual production capacity of 1.12 Mt with a static investment return rate of 74.94%. This technology system effectively breaks the efficiency and economic bottlenecks of traditional longwall paste backfilling mining, realizes the dual improvement of backfilling mining efficiency and economic benefits, and further releases the ecological, resource and economic sustainability value of paste backfilling mining. It provides technical support and practical approaches for the large-scale application of longwall paste backfilling mining, and lays a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the coal industry under the dual-carbon goal, especially for the balanced development of coal resource exploitation and mining area ecological protection. Full article

Effective management of acute, complex, and chronic wounds requires constructs that simultaneously support tissue repair and provide sustained infection control. Biologic-derived materials, despite their regenerative potential, are limited by insufficient long-term antibacterial activity and susceptibility to enzymatic degradation. To overcome these limitations, a fully absorbable synthetic matrix composed of electrospun composite fibers functionalized with polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) (hereafter, PHMB Matrix) was developed to mimic extracellular matrix architecture while enabling durable antibacterial performance. Quantitative assessment per AATCC 100 demonstrated robust broad-spectrum efficacy (>99.99% reduction) against six clinically relevant Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, with potency retained after 15 months of real-time aging. The matrix’s interconnected fibrous architecture enables a controlled, biphasic PHMB release coordinated with biodegradation, sustaining antibacterial protection throughout a 28-day healing period. In porcine full-thickness wound models, the PHMB Matrix achieved 63.53% ± 12.0% wound area reduction by Day 22, demonstrating accelerated mid-phase healing compared to an antibacterial collagen control (p < 0.05 on Day 22), with both treatments achieving comparable near-complete closure by Day 28. Pharmacokinetic analysis confirmed localized drug enrichment with negligible systemic exposure. These findings establish the PHMB-functionalized synthetic matrix as a safe, effective, fully absorbable alternative to biologic-derived materials for soft tissue repair, offering sustained antibacterial efficacy and a favorable safety profile. Full article

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy, a major contributor to heart failure, is characterized by an abnormal increase in the size of atria and ventricles. In the context of ventricular hypertrophy, the right ventricle (RV) exhibits less resistance to hypertrophy than the left one (LV). Insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1 and IGF-2) are critical for cell growth and provide cardioprotective effects. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is a protease that cleaves insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4) and enhances IGF bioavailability. This study investigated PAPP-A-mediated IGFBP-4 proteolysis—one possible mechanism of IGF release regulation in rat models of right ventricular (RVH) and left ventricular (LVH) hypertrophy. RVH was induced with monocrotaline, and LVH via renovascular hypertension (1 Kidney 1 Clip (1K1C) model). Systolic blood pressure was measured using tail-cuff plethysmography. Heart morphometry was used to assess the mass of cardiac chambers. Cardiomyocyte purity was confirmed via troponin I immunocytochemistry. Plasma natriuretic type-B peptide (BNP) and C-terminal IGFBP-4 (CT-IGFBP-4) concentrations were quantified by fluoroimmunoassay. RVH and LVH were successfully modelled, with 1.6-fold and 1.3-fold increases in RV (p < 0.0001) and LV masses (p < 0.05), respectively. Plasma BNP was 2–3 times higher in LVH versus control rats. Hypertrophied cardiomyocytes secreted significantly more BNP than controls, showing 3.3-fold and 4.1-fold increases in LVH and RVH, respectively. PAPP-A-mediated IGFBP-4 proteolysis was 4-fold higher in RVH compared to control, but unaffected in LVH. These findings suggest that PAPP-A-specific elevation of IGFBP-4 proteolysis occurs predominantly in RVH, suggesting a differential IGF bioavailability in both ventricles and highlighting PAPP-A as a potential target to increase RVH resistance to hypertrophy. Full article

In cold climatic zones, highway transportation routes are significant contributors to sediment-accumulated chloride ions (Cl⁻). Bioswale projects are designed to slow and treat roadway runoff and thereby meter the release of salts, but bioswale function is compromised over time as sediments become saturated with pollutants. This two-year project sought to test innovative practices to improve the function of Illinois Tollway (hereafter, Tollway) bioswales by investigating the effect of biochar addition (20 T/ha) and invasive plant harvesting on: (1) invasive cattail (Typha) dominance, (2) bioswale sediment chloride retention, and (3) harvestable chloride ions associated with living-green Typha tissues across a two-year field study in northeastern Illinois. We found that a single 20 T/ha biochar application resulted in significant increases in Typha [Dry Mass (g/m²) and Stem Count (count/m²), p ≤ 0.05] and sediment chloride concentration (ppm) [p ≤ 0.05]. Harvest did not significantly influence Typha standing stocks (p > 0.05) but did lead to a significant increase in harvestable chloride associated with living-green Typha tissues over the two-year study. This research demonstrates that a single 20 T/ha biochar application coupled with harvest of aboveground Typha biomass is a pathway for scalable management strategies to remove chloride and invasive standing stocks. Full article

Background: Self-myofascial release (SMFR) is a treatment whose main benefits are enhanced recovery and increased flexibility without impairing athletic performance. Previous research has often targeted the posterior myofascial chain (superficial back line, SBL), which runs from the plantar fascia to the posterior cranium and is commonly linked to hamstring-related outcomes. However, its potential influence on knee extensor force production remains unclear and would likely be indirect. Many SMFR tools have entered the market in recent years, with Auramat^® being one of them, yet it has not been investigated to date. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of Auramat^® (AUR) on posterior-chain flexibility and knee extensor (KE) function and to compare them with those of a traditional warm-up (TW). Methods: This study was a randomised, counterbalanced, cross-over design where 20 recreationally active participants (12 males, 8 females; age = 27.20 ± 4.98 years) attended the laboratory 3 times over a 2-week period. The first week consisted of a familiarisation session during which participants performed several tests. In the second week, the groups that were randomly assigned at AUR or TW conditions performed the two intervention protocols separated by 48 h. The pre-post ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), straight leg raise test (SLRT) and rate of force development (RFD) were measured. All tests were performed on the dominant limb. Results: There was no significant difference in RFD and MVIC for conditions (p = 0.91), time (p = 0.24), or condition × time (p = 0.41). Both conditions improved posterior chain flexibility (p ≤ 0.01) with a larger effect in TW (d = 2.03; ↑ 7.81%) compared to the AUR condition (d = 0.89; ↑ 3.69%). RPE for TW showed significant higher RPE values compared to the AUR condition (p ≤ 0.01; ES = 2.32; TW = 4.3 ± 1.45 vs. AUR = 1.55 ± 0.82). Conclusions: Both SMFR with AUR and TW increased flexibility without any significant reduction in KE force production. Practitioners may use TW in a session where the aim is an increase in flexibility and AUR when the time is limited and the increase in fatigue can be relevant, due to the lower RPE reported. In any case, these results should be taken with caution since even the AUR was more time-efficient; the findings are preliminary owing to the small sample and absence of a control condition. Full article

After implantation in vivo, airway stents are prone to negative biological effects, such as platelet adhesion, aggregation, and blood coagulation, which may lead to vascular occlusion and thrombosis. Therefore, when studying the antithrombotic properties of vascular grafts, it is crucial to construct a fiber film-coated airway stent with antithrombotic properties. In this paper, PTFE/TPU fiber film was prepared by emulsion electrospinning, and heparin aldehyde group was modified to covalently graft with the fiber film to obtain heparin-loaded fiber film (Hep-PT fiber film), and a heparin-loaded PTFE fiber film-coated airway stent (Hep-PT fiber film-coated airway stent) was prepared. Covalent grafting improves the stability of heparin and promotes the long-term stable release of heparin. The loading of heparin increases the fiber nodes between the fiber films, increases the friction between the fibers, and improves the mechanical properties and ability of the fiber film to resist external forces. At the same time, the Hep-PT fiber film-coated airway stent exhibits excellent cytocompatibility, making it an ideal candidate system for airway stent materials. Full article