Search Results (8,090)

Seed germination induces profound physiological and metabolic changes that promote the synthesis and accumulation of bioactive metabolites in cereal grains. However, the combined effects of germination time and temperature on these responses in black rice (Oryza sativa L.) remain poorly understood. This study investigated how controlled germination modulates the accumulation of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) and phenolic metabolites and identified optimal conditions for obtaining bioactive-rich water-soluble extracts. A central composite design was applied by varying germination time (24–96 h) and temperature (14–32 °C). Germinated flours and their corresponding water-soluble extracts were analyzed for GABA, total soluble phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Response surface methodology, desirability analysis, principal component analysis, heatmap, and partial least squares discriminant analysis were used to characterize metabolic responses and optimize germination conditions. Germination significantly altered metabolite accumulation, with higher GABA levels observed at lower temperatures, whereas phenolic metabolites showed distinct responses to the interaction between time and temperature. Multivariate analyses revealed clear metabolic differentiation among germination treatments. Multi-response optimization identified 27 h and 19.7 °C as the optimal germination conditions. These findings demonstrate that controlled germination modulates the bioactive profile of black rice, enhancing phytochemical accumulation and supporting the production of bioactive-rich water-soluble extracts. Full article

The construction industry’s dependence on ordinary Portland cement (OPC) makes low-carbon binder systems an urgent priority; yet, the nonlinear interactions among multiple supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and nanomaterials complicate rational mix design. This study fuses explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) with a hierarchy of closed-form mathematical formalisms and an experimental durability programme for a quaternary sustainable concrete in which OPC is partially replaced by sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA, 40 kg/m³), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS, 60 kg/m³), natural zeolite (20 or 40 kg/m³) and nano-silica (0–20 kg/m³) at a constant water–binder ratio of 0.45. Thirteen mixes were tested for compressive and flexural strength, rapid chloride penetration (RCPT) and sulfuric acid resistance at 7, 28 and 56 days. The optimum blend (12 kg/m³ nano-silica) reached 45.0 MPa at 28 days, 49.5% above the control, while reducing chloride charge by 70% and acid mass loss by 65%. Information theoretic discrimination among three competing hydration kinetics laws selects the hyperbolic rate model with an Akaike weight of 1.000 (ΔAIC_c > 32), showing the blend raises the ultimate strength ceiling by 46% while delaying half-strength by only two days. Within this mix series, effective binder (k-value) analysis indicates that, at low dosage, one kilogram of nano-silica contributes 28-day strength broadly comparable to that of several tens of kilograms of OPC (a dataset-specific, dose-dependent estimate rather than a general mass equivalence), and three independent estimators—the experimental peak, the response surface stationary point (12.8 kg/m³) and the marginal efficiency zero (13.2 kg/m³)—converge on an optimum nano-silica dosage of 3.0–3.3% of binder. Principal component analysis compresses the six-dimensional strength–durability response into a single latent statistical axis (interpreted as an indicator of pore connectivity) carrying 91.5% of the variance, and a Fickian error function solution seeded by Berke–Hicks conversion of RCPT charge projects a 3.4-fold extension of the chloride-initiation service life (36.7 versus 10.8 years at 50 mm cover). Six machine learning models were benchmarked; extremely randomized trees performed best (R² = 0.9905, RMSE = 0.920 MPa; leave-one-out R² = 0.986; bootstrap 95% CI on R² [0.981, 0.996]), and SHAP force plot attributions were triangulated with Sobol global sensitivity indices (curing age 75.4%, nano-silica 23.1% of output variance) and response surface significance tests. The optimized mixes cut embodied CO₂ by 26–32% and improve eco-strength efficiency 2.1-fold; grey relational analysis over six strength, durability and carbon criteria ranks the 12 kg/m³ nano-silica mixes first. The framework demonstrates how interpretable machine learning, information theoretic model selection, diffusion theoretic service-life projection and experimental durability evidence can be unified into a transparent, physically validated basis for sustainable concrete mix design. Full article

Though many food systems on Earth offer benefits to space travelers, their ability to meet the demands of spaceflight remains unestablished. This study examines the application of magnesium oxide-coated halloysite nanotubes (MgO-HNTs), synthesized via electrodeposition, to enhance seed germination and early plant development under Earth, lunar, and Martian soil conditions. Successful surface modification was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Growth experiments with Heirloom Cherry Tomato and Golden Tomato seeds were conducted under hydroponic and soil-based conditions and subsequently extended to lunar and Martian regolith simulants. A Response Surface Methodology approach, based on a Box-Behnken Design, evaluated the effects of temperature, MgO-HNT concentration, and light duration on multiple growth responses, identifying seedling length and the root length stress tolerance index (RLSI) as the most responsive indicators of treatment. Optimal conditions (25 °C, 12 h photoperiod, 100 mg/mL MgO-HNTs) produced the greatest increases in root and shoot length in Earth soil. In lunar regolith, optimal root development occurred at 100 mg/mL (root length: 17.7 mm, shoot length: 5.08 mm, RLSI: 141.1%, germination: 80%), whereas Martian regolith peaked at 10 mg/mL (root length: 12.3 mm, shoot length: 4.28 mm, RLSI: 167.9%, germination: 100%), which may be associated with differences in the physicochemical properties of the two substrates. These findings offer preliminary evidence that MgO-HNTs can enhance early plant development across terrestrial and extraterrestrial substrates. As this study was limited to a single crop species under short-term, controlled laboratory conditions without direct physiological or biochemical biomarker measurements, further validation will be required to support broader agricultural or in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) applications. Full article

Sea rice harbors a diverse array of bioactive constituents, among which the efficient liberation of phytic acid is pivotal for unlocking its full functional potential. In this study, a co-fermentation system integrating yeast and lactic acid bacteria was established to generate a sea rice fermentation filtrate (SRF) with enhanced phytic acid (PA) content, aiming to broaden its application as a cosmeceutical ingredient and to facilitate the high-value utilization of sea rice. Response surface methodology was employed to optimize the inoculation ratios of the two microbial strains and the fermentation duration, and the PA levels were quantified using a commercial assay kit. The anti-melanogenic activity of SRF was assessed in murine B16 melanoma cells, and the underlying molecular mechanisms were elucidated with particular emphasis on the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β/MITF signaling cascade. Under the optimal conditions, specifically Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) inoculation at 4.5% and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) at 6.0% with a fermentation time of 18 h, the PA concentration reached 576.61 μg/mL. Mechanistically, SRF treatment enhanced GSK3β phosphorylation, which was associated with reduced MITF phosphorylation and diminished the expression of downstream melanogenic enzymes, thereby effectively curtailing melanin synthesis, suggesting that SRF, as a complex fermentation product containing multiple bioactive constituents including PA, exhibits potent whitening efficacy. Collectively, these results provide novel perspectives for the valorization of sea rice and the development of natural skin-lightening agents, while also contributing to the extension of the sea rice industrial value chain. Full article

High groundwater levels can generate excessive uplift pressure beneath canal linings, causing heaving, cracking, and sliding failure. This study developed a multi-objective framework for relief-well dewatering design in a damaged reach of the headrace canal at the HLJ Hydropower Station. A three-dimensional finite-element seepage model, validated using field-monitoring data under a cross-condition validation framework, was combined with a Box–Behnken design and response surface methodology to quantify the effects of relief-well location, spacing, and depth to the pumping control water level on the relative uplift pressure head and pumping rate. NSGA-II was used to generate Pareto-optimal solutions considering hydraulic safety, number of relief wells, and total pumping demand. Hydraulic conductivity sensitivity analysis showed that the sand–gravel layer had the greatest influence on uplift pressure. The maximum adverse head increment of 0.0047 m was adopted as a hydraulic-conductivity sensitivity margin, resulting in a sensitivity-adjusted screening threshold of 0.2253 m. Entropy-weighted TOPSIS identified a compromise design with a well-to-canal-edge distance of 1.95 m, a spacing of 38.8 m, a depth to the pumping control water level of 8.36 m, and 32 relief wells. Monte Carlo weight sensitivity analysis indicated that the TOPSIS ranking was stable under moderate weight variations but became more sensitive at larger perturbations. Finite-element verification yielded a relative uplift pressure head of 0.2232 m and a total pumping rate of 0.3462 m³/s, with the verified head remaining below the sensitivity-adjusted screening threshold and the selected scheme providing a reasonable balance among uplift-pressure control, construction scale, and pumping demand. Full article

A propeller intended for aerial–aquatic vehicles must maintain adequate propulsive performance and structural reliability in both air and water, where the fluid properties and load levels differ substantially. This study presents an engineering workflow combining blade element momentum theory (BEMT), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and one-way fluid–structure coupling to evaluate a propeller under separate air and water operating conditions. Candidate geometries were first screened using a two-stage BEMT procedure. The selected baseline configuration was subsequently analyzed by CFD under three steady operating conditions: air start, water start, and water inflow. The resulting non-uniform surface pressures and centrifugal loads were transferred to a finite element model. The blade root transition was identified as the dominant stress concentration region under all conditions, and the water inflow case produced the most critical structural response, with a maximum von Mises stress of 129.8 MPa and a maximum deformation of 5.378 mm. After local blade root optimization, these values decreased to 87.0 MPa and 3.669 mm, respectively. The proposed workflow provides an efficient approach for preliminary structural assessment and local optimization of propellers operating separately in air and water. The transient air–water interface-crossing process and associated multiphase effects are beyond the scope of the present study. Full article

This study investigated and optimized the operational process parameters of an extrusion-based 3D food printing system to maximize the dimensional fidelity of newly developed Wolffia globosa (duckweed) starch hydrogel constructs relative to a nominal target specification of 30 × 30 × 30 mm. Prior to parameter optimization, synchrotron X-ray tomographic microscopy (SR-XTM) was used to characterize Wolffia globosa particle size and dispersion within the starch matrix, showing that grinding eliminated large particle agglomerates (up to approximately 150 µm) and was necessary for smooth, continuous extrusion; the ground formulation was accordingly selected for all printing trials. A full factorial experimental configuration was executed to examine the synchronized effects of three core process parameters: print-head traverse speed (5–15 mm/s), extrusion speed (5–15 steps/mm), and layer height (1.9–3.7 mm). Experimental responses were evaluated via Three-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) using triplicate measurements (n = 3) at each of the 27 tested parameter combinations. Residual diagnostics indicated an approximately normal distribution for the height model (Shapiro–Wilk p = 0.716), whereas the width and length models showed some departure from normality (p < 0.01), consistent with the significant lack-of-fit detected for these two responses. Three-way ANOVA confirmed that print-head (nozzle) speed was the dominant factor governing the in-plane dimensions (width and length; partial η² ≈ 0.98), while height was jointly governed by all three factors, with layer height and print-head speed contributing the largest effects. With the statistical power afforded by replicate measurements, all two- and three-way interactions among the three factors were also statistically significant for width and length (p < 0.001), refining the single-replicate interaction pattern reported previously. Empirical second-order polynomial equations explained a substantial share of the variance in each dimension (R² = 0.70–0.85), although formal lack-of-fit testing indicated that higher-order interactions not captured by the quadratic terms remained statistically significant, and the equations should therefore be interpreted as descriptive rather than as precise predictive tools. Based on the triplicate means, a print-head speed of 5 mm/s, extrusion speed of 15 steps/mm, and a layer height of 1.9 mm minimized the mean cumulative absolute error to 4.01 mm, yielding a mean dimensional profile of 28.63 ± 0.78 mm width, 27.76 ± 0.96 mm length, and 30.41 ± 0.70 mm height (mean ± SD, n = 3). Full article

By introducing BaTiO₃ into conventional hydroxyapatite (HA) bioactive ceramic coatings, a novel HA/BaTiO₃ piezoelectric-hydrophilic bioactive ceramic coating was developed. In this research, four groups of composite coatings with BaTiO₃ contents of 0, 10, 20, and 30 wt.% were comparatively fabricated and investigated, which in situ constructs a bioelectric microenvironment on the titanium surface. This strategy achieves the effective integration of electrical stimulation with bioactive ceramic coatings, resulting in a piezoelectric-hydrophilic bioactive ceramic layer that mimics biomineralization-driven osteogenesis. Experimental results demonstrate that, through laser cladding, BaTiO₃ particles can be embedded within the piezoelectric-hydrophilic bioactive ceramic coating, endowing the coating with mechano-electrical conversion functionality. Microdomain piezoelectric responses were successfully generated on the coating surface, and based on the maximum local piezoelectric response, the optimal BaTiO₃ content was determined to be 20 wt.%, yielding a microdomain piezoelectric coefficient of 712.6 pm/V. Furthermore, the piezoelectric-hydrophilic bioactive ceramic coating exhibits excellent bioactivity. Electrostatic interactions between piezoelectric charges and inorganic ions in physiological fluids facilitate the adsorption of calcium and phosphorus salts onto the coating surface, thereby enhancing surface hydrophilicity. This promotes the infiltration of inorganic ions and water molecules at the material interface, which in turn strengthens bioactivity, accelerates bone integration, and expedites the establishment of a robust osseointegration interface between joint prostheses and host bone. Full article

This study investigated the removal of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals substances (SASs) in wastewater treatment systems through kinetic analysis and response surface modeling based on a full factorial experimental design (3³). Quadratic models best described the removal of most SASs, revealing nonlinear interactions among experimental factors and identifying the SASs mixture ratio as the key determinant of removal efficiency. Based on their removal behavior, the investigated SASs were classified into three groups: reversible adsorption (FAV, REM), enhanced bioavailability (DCV, DRV) and irreversible adsorption (LOP, RIT). LOP and RIT exhibited the highest adsorption affinities and formed the initial layer on activated sludge, whereas the limited removal of DRV and FAV reduced the overall treatment efficiency. The increased bacterial Colony-Forming Unit (CFU) suggests enhanced microbial activity, which may have promoted extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production, contributing to reduced toxicity toward Aliivibrio fischeri. Finally, integrating RSM-derived polynomial models with artificial intelligence offers a promising approach for predicting and optimizing the removal of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals in conventional wastewater treatment plants. Full article

Recently developed polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) are well-known for their health-promoting properties and provide the opportunity to extract polyphenolic content for innovative nutraceutical development. The extraction of phenolics from three polyphenol-rich EVOOs was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) and ethanol/water mixtures. The effects of water content in ethanol and the solvent-to-oil ratio were evaluated based on results obtained using the Folin–Ciocalteu method. The extracts produced under the optimum conditions were also subjected to HPLC-DAD analysis and their phenolic profiles were obtained. The models derived showed high statistical significance (p ≤ 0.001) and a good fit to the experimental TPC data, as reflected by their R² values of 94.41%, 96.25%, and 93.85%, for EVOOs -A, -B, and -C, respectively. Optimum extraction conditions (100% ethanol, ratio of 7.4–10:1) maximized phenolic yield of 1365.80, 1045.56, and 1005.67 mg Tyr. Eq./kg, for EVOOs -A, -B, and -C, respectively. The optimized extracts were validated in terms of their phenolic profiles, revealing high amounts of hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleocanthal, oleuropein, ligstroside aglycone, and oleacein. These findings contribute to the efficient recovery of polyphenols from polyphenol-rich EVOOs for potential use in the development of innovative nutraceutical supplements, medicinal formulations, and/or functional foods. Full article

Efficient enrichment and rapid determination of trace cadmium (Cd²⁺) in complex environmental and food matrices remain challenging because of severe matrix interference and insufficient sample pretreatment efficiency. Herein, a thiol-functionalized silica-coated magnetic biochar (MBC@SiO₂–SH) was developed as a selective magnetic adsorbent and integrated with a homogeneous chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) to establish an enrichment-assisted analytical strategy for trace Cd²⁺ determination in environmental water and aquatic products. Owing to its abundant thiol coordination sites, large specific surface area, and excellent magnetic responsiveness, MBC@SiO₂–SH exhibited a high practical Cd²⁺ enrichment capacity (82.65 mg/g) under high-loading conditions, remarkable selectivity, and good reusability toward Cd²⁺. Adsorption kinetic, isotherm, thermodynamic, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses revealed that Cd²⁺ uptake was predominantly governed by Cd–S coordination accompanied by physical adsorption. Under the optimized fixed-bed enrichment conditions, the proposed column achieved a preconcentration factor of approximately 40, enabling efficient matrix cleanup and selective enrichment prior to CLIA. The integrated method exhibited excellent analytical performance for both environmental water and aquatic products, with recoveries of 92.26–118.64% and 92.41–108%, respectively, and showed good agreement with ICP-MS. By coupling selective magnetic preconcentration with rapid homogeneous immunodetection, the proposed strategy provides a simple, sensitive, and efficient analytical platform for routine monitoring of trace Cd²⁺ and offers a generalizable framework for enrichment-assisted rapid analysis of trace contaminants in complex environmental and food matrices. Full article

The Temple of Bel in Palmyra, Syria, was destroyed by insurgents in August 2015 after standing for nearly two millennia. This paper presents a new high-resolution digital reconstruction integrating three heterogeneous datasets: terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) captured by Kiyohide Saito in 2010, spherical panoramic imagery from Gabriele Fangi in 2010, and approximately 1580 crowdsourced tourist photographs spanning 1974–2014 from the #NewPalmyra project. We describe a hierarchical alignment methodology that preserves metric accuracy by sequentially registering data sources in order of decreasing geometric fidelity, and document adaptive reconstruction strategies developed in response to observed artifacts when fusing depth sources of disparate resolution. Across the fusion sequence, texture resolution roughly doubles (optimal texel from 33 to 14 mm exterior, 7.1 to 3.7 mm interior) while geometric agreement with the laser moves the other way: from the 6 mm baseline of simply meshing the laser data on the exterior to roughly 3–4 cm once the crowdsourced frame photography is fused in. The laser-and-panorama core stays within the laser’s detection limit, and the geometric cost arrives only with the crowdsourced frame photography. We further find that internal photogrammetric quality metrics do not predict external accuracy: the lowest-reprojection stage is not the most faithful to the laser, and the panorama stage whose surface best matches the laser carries the highest reprojection of all. All primary datasets are published as independent, citable records and served through a web-based environment for full-resolution comparative analysis without specialized software. The reconstruction is presented not as a finished artifact but as an extensible framework for continued development, in which each dataset, stage, and component remains an independently citable, recomposable layer that future imagery and methods can refine. Full article

Distal-less homeobox 1 (DLX1) has emerged as a promising urinary biomarker for prostate cancer. This study developed a label-free piezoelectric acoustic biosensor for selective DLX1 detection using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The QCM gold electrode was sequentially functionalized with L-cysteine, graphene oxide (GO), and an amine-terminated DLX1 capture probe covalently immobilized through EDC–NHS-mediated amide bond formation. Stepwise surface functionalization was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), supported by contact angle measurements, X-ray diffraction, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. XPS provided multi-element evidence for Au–S thiolate formation, GO deposition, amide coupling, probe immobilization, and Watson–Crick hybridization with the synthetic DLX1 target. Under optimized conditions, the biosensor exhibited a linear response to DLX1 concentrations and achieved a limit of detection of 81.19 nM. Non-complementary sequences, including PCA3 and SARS-CoV-2, produced frequency shifts below 9 Hz, confirming high selectivity. Comparative experiments showed that GO-mediated covalent immobilization was essential for reliable detection, whereas direct DNA attachment to bare Au generated anomalous positive frequency shifts, which were attributed to weak physisorption. The proposed platform offers a sensitive and selective strategy for quantitative DLX1 detection and may support future point-of-care nucleic acid diagnostics. Full article

The electrostatic rotary bell (ESRB) sprayer is widely used in the coating industry due to its ability to achieve uniform film thickness and reasonable paint transfer efficiency. However the efficiency of paint transfer and spraying coverage in ESRB systems remain highly sensitive to process parameters. Therefore, optimizing these parameters is essential to reducing paint consumption, energy use, and environmental impact. In this study, a simulation model of the ESRB spraying process was established using ANSYS/Fluent. The spraying flow field, paint deposition profile, and film thickness distribution were validated through the experiment. Based on a single-factor test and the Box–Behnken response surface method, a multi-parameter optimization framework was designed to investigate the effects of six spraying process parameters, including inner and outer shaping air flow rate, bell rotational speed, applied voltage, target distance, and paint flow rate, on coating pattern width and paint transfer efficiency. Based on the Z-score standardization, a mathematical model of the comprehensive score with six factors was established to evaluate spraying efficiency and paint transfer efficiency and predict optimal spraying process parameters. The results indicate that voltage and spray distance are significant factors affecting the comprehensive score, with the order of influence being voltage > spray distance. The optimal parameters were as follows: bell rotational speed X1, 40 kr/min; inner shaping air flow rate X2, 196 sl/min; outer shaping air flow rate X3, 298 sl/min; paint flow rate X4, 249 cc/min; applied voltage X5, 52 kV; and target distance X6, 154 mm. Validation tests showed deviation between the predicted comprehensive score and the actual value from simulation and experiment were 2.03% and 1.36%, respectively. These results demonstrate that the proposed optimization model has high reliability and can be used to optimize spraying process parameters. Full article

Fe/Zn-modified TiO₂ photocatalysts were synthesized by the sol–gel method to investigate the influence of Fe loading, Zn loading, and calcination temperature on the degradation of food-industry pollutants. A 2³ factorial design combined with Response Surface Methodology was employed to optimize the synthesis parameters. The catalysts were characterized by N₂ adsorption–desorption, SEM/EDS, X-ray diffraction coupled with Rietveld refinement and point of zero charge analyses. The materials exhibited mesoporous structures with type IV isotherms, while Fe/Zn modification altered the crystalline phase composition and surface charge of TiO₂. Low metal loading stabilized the anatase phase, whereas higher Fe contents promoted the formation of hematite and rutile. Photocatalytic performance was evaluated through the discoloration and degradation of Red 40 and Tartrazine under natural sunlight and the degradation of cheese whey under artificial irradiation. F10Z2-400 exhibited the highest activity toward Red 40 (99.85% discoloration and 77.02% COD removal), whereas T-400 showed the best performance for tartrazine (86.25% discoloration and 87.61% COD removal). For cheese whey, F10Z10-400 achieved the highest degradation (41.01% COD removal). Reactive-species scavenging indicated that hydroxyl radicals made the predominant contribution to the discoloration of both dyes, followed by superoxide radicals and photogenerated holes. Kinetic analyses indicated that the Behnajady–Modirshahla–Ghanbery model best described the degradation process. RSM identified calcination temperature as the most influential synthesis parameter and showed that the effects of Fe and Zn loading were pollutant-dependent. No single catalyst formulation provided the best performance for all evaluated matrices. Full article