Search Results (36)

Existing quadruped robots typically place their center of mass (CoM) near the geometric center of the body to achieve structural symmetry and simplify control design. In contrast, many quadrupedal animals capable of agile running exhibit a pronounced anteriorly biased mass distribution, with the CoM located closer to the front of the body. This biological characteristic motivates a re-examination of whether a geometrically centered CoM necessarily corresponds to dynamically balanced loading between the fore- and hindlimbs during high-speed locomotion. To address this question, this study investigates the influence of longitudinal CoM position on load distribution during high-speed straight-line locomotion of quadruped robots. A unified analytical framework is established by combining whole-body force and pitch moment equilibrium, sagittal-plane kinematics, and Jacobian-based force-to-torque mapping, thereby linking longitudinal CoM position, foot-end support forces, and joint loads. Simulation validation is conducted on the Black Panther 2 quadruped robot using four central-body CoM configurations, denoted as ×0, ×5, ×10, and ×15. In the primary evaluation at 5 m/s, shifting the CoM forward from ×0 to ×15 reduces the absolute median fore–hindlimb differences in support force and joint torque by approximately 86.6% and 93.4%, respectively, indicating a transition from hindlimb-dominated loading toward cooperative load sharing between the fore and hindlimbs. Independent training runs with multiple random seeds further confirm the robustness of this load-redistribution trend to reinforcement learning variability. Consistent behavior is also observed at 8 m/s, while no evident degradation in turning response or locomotion stability is found under the tested turning and randomly generated rough-terrain conditions. These results demonstrate that a moderate forward shift of the longitudinal CoM can alleviate hindlimb load concentration and promote a more balanced fore–hindlimb load distribution, providing a theoretical basis for the morphological design and control optimization of high-speed quadruped robots. Full article

Clarifying how vegetation restoration regulates wind erosion, sediment redistribution, and soil improvement is essential for ecological management in desert photovoltaic power stations. This study was conducted in a high-clearance flexible-support photovoltaic power station at the edge of the Kubuqi Desert. Three restoration measures were compared: reed mulch combined with Atriplex canescens planting along the panel front edge (M1), A. canescens planting along the panel front edge alone (M2), and reed mulch combined with grass seeding (M3). The panel front-edge zone (QY), under-panel zone (BX), and pedestal zone (JZ) were used as functional units to analyze surface sediment grain-size characteristics, soil moisture, soil nutrients, windbreak efficiency, aerodynamic roughness length, and cumulative sand-fixing efficiency. All restoration measures altered the surface sediment structure, with Mz ranging from 2.005 to 2.364 and D₀ from 1.459 to 1.935. Soil moisture ranged from 0.58% to 4.34%, with the highest value occurring in the 20–30 cm layer of QY under M1. M1 also showed higher soil organic matter in QY and JZ, reaching 1.87 and 1.16 g·kg⁻¹, respectively. Windbreak efficiency decreased with height under all measures. M1 maintained the highest and most stable values, decreasing only from 61.16% at 10 cm to 55.52% at 100 cm. The total cumulative sand-fixing efficiency was also highest under M1 (233.66%), while M2 (215.05%) and M3 (214.58%) showed comparable total effects but different zonal responses. Wind-eroded materials shifted from fine-sand dominance toward a higher relative contribution of medium sand, reflecting the reduction in finer transported fractions rather than true grain coarsening. The novelty of this study lies in linking wind-erodible sediment redistribution, soil water and nutrient responses, and windbreak–sand-fixing performance across internal functional zones of a flexible-support photovoltaic array. These results indicate that vegetation restoration in desert photovoltaic power stations should be configured by functional zone, with composite interception at the panel front edge, structural maintenance in the under-panel zone, and cover-based sand trapping in deposition-prone areas. Full article

Understanding how plants regulate nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) allocation among their organs under adverse environmental and climatic conditions remains a significant challenge, despite its direct impact on the value of plant residues and agricultural products. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the dynamics of N and C through their stable isotope ratios in two soybean varieties of differing maturity groups (Merlin and Laulema) inoculated with various nitrogen-fixing Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacterial strains. The contents of N and C as well as their isotopic ratios in soybean plant parts were analyzed at full-flowering (R2) and full-maturity (R8) stages. The results demonstrated overall compatibility between soybean varieties and selected B. japonicum strains, resulting in up to 32 nodules per plant; however, significant variation in root nodule numbers was observed. From a physiological perspective, both the soybean variety and the strain of nitrogen-fixing bacteria significantly influenced nitrogen stable isotope ratios across different plant organs, including roots, shoots, stems, pods, and seeds, with similar trends in δ(¹⁵N) variation among plant parts observed in both varieties. In contrast, the main differences in carbon stable isotope composition were observed among varieties less affected by the amendment strategy. N content was higher in roots and shoots during flowering and declined by twofold in roots and fivefold in aboveground biomass at maturity, reflecting extensive nitrogen remobilization to support seed formation. From an agronomic perspective, the highest yields were achieved by the inoculated soybean Merlin, with more than 3 t ha⁻¹. However, the positive effects of symbiosis can improve yields in less productive varieties like Laulema, making them comparable to those of more productive varieties. Soybean inoculation not only influenced the isotopic redistribution within the plant but also proved to be an effective practice for increasing seed N content, with strain AGF78 producing the highest number of nodules and a significantly high amount of nitrogen in seeds, followed by SEMIA5079, the least effective being RF10. Full article

This review explicitly focuses on agricultural attachments and executing components that interact directly with soil and crops, rather than the tractor vehicle itself. Operating within complex and variable farmland media environments, the key components of agricultural machinery have long been constrained by bottlenecks such as high-energy draught resistance, severe solid–liquid interfacial adhesion, and intense abrasive wear. Bionic functional surfaces, based on the coupling of micro-geometric morphology and surface-interface physical chemistry, provide a scientific approach to overcoming traditional tribological limitations by reconstructing the contact mechanics and fluid dynamics boundaries at the interface. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the latest research progress regarding bionic functional surfaces in the fields of friction reduction, wear resistance, and anti-adhesion in agricultural machinery. The article systematically categorises typical biological prototypes, such as soil-burrowing animals, aquatic organisms, and plant leaves, alongside their multidimensional feature extraction methods. It provides an in-depth analysis of core interaction mechanisms, ranging from static air cushion effects and dynamic wetting evolution to active electro-osmotic soil detachment, interfacial stress redistribution, and microscopic wear debris capture. Furthermore, it evaluates the efficacy of cross-scale coupled numerical simulation technologies in resolving interfacial interactions. At the engineering application level, this review extensively discusses the field performance of bionic structures in typical operational scenarios, including draught reduction in tillage and land preparation, blockage prevention in seed-metering channels, and low-damage harvesting in agricultural machinery. Finally, countermeasures are proposed to address the fatigue degradation of bionic surfaces under alternating field loads and the barriers to the large-scale fabrication of large-sized components. The paper further highlights the development trend towards the deep integration of bionic tribology with digital twins and intelligent wear-state perception technologies, aiming to provide systematic underlying theoretical and technical references for the research and development of the next generation of intelligent agricultural equipment characterised by low energy consumption and a prolonged service life. Full article

Sensor bias faults in closed-loop HVAC systems pose a detection challenge that is both subtle and costly. Because the control loop compensates for biased readings by driving the affected sensor back toward its setpoint, the fault becomes invisible to conventional threshold monitors. The anomaly does not vanish, however; it is redistributed across correlated sensors, disrupting their mutual consistency. We propose a framework that automatically derives virtual temperature sensor models from BRICK schema metadata. LightGBM regressors, trained on fault-free inter-sensor relationships, produce z-scored prediction residuals that serve as detection signals. Fault isolation is achieved by ranking sensors by their median daily anomaly scores; fault-type discrimination relies on analysis of actuator command-position discrepancies. On the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) benchmark, the method achieves an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.9992 for the mildest sensor bias (SA +2 °C), an AUC of 1.0 for all other single-duct air handling unit (SD-AHU) scenarios, and an AUC of 1.0 for all fan coil unit (FCU) sensor bias scenarios. In all four SD-AHU sensor bias scenarios, the biased sensor (SA_TEMP) ranks first or second; for the larger biases (±4 °C), SA_TEMP consistently ranks first. A robustness analysis over 10 random seeds confirms that detection AUC remains above 0.997 in all cases. Sensor and mechanical faults fall into non-overlapping clusters in the command-position discrepancy space. On the FCU system, the proposed method substantially outperforms principal component analysis (PCA) (AUC = 1.0 versus 0.63–0.90) and provides diagnostic capabilities not available with PCA. Notably, a single pipeline function handles both system types without modification, confirming cross-system scalability through the BRICK metadata layer. The results confirm that BRICK-automated virtual sensor construction is a viable approach for scalable, deployment-ready sensor validation in smart-building HVAC systems. Full article

Pedestrian safety at urban intersections requires risk-aware mechanisms that extend beyond binary collision detection toward comparative prioritization among multiple agents. This study introduces the Intelligent Pedestrian Model (IPM), a reference-normalized scalar framework that represents pedestrian risk as a function of trajectory, contextual, infrastructural, and behavioral factors, decomposed into Exposure and Severity components. Building on IPM, the Safety-Prioritized Trajectory Model (SPTM) operationalizes the Exposure component using an observation-only, leakage-free kinematic proxy embedded into a cost-aware negative log-likelihood objective. Evaluation on the ETH/UCY benchmark under a strictly inductive protocol shows that moderate prioritization (β ≈ 1.0) improves best-of-K multimodal performance (ALL FDE@K: 0.979 → 0.970 m) while maintaining mean displacement accuracy within seed-level variability. The results indicate that Exposure-based weighting does not act as a global accuracy enhancer but redistributes predictive capacity toward safety-relevant motion regimes. Validation currently covers two ETH/UCY folds under a controlled inductive protocol, while broader cross-fold evaluation remains for future work. Full article

Amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation is a central mechanistic feature of Alzheimer’s disease, involving heterogeneous conformational ensembles that evolve through monomeric, oligomeric, and fibrillar states. Understanding how small molecules modulate these state-dependent processes remains a major challenge in medicinal chemistry. This review examines the molecular mechanisms by which (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) perturbs Aβ aggregation, with a focus on insights derived from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations integrated with experimental data. MD studies employing structural, dynamical, and interaction-based descriptors (e.g., β-sheet content, contact maps, and salt bridge persistence) reveal that EGCG acts as a state-dependent modulator: it redistributes monomeric ensembles by masking aggregation-prone regions, induces topology switching in oligomers that suppresses seeding competence, and destabilizes protofibrillar β-sheet networks through interfacial and node-targeting interactions. Methodological analysis highlights the importance of force field selection, sampling depth, and aggregate model dependence, leading to a hierarchy of mechanistic confidence that distinguishes well-supported trends from model-specific observations. From a medicinal chemistry perspective, EGCG is best interpreted as a mechanistic probe rather than as a lead compound, informing the design of biostable modulators through principles such as bioisosteric replacement, topology control, and interfacial targeting. Collectively, this work provides a framework for translating the state-dependent aggregation mechanisms into rational therapeutic strategies. Full article

Rose hip processing generates seed-rich by-products that remain underexplored beyond oil extraction, despite their potential as a source of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. This study investigates the effect of bioprocessing (short-term fermentation) on the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of rose hip (Rosa spp.) seed by-products, with relevance to cosmetic-oriented applications related to oxidative stress modulation. Rose hip seeds were obtained after juice production and subjected to short-term fermentation (14 days at 21 °C) using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, followed by mechanical separation and drying. Non-fermented and bioprocessed seeds were analyzed for individual phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP), and correlation and multivariate analyses were conducted. Bioprocessing reduced total identified phenolics from 15.79 to 10.72 mg/g DW (≈32%), primarily due to a decrease in epigallocatechin (10.89 to 6.50 mg/g DW). In parallel, the relative contribution of phenolic acids increased, including gallic acid (0.50 to 0.60 mg/g DW) and salicylic acid (0.98 to 1.20 mg/g DW), indicating a selective compositional redistribution accompanied by partial degradation. Antioxidant activity decreased after bioprocessing (DPPH ~340 to ~250 µmol TE/g DW) but remained substantial. Correlation analysis identified epigallocatechin as the main contributor to antioxidant capacity. These findings show that rose hip seeds behave as a process-sensitive phenolic matrix in which bioprocessing alters the balance of individual compounds without complete loss of antioxidant activity. The results indicate that seed-derived by-products retain functional potential for further valorization in cosmetic-oriented applications. Full article

This study investigates a duckbill-type hole seeder to elucidate the kinematic and force characteristics of hole formation under the dry sowing–wet emergence regime and to provide theoretical support for the optimization of key structural parameters. A bidirectional coupling simulation model based on the discrete element method (DEM) and multibody dynamics (MBD) was established to analyze the motion trajectories of the fixed and movable duckbills, the evolution of three-directional forces, and the associated soil–plastic film disturbance under different combinations of front and rear angles. The results indicate that soil disturbance during hole formation is dominated by vertical penetration and uplift, accompanied by forward cutting and lateral redistribution. The three-directional forces acting on the fixed duckbill exhibit a non-monotonic response with respect to the front angle, decreasing first and then increasing, while the force level during the expansion stage of the movable duckbill generally increases with the rear angle. Within the investigated parameter range, a front angle of 18° combined with a rear angle of 38° resulted in a relatively lower overall force level during penetration and expansion, which is favorable for stable hole formation. Field experiments conducted with this configuration showed an average seed placement deviation of 0.50 cm, satisfying the requirements for precision cotton planting under plastic mulch. The findings provide theoretical insight and methodological support for the structural optimization and engineering design of cotton hole seeders operating under the dry sowing–wet emergence regime. Full article

The foliar application of various biostimulants, such as protein hydrolysates (PHs), has been associated with improved nutrient uptake efficiency and stress tolerance in perennial crops, like olive (Olea europaea L.). In this study, PHs obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis by Alcalase Pure (referred to as treatment H1), Alcalase Pure and Flavourzyme (referred to as treatment H2), or Alcalase Pure and Protana™ Prime (referred to as treatment H3) with proteins from pumpkin seed cake were tested for their potential beneficial growth, performance, and nutrition effects in one-year-old olive seedlings grown under controlled conditions. Amino acid and element compositions were evaluated in the PHs, which were used for foliar application six times at eight-day intervals. Control (C) plants were treated the same way, but without PHs. Shoot and root growth, leaf reflectance indices, and the composition of micro and macronutrients in different organs and leaf tissues were determined. Plants in the H2 treatment grew significantly better than C plants. They had the highest Photochemical Reflectance Index and a Chlorophyll-Normalized Difference Vegetation Index similar to that of C plants, indicating an optimal growth/photosynthesis balance. A decrease in the concentration of several mineral elements in the lower epidermis in H2- and H3-treated plants compared to C and H1-treated plants was accompanied by their increase in the spongy mesophyll, indicating their redistribution to support increased metabolism, resulting in increased shoot growth in these two treatments. Arguably, these observed effects could be attributed to the amino acid profile of the H2 mixture, which had the highest concentration of L-proline, L-arginine, and L-lysine among the three PH mixtures, and a higher L-asparagine concentration than the H1 mixture. Overall, the results highlight the applicative potential of tailored PH formulations for the optimization of growth, mineral element composition, and physiological performance in olive cultivation. Full article

Passive protection is widely assumed to preserve biodiversity and ecological integrity, yet the evidence for long-term vegetation stability in protected temperate forests remains inconclusive. We resurveyed two deciduous forests in SW Poland after 30 years of strict protection to assess temporal changes in their understory vegetation, functional structure, and habitat conditions. Using paired phytosociological relevés (n = 40), collected using the Braun-Blanquet method, we compared baseline (1989–1991) and recent (2022) data with respect to species frequency, Ellenberg indicator values, basic functional traits, and functional diversity. Species composition proved highly stable: only 10% of vascular plant species exhibited significant changes in frequency in particular layers, largely reflecting the vertical redistribution of woody species rather than species turnover. Habitat conditions showed no significant temporal changes. In contrast, the functional structure of the herb layer changed markedly, with significant increases in community-weighted means of seed mass, plant height, and specific leaf area, accompanied by a significant rise in functional diversity. These shifts were partly driven by the increasing abundance of woody species and some opportunistic and invasive species. Our results demonstrate that functional traits may reveal directional ecological changes in passively protected forests even when species composition and habitat indicators remain unchanged, highlighting the importance of trait-based approaches for long-term forest surveys. Full article

This study focuses on determining stress distribution in elastic continuous beam foundations subjected to large eccentricities primarily induced by the overturning moments generated when horizontal forces, like those from earthquakes and wind, act on the superstructure. Traditional linear static solutions provide an incorrect stress distribution when a foundation loses partial contact with the ground, as they erroneously calculate tensile stress in the uplifted regions. This research aims to formulate a mathematical model that accurately calculates the corrected stress distribution. An optimization problem is defined to minimize the discrepancy between the external effects (loads and moments) from the superstructure and the internal resistance effects from the redistributed base stress under the condition of partial foundation uplift. To solve this, meta-heuristic optimization methods, including Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Tree Seed Algorithm (TSA), and Biogeography-Based Optimization (BBO), are employed to derive accurate mathematical formulas. The performance of these methods is evaluated under varying soil conditions and loading scenarios. The Tree Seed Method has consistently delivered the most accurate results, with near-zero optimization errors. The findings provide the applicability of algorithmic methods and their potential for improving stress distribution modeling in elastic foundations. Full article

Lilium species produce some of the most commercially valuable ornamental flowers in the world, characterized by their attractiveness and high demand in cut flower markets. However, it is necessary to strengthen the competitiveness of this sector in the global market. Due to strong competition from international producers and an increasingly demanding market regarding quality, shelf life, and sustainability, alternatives are being sought to counteract the use of conventional agrochemicals. The use of nanoparticles has emerged as a promising strategy in ornamental horticulture due to their ability to enhance plant growth, improve stress tolerance, and stimulate physiological processes, ultimately contributing to higher quality and productivity. The hypothesis of this research is that the foliar application of selenium and titanium dioxide nanoparticles during the vegetative growth and flowering stages significantly enhances the growth, development, and flowering of Lilium plants when compared with untreated plants. Therefore, the physiological effects of SeNPs and TiO₂NPs applied via foliar application in two concentrations (SeNPsD1, SeNPsD2, TiNPsD1, and TiNPsD2) were evaluated against absolute control. The treatments were applied in two phenological stages (vegetative and reproductive development), and their effects on vegetative and reproductive variables in Lilium plants were evaluated from 120 to 270 days after sowing. The surface of seeds obtained from SeNPsD1-treated plants was further analyzed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results demonstrate that the application of SeNPs generated variable effects depending on the phenological stage. In the vegetative stage (46 DAS), SeNPsD2 increased the number of leaves by 118%, while SeNPsD1 increased the fresh weight of leaves by 110%. Regarding ovaries, the application of SeNPsD2 resulted in a 276% increase in fresh weight and a 230% increase in dry weight, while SeNPsD1 achieved an increase of 164% in fresh weight. Furthermore, at this stage, SeNPsD2 promoted a 223% increase in the number of bulbils, a 240% increase in fresh weight, and a 199% increase in dry weight. In the reproductive stage (69 DAS), SeNPsD1 increased the leaf fresh weight by 1% and yielded a 107% increase in the number of ovaries, in addition to 307% and 328% increases in their fresh and dry weights, respectively. In the same stage, SeNPsD2 increased the fresh ovary weight by 153%, compared with the control. Finally, capsule formation was observed only under the SeNPsD1 treatment. Meanwhile, TiO₂NPs had an effect on the number of buds and the number of open buds: the number of buds increased by 115% with TiNPsD1 (69 DAS) and the number of open buds increased by 104% (46 DAS) with TiNPsD1; in the reproductive stage, the number increased by 115% with TiNPsD1 compared with the control. In the seed capsules of plants treated with selenium nanoparticles (SeNPsD1), although no surface selenium was detected via EDS, elements that had possibly been physiologically redistributed were identified, including iron (Fe), silicon (Si), and aluminum (Al). These findings confirm the hypothesis of this research, demonstrating that the foliar application of SeNPs and TiO₂NPs to Lilium plants during the vegetative and reproductive stages significantly improves their vegetative growth, reproductive development, and floral quality under controlled conditions. This work presents the first comparative evidence regarding the effects of SeNPs and TiO₂NPs on the vegetative and reproductive characteristics of Lilium Sunny Oriental, providing unprecedented information for the use of nanotechnology in ornamental horticulture. The findings confirm the potential use of nanoparticles as agents to optimize the productivity and commercial quality of ornamental flowers in highly competitive markets. Full article

The cytosine methylation status of symmetric and asymmetric sites of promoters of the genes encoding the membrane-bound subunits C and D of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) was assessed during the germination of maize (Zea mays L.) seeds, when the stored lipids were utilized and the glyoxylate cycle produced succinate. The results of bisulfite sequencing of the promoters of Sdh genes in maize scutella allowed us to determine the cytosine methylation status in the CG, CNG, and CNN sites. The observed site-specific changes in the cytosine methylation status of the Sdh3-1 and Sdh3-2 genes encoding the SDH subunit C indicate an important role in controlling their transcriptional activity. In contrast, no marked changes were observed in the methylation of promoters of the Sdh4 gene, encoding SDH subunit D. The analysis of changes in the activity of the CG, CNG, and CNN DNA methyltransferases revealed the redistribution of activity between CG, CNG, and CNN DNA methyltransferases toward an increase in the proportion of CG DNA methyltransferases. The locus-specific methylation dynamics of SDH membrane subunit promoters during maize germination have been demonstrated. It is concluded that the changes in the cytosine methylation status may play a role in the regulation of the expression of the Sdh genes in the course of the conversion of succinate formed in the glyoxylate cycle. Full article

Magnetic field (MF) priming provides a chemical-free alternative to conventional methods; however, static exposure approaches are often limited by spatial heterogeneity in field–seed interaction caused by fixed seed positioning, undermining both treatment uniformity and reproducibility. To address this, the present study investigated the effects of dynamic MF exposure on the germination and early growth of Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML 105) rice seeds. A novel MF testing apparatus was developed using a 150 mT permanent magnet and a vortex-based air injection system designed to continuously rotate and redistribute seeds, ensuring uniform exposure. Seeds were treated for 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 min to evaluate effects on vigor, germination, and seedling growth. The results showed that 5 and 10 min exposures significantly enhanced seed vigor (93.00% and 94.67%, respectively) compared to the control (83.33%), with 10 min yielding the highest improvement (p < 0.05, DMRT). Shoot and root growth also increased by 14.21% and 99.59%, respectively. These findings suggest that moderate-duration dynamic MF exposure is an efficient, eco-friendly priming technique for improving seed vigor and early growth. Future research should explore long-term agronomic impacts, economic feasibility, and varietal responses. The apparatus’s scalable design supports integration into industrial seed processing lines, advancing sustainable rice production. Full article