Search Results (4,837)

Laboratories are complex and dynamic environments where diverse hazards—including toxic gas leakage, volatile solvent combustion, and unexpected fire ignition—pose serious threats to personnel safety and property. Traditional monitoring systems relying on single-type sensors or manual inspections often fail to provide timely warnings or comprehensive hazard perception, resulting in delayed response and potential escalation of incidents. To address these limitations, this study proposes a multi-node laboratory safety monitoring and early warning system integrating multi-source sensing, heterogeneous communication, and cloud–edge collaboration. The system employs a LoRa-based star-topology network to connect distributed sensing and actuation nodes, ensuring long-range, low-power communication. A Raspberry Pi-based module performs real-time facial recognition for intelligent access control, while an OpenMV module conducts lightweight flame detection using color-space blob analysis for early fire identification. These edge-intelligent components are optimized for embedded operation under resource constraints. The cloud–edge–app collaborative architecture supports real-time data visualization, remote control, and adaptive threshold configuration, forming a closed-loop safety management cycle from perception to decision and execution. Experimental results show that the facial recognition module achieves 95.2% accuracy at the optimal threshold, and the flame detection algorithm attains the best balance of precision, recall, and F1-score at an area threshold of around 60. The LoRa network maintains stable communication up to 0.8 km, and the system’s emergency actuation latency ranges from 0.3 s to 5.5 s, meeting real-time safety requirements. Overall, the proposed system significantly enhances early fire warning, multi-source environmental monitoring, and rapid hazard response, demonstrating strong applicability and scalability in modern laboratory safety management. Full article

Obligate intracellular parasites must efficiently invade host cells to complete their life cycle and facilitate transmission. For the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the invasion of an erythrocyte is a critical process, and thereby a key target for intervention strategies. In this study, we investigate the role of the ApiAP2 family transcription factor PfAP2-06B (PF3D7_0613800) in the intraerythrocytic developmental cycle of P. falciparum and focus on its regulation of genes involved in erythrocyte invasion. Conditional knockdown of PfAP2-06B resulted in a defect in asexual growth and impaired erythrocyte invasion. Bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that PfAP2-06B modulates the expression of invasion-related genes during the schizont stage. Single-cell RNA sequencing indicated that PfAP2-06B influences invasion gene expression and contributes to stochastic variations in expression of cell-to-cell genes. These results underscore the critical function of PfAP2-06B in the process of erythrocyte invasion and suggest its potential as a target for novel malaria control strategies. Importance: Understanding gene regulation in Plasmodium falciparum is essential for uncovering mechanisms of parasite development and pathogenicity. The research underscores the pivotal role of PfAP2-06B in regulating critical aspects of Plasmodium intraerythrocytic development and host cell invasion, demonstrating that PfAP2-06B plays a key role in orchestrating stage-specific gene expression. These findings provide new insights into the transcriptional networks of P. falciparum and highlight PfAP2-06B as a potential target for therapeutic intervention. This work advances our understanding of malaria pathogenesis and developing effective interventions. Full article

This study proposes an innovative silver-nanoparticle-assisted electrochemical etching method for the fabrication of porous silicon Bragg reflectors with multi-wavelength reflection characteristics. By introducing silver nanoparticles at varying concentrations (0.1–10 mg/mL) into the conventional HF–ethanol electrolyte and applying periodically modulated current densities (40/100 mA/cm²), the transition from single-peak to multi-peak reflection spectra was successfully achieved. The results demonstrate that at a concentration of 10 mg/mL silver nanoparticles, up to four distinct reflection bands can be obtained. A systematic investigation was conducted on the influence of etching cycles (4–20 cycles) and silver nanoparticle concentration on the optical performance and microstructure. SEM analysis revealed well-defined periodic multilayer structures, while XPS analysis confirmed the presence of metallic silver on the porous silicon surface. This work provides a simple, controllable, and cost-effective approach to the development of multifunctional photonic devices, with promising applications in laser optics, solar cells, chemical sensing, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Full article

In saline soil and alpine regions of northwest China, fiber-reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (FR-RAC) beams are subjected to coupled degradation from a chloride–sulfate composite salt attack and freeze–thaw cycling. Existing studies predominantly focus on natural aggregate concrete in freshwater environments or single-salt solutions, with limited documentation on the shear performance of FR-RAC beams after freeze–thaw exposure in chloride–sulfate composite salt solutions. To investigate the durability degradation patterns of FR-RAC beams in Xinjiang’s saline soil regions, two exposure environments (pure water and 5% NaCl + 2.0% Na₂SO₄ composite salt solution) were established. Shear performance tests were conducted on nine groups of FR-RAC beams after 0–175 freeze–thaw cycles, with measurements focusing on failure modes, cracking loads, and ultimate shear capacities. The results revealed that under composite salt freeze–thaw conditions: after 100 cycles, the cracking load and shear capacity of tested beams decreased by 39.8% and 22.2%, respectively, compared to unfrozen specimens representing reductions 29.6% and 82.0% greater than those in freshwater environments; at 175 cycles, cumulative damage intensified, with total reductions reaching 56.8% (cracking load) and 36.1% (shear capacity). A shear capacity degradation prediction model for FR-RAC beams under composite salt freeze–thaw coupling was developed, accounting for concrete strength attenuation and interfacial bond degradation. Model validation demonstrated excellent agreement between predicted and experimental values, confirming its robust applicability. Full article

Background: We aimed to analyze various gait parameters before and after THA for patients with a highly dislocated hip to examine gait recovery and whether it is continued. Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center study. We enrolled 10 patients with a highly dislocated hip (10 hips) due to developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) or sequelae of septic arthritis of the hip (SSH). A spatio-temporal gait analysis was performed before THA with subtrochanteric osteotomy and one year after surgery for all patients, and 5 of them had a complete follow-up gait analysis at five years postoperatively. Demographics, clinical outcome, and radiological data were collected. Results: At one year postoperatively, the terminal double support (TDS) increased from 8.6% (4.3–12.6) to 11.3% (5.8–14.0) of the gait cycle (p = 0.02). The vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) increased from 0.96 N/BW (0.69–1.30) to 1.11 N/BW (0.95–1.31) for the first peak (p = 0.045) and from 0.87 N/BW (0.59–1.12) to 1.10 N/BW (1.00–1.30) for the second peak (p = 0.001). However, there was no improvement in any gait parameters at five years postoperatively compared to one year postoperatively. The mean HHS was 57.2 (43–67) before surgery and 79.6 (61–88) at the last follow-up (p = 0.001). The preoperative leg length discrepancy (LLD), which was 43.6 mm (18.2–71.6), and improved to 9.8 mm (2.1–22.1) after surgery. Conclusions: Improvements in stance-phase stability (TDS) and vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) enhanced gait after THA in patients with highly dislocated hips; however, these gains were only observed until 1 year postoperatively, with no further improvement thereafter. Notably, the magnitude of improvement in TDS and vGRF may exceed that typically reported after THA for primary osteoarthritis. Full article

The demand for reliable Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) of asphalt mixtures is growing, particularly as they are increasingly used in public road construction tenders across Europe. However, the reliability and comparability of EPDs remain limited due to two main challenges: (i) significant variability in dataset selection for key materials such as bitumen and aggregates, and (ii) uncertainty regarding the influence of operational factors, including aggregate moisture, mixing temperature, and transportation. The objective of this research is to assess the influence of dataset selection and operational parameters on the environmental performance of an asphalt mixture, focusing on improving the reliability of EPDs. Within this research, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted using a cradle-to-gate approach (A1–A3), including modules C1–C4 and D, in compliance with EN 15804:2019+A2:2020. Primary data were collected from an asphalt plant in Lithuania, while secondary data were obtained from the Ecoinvent database. The sensitivity analyses were performed to investigate the variation of data set choices and key operational factors that influence the environmental impact. The assessment was carried out using the Simapro 9.6 software and the EF 3.1 impact assessment method. The results indicate significant sensitivity to dataset selection, particularly for bitumen and dolomite production, leading to environmental impact variations of up to 41.8% and 35.3%, respectively. Among operational factors, reducing aggregate moisture from 5% to 3% by sheltering stockpiles helps achieve the highest environmental impact reduction (3.2% under the Aggregate Single Score), while lowering mixing temperatures to 130 °C resulted in a 1.6% decrease. Transportation mode selection contributed to emission variations between 1.8% and 6.7%, with long-distance aggregate transport increasing emissions by up to 14.6%. The research findings underscore the critical need for harmonizing dataset selection and optimizing operational processes to improve asphalt sustainability. Standardizing datasets is essential for ensuring fair and transparent EPD generation for asphalt mixtures, particularly when used in road construction tenders, as seen in several European countries. Future research should explore the integration of reclaimed asphalt (RA) and assess its potential environmental benefits. Full article

To evaluate the frost resistance of basalt fiber-reinforced concrete (BFRC) and predict its service life, this study conducted 225 quick freeze–thaw (F-T) cycle tests. Specifically, it systematically investigated how basalt fiber (BF) volume content (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%) and the incorporation method (single-doped 18 mm, mixed-doped 6 mm/12 mm/18 mm) affect concrete frost resistance. Meanwhile, a two-parameter Weibull distribution model was established to quantitatively predict the service life of BFRC. The results showed that BF significantly improved the frost resistance of concrete: the reference group without BF had a relative dynamic elastic modulus (RDEM) of less than 60% after 25 F-T cycles, while the group with 0.3% volume content of single-doped 18 mm BF still maintained structural integrity after 225 F-T cycles, with a frost resistance grade exceeding F225. Furthermore, within the scope of this study, the frost resistance effect of single-doped 18 mm BF was better than that of mixed-doped BF, and the frost resistance of concrete gradually improved with the increase in BF volume content. In high-altitude cold regions (e.g., Songpan County, Sichuan Province) with 85 annual F-T cycles, the predicted service life of BFRC with 0.3% single-doped BF reached 49 years, which was approximately 25 times that of the reference group (2 years). This study delivers a systematic comparison of the frost resistance between single-doped long and mixed-doped BF, along with a targeted life prediction model for high-altitude cold regions (85 annual F-T cycles, annual temperatures below 6 °C), which collectively offer a theoretical and technical basis for BFRC durability design in freeze–thaw environments. Full article

Mass-balanced compartmental systems defy classical deterministic entropy measures since both metric and topological entropy vanish in dissipative dynamics. By interpreting open compartmental systems as absorbing continuous-time Markov chains that describe the random journey of a single representative particle, we allow established information-theoretic principles to be applied to this particular type of deterministic dynamical system. In particular, path entropy quantifies the uncertainty of complete trajectories, while entropy rates measure the average uncertainty of instantaneous transitions. Using Shannon’s information entropy, we derive closed-form expressions for these quantities in equilibrium and extend the maximum entropy principle (MaxEnt) to the problem of model selection in compartmental dynamics. This information-theoretic framework not only provides a systematic way to address equifinality but also reveals hidden structural properties of complex systems such as the global carbon cycle. Full article

Resveratrol may protect against radiation by modulating cellular metabolism and enhancing the cellular response to stress. Here, we explored its effects on human cardiomyocytes exposed to ionizing radiation. Resveratrol (5 µM) was administered for 1, 7, and 30 days before a single 2 Gy dose of irradiation, and then radiation toxicity and changes in the proteome were evaluated. Extended resveratrol treatment (7 or 30 days) induced more profound proteomic changes than one-day treatment and partially counteracted toxic effects of radiation, leading to increased cell survival, reduced cell death, and fewer cells arrested in the G1 phase. Though resveratrol administration itself had a greater impact on the proteome than radiation alone, we identified three subsets of proteins differently affected by radiation depending on the resveratrol context. The first subset (84 differentially expressed proteins; DEPs) represented proteins influenced by radiation in all resveratrol pretreatment regimens. The second subset (228 DEPs), linked to DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoints, and apoptosis, was affected by radiation only in the absence of resveratrol preconditioning, indicating the compound’s protective effect. The third subset (252 DEPs) involved in metabolism regulation appeared only after extended resveratrol preconditioning. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that hypothetical time-dependent cardioprotective effects of resveratrol are linked to significant proteomic reprogramming of cardiomyocytes caused by long-term pretreatment. Full article

Patchoulene, the characteristic sesquiterpene of patchouli essential oil, is highly valued in the perfume industry for its distinctive woody note and fixative properties. Beyond its olfactory applications, patchoulene has demonstrated promising biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective effects. Current production relies mainly on extraction from Pogostemon cablin plants, which requires long growth cycles (≥8 months), exhibits low yields, and imposes significant environmental constraints. To overcome these limitations, this study aimed to enhance the Whole-cell yield of patchoulene synthase (PcPTS) through structure-informed protein engineering. A semi-rational design approach was employed, combining homology modeling, molecular docking, evolutionary analysis, and molecular dynamics simulations to identify functional residues within the enzyme active site. Ala-scanning mutagenesis highlighted Thr532 as essential for catalytic activity, and coevolutionary analysis indicated synergistic effects between Phe456 and Thr532. Site-directed mutagenesis was conducted to generate single (F456M, T532Y) and double (F456M/T532Y, designated M2) mutants. The double mutant M2 showed a 3.62-fold increase in patchoulene production compared to the wild-type enzyme. In silico analyses suggested that the enhanced performance of M2 originates from improved substrate positioning, reduced structural flexibility, and strengthened molecular interactions, collectively contributing to a lower energy barrier for catalysis. This study provides an effective strategy for the rapid optimization of terpenoid synthases and facilitates the development of microbial cell factories for sustainable and high-yield production of plant-derived terpenoids. Full article

The accurate forecasting of solar power generation is becoming increasingly important in the context of renewable energy integration and intelligent energy management. The variability of solar radiation, caused by changing meteorological conditions and diurnal cycles, complicates the planning and control of photovoltaic systems and may lead to imbalances in supply and demand. This study aims to identify the most effective exponential smoothing approach for real-world PV power forecasting using actual hourly generation data from a 9 MW solar power plant in the Kyiv region, Ukraine. Four exponential smoothing techniques are analysed: Classic, a Modified classic adapted to daily generation patterns, Holt’s linear trend method, and the Holt–Winters seasonal method. The models were implemented in Microsoft Excel (Microsoft 365, version 2408) using real measurement data collected over six months. Forecasts were generated one hour ahead, and optimal smoothing constants were identified via RMSE minimisation using the Solver Add-in. Substantial differences in forecasting accuracy were observed. The Classic simple exponential smoothing model performed worst, with an RMSE of 1413.58 kW and nMAE of 9.22%. Holt’s method improved trend responsiveness (RMSE = 1052.79 kW, nMAE = 5.96%), but still lacked seasonality modelling. Holt–Winters, which incorporates both trend and seasonality, achieved a strong balance (RMSE = 1031.00 kW, nMAE = 3.7%). The best performance was observed with the modified simple exponential smoothing method, which captured the daily cycle more effectively (RMSE = 166.45 kW, nMAE = 0.84%). These results pertain to a one-step-ahead evaluation on a single plant and an extended validation window; accuracy is dependent on meteorological conditions, with larger errors during rapid cloud transi. The study identifies forecasting models that combine high accuracy with structural simplicity, intuitive implementation, and minimal parameter tuning—features that make them well-suited for integration into lightweight real-time energy control systems, despite not being evaluated in terms of runtime or memory usage. The modified simple exponential smoothing model, in particular, offers a high degree of precision and interpretability, supporting its integration into operational PV forecasting tools. Full article

Condition-Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+) has been widely adopted in aerospace and mechanical systems, but its application to single-board computers (SBCs) remains difficult due to scarce failure data and subtle degradation signatures. This study investigates CBM+ for the MVME6100 SBC using accelerated life testing (ALT) to generate degradation trajectories and capture precursor signals. Temperature–humidity cycling and vibration tests were performed, while CPU temperature, memory temperature, and output voltage were continuously monitored. Under stable operation, signals followed ambient variations and showed little statistical drift, making degradation visually indistinguishable. However, precursors emerged before failure: CPU temperature exhibited abnormal behavior during thermal cycling, while vibration stress induced communication noise and irregular thermal behavior. These findings indicate that thermal responses provide reliable precursors for electronic degradation. To evaluate data-driven detection, two neural approaches were applied: an Autoencoder (AE) trained only on normal data and a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network trained on both normal and faulty datasets. The Autoencoder reliably detected anomalies via reconstruction error, while the LSTM accurately classified health states and reproduced lifecycle progression. Together, the results demonstrate that precursor-informed CBM+ is feasible for SBCs and that a hybrid AE–LSTM framework enhances prognostics and health management in mission-critical electronics. Full article

The family Flaviviridae is divided into flaviviruses, hepaciviruses and pestiviruses. Its members infect a wide range of organisms, from insects to humans, and share a similar genome organization where proteins require sequential cleavage from a single translated polyprotein. Despite decades of study, the structures of some non-structural (NS) membrane proteins, or details of their protein–protein interactions (PPIs), are still unclear. Since AlphaFold (AF) can be used to predict interactions between protein domains using Predicted Alignment Error (PAE) score plots, we hypothesized that AF-predicted interactions between domains of complete viral polyproteins can represent PPIs if these interactions are retained once the different proteins are sequentially cleaved. We complemented this approach using AF predictions involving all independent separate protein sequences, instead of using a single polyprotein. We found that most of these PPIs have already been reported experimentally, which validates the use of AF in this context, but not all of these PPIs have been characterized from a structural perspective. Thus, we propose that AF provides testable hypotheses regarding residues involved in these PPIs, and that comparison of the three genera in this family may provide much needed clues to the function of these proteins during the viral life cycle. Full article

Thyroid carcinomas are phenotypically heterogeneous malignancies. Advances in molecular and cellular technologies have revealed genetic, epigenetic, and nongenetic factors underlying this heterogeneity. Our study aimed to assess the impact of single and combined treatments with anticancer agents (Carboplatin, Doxorubicin, Paclitaxel, Avastin), natural compounds (Quercetin), and epigenetic modulators (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid and 5-Azacytidine) on the expression of long noncoding RNAs, methylation regulators, and functional features in the human thyroid cancer cell line K1. Methods: Treated and untreated K1 cells were used throughout experiments to evaluate the drug-induced cytotoxicity, apoptosis, cell cycle distribution, cytokine release, gene expression, and global DNA methylation levels. Results: Some single- and combined-drug treatments modulated both cell cycle progression and apoptotic events, demonstrating anti-tumor activity of the tested compounds. Gene expression analysis showed treatment-specific regulation of target genes and lncRNAs, including both upregulation and downregulation across different drug combinations. All treatments resulted in increased global DNA methylation levels compared to the untreated controls. Several combinations significantly upregulated DNMT1 and DNMT3B, while concomitantly decreased EZH2 levels. Conclusions: These coordinated epigenetic changes highlight the therapeutic potential of combining epigenetic modulators with chemotherapeutic agents, suggesting a strategy to prevent or reverse treatment resistance and improve outcomes in thyroid cancer patients. Full article

N-vinylindoles have attracted attention for their promising role in medicinal chemistry. Therefore, developing new synthetic methods that enable access to diverse functionalized N-vinylindoles with potential pharmacological properties is highly valuable. 1-[2-aryl-1-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)vinyl]-1H-indoles 2a-i were prepared via Knoevenagel condensation promoted by 1H-benzotriazole, and characterized by IR, NMR, and MS spectroscopic data as well as a single-crystal X-ray diffraction-based study of the representative derivative 2g. The obtained compounds 2a-i were screened for their cytotoxic potency against human cancer cell lines (HeLa, SKOV-3, AGS) and non-cancerous cell line (HaCaT) using the MTT assay. Additional apoptosis analysis and cell cycle assay on SKOV-3 cells were conducted. Their antimicrobial activity was determined using reference strains of S. aureus, E. coli, C. albicans, and C. glabrata. The potent inhibitory activity against AGE2-BSA/sRAGE interaction of selected N-vinylindoles 2b, 2d-f, and 2h-i was evaluated by ELISA assay. A facile approach has been developed for the synthesis of a novel class of N-vinylindoles. The preliminary structure–activity considerations indicated that the presence of substituents R, such as 4-bromophenyl (compound 2f) or 2-naphthyl (compound 2i) is optimal for anticancer activity and the AGE2-BSA/sRAGE interaction inhibition. The most prominent (Z)-1-[1-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2-(naphthalen-2-yl)vinyl]-1H-indole (2i) was found to strongly arrest cell cycle in the SKOV-3 cell line in the subG0 phase, inducing apoptosis. Notably, derivative 2i also exhibited the highest activity against S. aureus and C. albicans strains within the tested series. These findings highlight the substantial potential of N-vinylindole derivative 2i as a lead compound for the development of anticancer drugs with additional inhibitory activity on the AGE/RAGE interaction. Full article