Search Results (1,628)

Palindromic antimicrobial peptides (PAMs) constitute versatile scaffolds for the design and optimization of anticancer agents with applications in therapy, diagnosis, and/or monitoring. In the present study, fluorolabeled peptides derived from the palindromic sequence RWQWRWQWR containing fluorescent probes, such as 2-Aminobenzoyl, 5(6)-Carboxyfluorescein, and Rhodamine B, were obtained. RP-HPLC analysis revealed that the palindromic peptide conjugated to Rhodamine B (RhB-RWQWRWQWR) exhibited the presence of isomers, likely corresponding to the open-ring and spiro-lactam forms of the fluorescent probe. This equilibrium is dependent on the peptide sequence, as the RP-HPLC analysis of dimeric peptide (RhB-RRWQWR-hF-KKLG)₂K-Ahx did not reveal the presence of isomers. The antibacterial activity of the fluorescent peptides depends on the probe attached to the sequence and the bacterial strain tested. Notably, some fluorescent peptides showed activity against reference strains as well as sensitive, resistant, and multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of E. coli, S. aureus, and E. faecalis. Fluorolabeled peptides 1-Abz (MIC = 62 µM), RhB-1 (MIC = 62 µM), and Abz-1 (MIC = 31 µM) exhibited significant activity against clinical isolates of E. coli, S. aureus, and E. faecalis, respectively. The RhB-1 (IC₅₀ = 61 µM), Abz-1 (IC₅₀ = 87 µM), and RhB-2 (IC₅₀ = 35 µM) peptides exhibited a rapid, significant, and concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells, accompanied by morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis. RhB-1 (IC₅₀ = 18 µM) peptide also exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cells MCF-7. These conjugates remain valuable for elucidating the possible mechanisms of action of these novel anticancer peptides. Rhodamine-labeled peptides displayed cytotoxicity comparable to that of their unlabeled analogues, suggesting that cellular internalization constitutes a critical early step in their mechanism of action. These findings suggest that cell death induced by both unlabeled and fluorolabeled peptides proceeds predominantly via apoptosis and is likely contingent upon peptide internalization. Functionalization at the N-terminal end of the palindromic sequence can be evaluated to develop systems for transporting non-protein molecules into cancer cells. Full article

(1) Background: Physical inactivity is a major public health concern in modern society. Group fitness programs are widely used to promote physical activity, combining choreographed movements with various dance steps and music. This study aimed to examine the effects of Zumba and MoFit group fitness programs on body composition parameters in women. (2) Methods: The study included 98 female participants (Mean age = 27.8 ± 2.9 years), divided into three groups: E1 (n = 33), which followed the experimental Zumba program; E2 (n = 31), which followed the experimental MoFit program; and a control group (n = 34), which continued with their usual daily activities for 10 weeks. Body composition was assessed using 14 variables measured with the InBody 270 analyser. Statistical analyses included paired t-tests, MANCOVA, and ANCOVA. (3) Results: The findings confirmed the positive effects of both group fitness programs on most body composition parameters in women (p < 0.001). However, Bonferroni post hoc test results indicated that the Zumba program led to significantly greater improvements in most body composition variables compared to the MoFit program. (4) Conclusions: Both Zumba and MoFit programs were effective in reducing body fat, increasing muscle mass, total body water, and mineral content, whereas the control group did not achieve positive changes. Full article

Sanicro 25 (X7NiCrWCuCoNb25-23-3-3-2) steel is specifically designed for use in superheater components within the latest generation of conventional power plants. These power plants operate under conditions often referred to as super-ultra-supercritical, with steam parameters that can reach up to 30 MPa and temperatures of 653 °C for fresh steam and 672 °C for reheated steam. While last-generation supercritical power plants still rely on fossil fuels, they represent a significant step forward in more sustainable energy production. The most sophisticated facilities of this kind can achieve thermodynamic efficiencies exceeding 47%. This study aimed to conduct a detailed analysis of the initial precipitation processes occurring in Sanicro 25 steel within the temperature range of 700–900 °C. The temperature of 700 °C corresponds to the operational conditions of this material, particularly in secondary steam superheaters in thermal power plants that operate under ultra-supercritical parameters. Understanding precipitation processes is crucial for optimizing mechanical performance, particularly in terms of long-term strength and creep resistance. To accurately assess the microstructural changes that occur during the early stages of service, a digital twin approach was employed, which included CALPHAD simulations and experimental heat treatments. Experimental annealing tests were conducted in air within the temperature range of 700–900 °C. Precipitation behavior was simulated using the Thermo-Calc 2025a with Dictra software package. The results from Prisma simulations correlated well with the experimental data related to the kinetics of phase transformations; however, it was noted that the predicted sizes of the precipitates were generally smaller than those observed in experiments. Additionally, computational limitations were encountered during some simulations due to the complexity arising from the numerous alloying elements present in Sanicro 25 steel. The microstructural evolution was investigated using various methods, including light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Full article

This study investigates the friction stir joining of AA6082-T6 aluminum alloy and Noryl GFN2 polymer in a buttstrap configuration, targeting the development of lightweight cylindrical-shaped structures where the polymer provides thermal, chemical, and electrical insulation, while the aluminum ensures mechanical integrity. A parametric analysis was carried out to assess the ability to produce friction stir buttstrap composite panels in a single processing step and assess the resulting tensile and flexural behavior. To that end, travel and rotating speeds ranging from 2150 to 2250 rpm, and 100 to 140 mm/min, respectively, were employed while keeping plunge depth and the tilt angle constant. A total of nine composite joints were successfully produced and subsequently subjected to both tensile and four-point bending tests. The tensile and flexural strength results ranged from 80 to 139 MPa, and 39 to 47 MPa, respectively. Moreover, the microstructural examination revealed that all joints exhibited a defect within the joining region and its size and shape had a significant effect on tensile strength, whereas the flexural strength was less affected with more uniform results. The joining region was also characterized by a decrease in hardness, particularly in the pin-affected region on the aluminum end of the joint, exhibiting a W-shaped pattern. Contrarily, on the polymeric end of the joining region, no significant change in hardness was observed. Full article

The environmental detriments of the growing global production and overconsumption of beef, including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and biodiversity loss, are well-documented. However, public awareness of how dietary choices affect the environment remains limited. This study examines sustainability views on beef consumption and the potential for behavioral change as a step toward more sustainable intake levels. An observational web-based survey was conducted (n = 1367) to assess respondents’ current beef intake frequency, views on beef consumption related to planetary health, tropical deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change, and willingness to modify beef consumption behavior. Chi-square tests were used for group comparisons, and weighted average scores were applied to rank levels of resistance to reducing beef intake. Environmental concern related to beef consumption was associated with greater beef cutback intentions and lower long-term intake reduction resistance amongst beef eaters. Beef eaters who strongly agreed that global beef consumption negatively impacts the environment were considerably more likely to express intentions to reduce their long-term beef intake compared to those who strongly disagreed (94.4% vs. 19.6%). Overall, 76.6% of beef eaters indicated wanting to eat less beef or phase it out entirely (30.7% reduce, 29.4% minimize, 16.6% stop), with only 23.4% of them intending to keep their consumption unchanged. Compelling messages that help translate awareness into action, such as the #NoBeefWeek concept explored in this study, may support individuals in adopting more sustainable food choices. These cross-national findings provide evidence for a ‘knowledge–intent’ gap in sustainable diet research, with relevance for health communicators and policymakers. Future research could examine the factors and motivations influencing decisions to modify beef consumption, including the barriers to achieving sustainable consumption levels and the role of suitable alternatives in facilitating this transition. Full article

Polymethyl methacrylate nanoparticles functionalized with three different compounds, acrylic acid (AA), curcumin (CUR), and fumaramide (FA), were tested in a two-step solid–liquid extraction process (extraction and stripping) for yttrium recovery. In both stages, the best conditions were determined: pH, solid–liquid ratio and the compound with the highest affinity for yttrium recovery, obtaining 90% of efficiency for both stages in a single work cycle. The results obtained by SEM ruled out the growing of nanoparticles by swelling and confirmed the formation of structural arrangements by the addition of the metal to the system. In addition, there is evidence that the recovery process can be selective considering the mixing of rare earth elements through changes in pH. Using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), the thermodynamic properties of the extraction process were calculated, understanding the system as the union of a macromolecule and a ligand. The results showed that the extraction process was spontaneous and highly entropic. Full article

As a core component of automated logistics systems, delivery robots hold significant application value in the field of unmanned delivery. This research addresses the robot path planning problem, aiming to enhance delivery efficiency and reduce operational costs through systematic improvements to the RIME optimization algorithm. Through in-depth analysis, we identified several major drawbacks in the standard RIME algorithm for path planning: insufficient global exploration capability in the initial stages, a lack of diversity in the hard RIME search mechanism, and oscillatory phenomena in soft RIME step size adjustment. These issues often lead to undesirable phenomena in path planning, such as local optima traps, path redundancy, or unsmooth trajectories. To address these limitations, this study proposes the Multi-Strategy Controlled Rime Algorithm (MSRIME), whose innovation primarily manifests in three aspects: first, it constructs a multi-strategy collaborative optimization framework, utilizing an infinite folding Fuch chaotic map for intelligent population initialization to significantly enhance the diversity of solutions; second, it designs a cooperative mechanism between a controlled elite strategy and an adaptive search strategy that, through a dynamic control factor, autonomously adjusts the strategy activation probability and adaptation rate, expanding the search space while ensuring algorithmic convergence efficiency; and finally, it introduces a cosine annealing strategy to improve the step size adjustment mechanism, reducing parameter sensitivity and effectively preventing path distortions caused by abrupt step size changes. During the algorithm validation phase, comparative tests were conducted between two groups of algorithms, demonstrating their significant advantages in optimization capability, convergence speed, and stability. Further experimental analysis confirmed that the algorithm’s multi-strategy framework effectively suppresses the impact of coordinate and dimensional differences on path quality during iteration, making it more suitable for delivery robot path planning scenarios. Ultimately, path planning experimental results across various Building Coverage Rate (BCR) maps and diverse application scenarios show that MSRIME exhibits superior performance in key indicators such as path length, running time, and smoothness, providing novel technical insights and practical solutions for the interdisciplinary research between intelligent logistics and computer science. Full article

The urgent need for complex terrain adaptability in industrial automation and disaster relief has highlighted the great potential of octopedal wheel-legged robots. However, their design complexity and motion control challenges must be addressed. In this study, an innovative design approach is employed to construct a highly adaptive robot architecture capable of intelligently adjusting the wheel-leg configuration to cope with changing environments. An advanced kinematic analysis and simulation techniques are combined with inverse kinematic algorithms and dynamic planning to achieve a typical ‘Step-Wise Octopedal Dynamic Coordination Gait’ and different gait planning and optimization. The effectiveness of the design and control strategy is verified through the construction of an experimental platform and field tests, significantly improving the robot’s adaptability and mobility in complex terrain. Additionally, an optional integrated quadrotor module with a compact folding mechanism is incorporated, enabling the robot to overcome otherwise impassable obstacles via short-distance flight when ground locomotion is impaired. This achievement not only enriches the theory and methodology of the multi-legged robot design but also establishes a solid foundation for its widespread application in disaster rescue, exploration, and industrial automation. Full article

Oases in arid regions are critical ecosystems, providing essential ecological, agricultural, and socio-economic functions. However, urbanization and climate change increasingly threaten their sustainability. This study examines land cover (LULC) and land surface temperature (LST) dynamics in four representative North African oases: Tolga (Algeria), Nefta (Tunisia), Ghadames (Libya), and Siwa (Egypt) over the period 2000–2023, using Landsat satellite imagery. A three-step analysis was employed: calculation of NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), NDBI (Normalized Difference Built-up Index), and LST, followed by supervised land cover classification and statistical tests to examine the relationships between the studied variables. The results reveal substantial reductions in bare soil (e.g., 48.10% in Siwa) and notable urban expansion (e.g., 136.01% in Siwa and 48.46% in Ghadames). Vegetation exhibited varied trends, with a slight decline in Tolga (0.26%) and a significant increase in Siwa (+27.17%). LST trends strongly correlated with land cover changes, demonstrating increased temperatures in urbanized areas and moderated temperatures in vegetated zones. Notably, this study highlights that traditional urban designs integrated with dense palm groves significantly mitigate thermal stress, achieving lower LST compared to modern urban expansions characterized by sparse, heat-absorbing surfaces. In contrast, areas dominated by fragmented vegetation or seasonal crops exhibited reduced cooling capacity, underscoring the critical role of vegetation type, spatial arrangement, and urban morphology in regulating oasis microclimates. Preserving palm groves, which are increasingly vulnerable to heat-driven pests, diseases and the introduction of exotic species grown for profit, together with a revival of the traditional compact urban fabric that provides shade and has been empirically confirmed by other oasis studies to moderate the microclimate more effectively than recent low-density extensions, will maintain the crucial synergy between buildings and vegetation, enhance the cooling capacity of these settlements, and safeguard their tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Full article

Path planning and collision avoidance are essential components of an autonomous driving system (ADS), ensuring safe navigation in complex environments shared with other road users. High-quality planning and reliable obstacle avoidance strategies are essential for advancing the SAE autonomy level of autonomous vehicles, which can largely reduce the risk of traffic accidents. In daily driving scenarios, lane changing is a common maneuver used to avoid unexpected obstacles such as parked vehicles or suddenly appearing pedestrians. Notably, lane-changing behavior is also widely regarded as a key evaluation criterion in driver license examinations, highlighting its practical importance in real-world driving. Motivated by this observation, this paper aims to develop an autonomous lane-changing system capable of dynamically avoiding obstacles in multi-lane traffic environments. To achieve this objective, we propose a hierarchical decision-making and control framework in which a Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) agent operates as the high-level planner to select lane-level maneuvers, while a High-Order Control Lyapunov Function–High-Order Control Barrier Function–based Quadratic Program (HOCLF-HOCBF-QP) serves as the low-level controller to ensure safe and stable trajectory tracking under dynamic constraints. Simulation studies are used to evaluate the planning efficiency and overall collision avoidance performance of the proposed hierarchical control framework. The results demonstrate that the system is capable of autonomously executing appropriate lane-changing maneuvers to avoid multiple obstacles in complex multi-lane traffic environments. In computational cost tests, the low-level controller operates at 100 Hz with an average solve time of 0.66 ms per step, and the high-level policy operates at 5 Hz with an average solve time of 0.60 ms per step. The results demonstrate real-time capability in autonomous driving systems. Full article

Background: Prevention and clinical management of musculoskeletal injuries have historically focused on the assessment and training of modifiable physical factors, but perceptual decision-making has only recently been recognized as a potentially important capability. Immersive virtual reality (VR) systems can measure the speed, accuracy, and consistency of body movements corresponding to stimulus–response instructions for the completion of a forced-choice task. Methods: A cohort of 26 female college soccer players (age 19.5 ± 1.3 years) included 10 players who participated in a baseline assessment, 10 perceptual-response training (PRT) sessions, a post-training assessment that preceded the first soccer practice, and a post-season assessment. The remaining 16 players completed an assessment prior to the team’s first pre-season practice session, and a post-season assessment. The assessments and training sessions involved left- or right-directed neck rotation, arm reach, and step-lunge reactions to 40 presentations of different types of horizontally moving visual stimuli. The PRT program included 4 levels of difficulty created by changes in initial stimulus location, addition of distractor stimuli, and increased movement speed, with ≥90% response accuracy used as the criterion for training progression. Perceptual latency (PL) was defined as the time elapsed from stimulus appearance to initiation of neck rotation toward a peripheral virtual target. The speed–accuracy tradeoff was represented by Rate Correct per Second (RCS) of PL, and inconsistency across trials derived from their standard deviation for PL was represented by intra-individual variability (IIV). Perceptual Decision Efficiency (PDE) represented the ratio of RCS to IIV, which provided a single value representing speed, accuracy, and consistency. Statistical procedures included the bivariate correlation between RCS and IIV, dependent t-test comparisons of pre- and post-training metrics, repeated measures analysis of variance for group X session pre- to post-season comparisons, receiver operating characteristic analysis, and Kaplan–Meier time to injury event analysis. Results: Statistically significant (p < 0.05) results were found for pre- to post-training change, and pre-season to post-season group differences, for RCS, IIV, and PDE. An inverse logarithmic relationship was found between RCS and IIV (Spearman’s Rho = −0.795). The best discriminator between injured and non-injured statuses was PDE ≤ 21.6 (93% Sensitivity; 42% Specificity; OR = 9.29). Conclusions: The 10-session PRT program produced significant improvement in perceptual decision-making that appears to provide a transfer benefit, as the PDE metric provided good prospective prediction of musculoskeletal injury. Full article

A central challenge in movement neuroscience is developing methods for non-invasive spatiotemporal imaging of brain activity during natural, whole-body movement. We test the utility of a new brain imaging modality, optically pumped magnetoencephalography (OP-MEG), as an instrument to study the spatiotemporal dynamics of human walking. Specifically, we ask whether known physiological signals can be recovered during discrete steps involving large-scale, whole-body translation. Our findings show that by using OP-MEG, we can image the brain during large-scale, natural movements. We provide proof-of-principle evidence for movement-related changes in beta band activity during stepping vs. standing, which are source-localized to the sensorimotor cortex. This work supports the significant potential of the OP-MEG modality for addressing fundamental questions in human gait research relevant to both the physiological and pathological mechanisms of walking. Full article

Background/Objectives: Guided implant surgery relies on the use of surgical templates to direct osteotomy drills, but guide design may influence irrigation efficiency, hence bone overheating, a critical factor in preventing thermal necrosis. This ex vivo study compared temperature changes when drilling using two guide designs: a closed-frame (occlusive structure) and an open-frame (non-occlusive design), evaluating their clinical relevance in mitigating overheating. Methods: Sixteen pig ribs were scanned, and implant osteotomies were planned via a guided surgery software. Two 3D-printed resin templates, one with a closed-frame design and one with an open-frame design, were tested (8 ribs per group, 24 implants per group). Drilling was performed sequentially (diameter of 1.9 mm, 3.25 mm, and 4.1 mm) at 800 rpm, while bone temperatures were recorded at depths of 3 mm and 10 mm using K-type thermo§s. Results: Significantly higher temperature rises were observed with the closed-frame guide. Drilling depth had also a significant influence, with higher temperatures at 3 mm than 10 mm (p < 0.001), suggesting that cortical bone density may amplify frictional heat. No significant effect of drill diameter was detected. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this ex vivo model, the open-frame design kept the maximal temperature rise about 0.67 °C lower than the closed-frame guide (1.22 °C vs. 0.55 °C), i.e., a 2.2-fold relative reduction was observed during the most demanding drilling step. This suggests a more efficient cooling capacity, especially in dense cortical bone, which offers a potential benefit for minimizing thermal risk in guided implant procedures. Full article

Background: Interventions involving Olympic combat sports, such as Taekwondo (TKD) and Boxing (BOX), represent innovative approaches for promoting health in older people. Elastic bands training (EBT), by contrast, is a safe and cost-effective method that has demonstrated positive effects on functional physical parameters in this population. This study aimed to compare the effects of TKD and BOX interventions, relative to EBT, on body composition and physical function in Chilean older women. Methods: This randomized controlled trial comprised three parallel groups: TKD (n = 10), BOX (n = 10), and EBT (n = 10). Participants in each group underwent pre- and post-intervention assessments following two 60 min sessions per week over an eight-week period. Results: Multiple comparisons revealed significant advantages for EBT over TKD and BOX in maximal isometric handgrip strength for both the dominant (p < 0.001; d = 0.967, large effect) and non-dominant (p < 0.001; d = 0.641, moderate effect) hands. Conversely, significant improvements in Timed Up-and-Go performance were observed in the TKD and BOX groups compared to EBT (p < 0.001; d = 2.071, large effect). All groups showed significant within-group improvements in the 30 s chair stand test (p < 0.001; d = 0.095, large effect). No significant changes were found in body fat percentage, fat-free mass, back scratch test, sit-and-reach test, or 2 min step test across groups. Conclusions: Although no substantial differences were observed between groups for most variables, TKD and BOX interventions significantly reduced Timed Up-and-Go times, whereas EBT enhanced maximal isometric handgrip strength in both hands. These findings highlight the distinct functional benefits of each intervention modality for older Chilean women. Full article

This study explores the utilization of waste grape pomace-derived hydrochar as an efficient adsorbent for lead (Pb²⁺) removal from aqueous solutions. Hydrochar was produced via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) at 220 °C, followed by doping with magnesium and iron salts, and subsequent pyrolysis at 300 °C to obtain Fe/Mg-pyro-hydrochar (FeMg-PHC). The material’s structural and morphological changes after Pb²⁺ adsorption were examined using FTIR. FTIR revealed chemisorption and ion exchange as key mechanisms, shown by decreased hydroxyl, carbonyl, and metal–oxygen peaks after Pb²⁺ adsorption. Adsorption tests under varying pH, contact time, and initial Pb²⁺ concentrations revealed optimal removal at pH 5. Kinetic modeling indicated that the process follows a pseudo-second-order model, suggesting chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. Isotherm analysis showed that the Sips model best describes the equilibrium, with a maximum theoretical adsorption capacity of 157.24 mg/g. Overall, the simple two-step synthesis—HTC followed by pyrolysis—combined with metal doping yields a highly effective and sustainable adsorbent for Pb²⁺ ion removal from wastewater. Full article