Search Results (7,769)

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

This study presents the design of a compact low-index-contrast structure capable of trapping electromagnetic waves within a highly confined region. The energy storage performance of the geometries was enhanced using a genetic algorithm that employed a binary (present/absent) assignment of insulating cylinders. Time-domain simulations performed with MEEP were experimentally validated using precisely positioned $\theta$-phase alumina rods, resulting in a 13 dB increase in receiver-antenna power within the microwave regime. The measurements showed a correlation exceeding 99% with the computational results over a dielectric constant range of 4.5 to 5.0. A quality factor of Q $=3.6\times {10}^3$ was measured at 5.08 GHz in the experiment. Subsequently, machine learning techniques were applied, further increasing the Q value to approximately ${10}^4$, even within such a small configuration. Furthermore, the proposed structure does not require a complete photonic bandgap; instead, relatively high-Q factors were achieved by suppressing radiation losses through a pattern of low-index dielectric rods. Full article

Deep neural networks suffer performance drops when source and target domains differ in distribution, motivating research into domain adaptation (DA). Traditional DA approaches presume source samples come from a single domain and can be available during adaptation. Nevertheless, in real-world applications, multiple source domains often exist, and source samples may be inaccessible owing to privacy and storage limitations. In response to the challenges of multi-source and source-free, multi-source-free domain adaptation (MSFDA) is proposed, which captures transferable information from a set of pre-trained source models to boost performance of the model on target domain. Most MSFDA methods meet these challenges by utilizing pseudo-labeling. However, pseudo-labels generated by distinct source models may contain noise and even be contradictory, which weakens their efficacy in facilitating source models adapting to the target domain. Moreover, these methods do not consider class imbalance, which would lead to biased predictions for minority classes, and undermine adaptation. Therefore, we propose a novel MSFDA method which extends adversarial learning to a multi-source-free setting. This method presents proxy multi-source domain adversarial learning, which aligns target features extracted by different source models in an adversarial manner, enhancing the capability of source models to extract domain-invariant features and potentially obtain high-quality pseudo-labels. Moreover, a nuclear-norm maximization regularization is employed to constrain prediction matrices, which can reduce the prediction uncertainty and enhance the discriminability of the model, while mitigating the prediction bias and promoting the prediction accuracy for minority classes. Finally, comprehensive evaluations on four benchmark datasets prove the validity of the proposed method. Full article

The development of functional foods has historically centered on the identification and enhancement of bioactive compounds; however, bioactivity alone does not guarantee successful translation into safe, stable, and regulatory-compliant products. A substantial proportion of functional ingredients fail during commercialization due to inadequate consideration of processing stability, food safety risks, and regulatory constraints at early stages of product design. This narrative review presents an integrated, application-oriented framework for functional food development that systematically links processing technologies, safety assurance, and regulatory readiness. Conventional and emerging processing approaches, including fermentation, thermal treatments, high-pressure processing, and non-thermal technologies, are critically examined with respect to their effects on the stability, functionality, and bioavailability of bioactive constituents within complex food matrices. Key safety challenges, including microbiological hazards, process-induced chemical contaminants, and quality degradation during storage, are discussed in the context of industrial scalability. In parallel, regulatory considerations related to ingredient classification, substantiation of functional claims, and market authorization across major jurisdictions are reviewed to identify common translational bottlenecks. To bridge the gap between laboratory research and real-world application, a Functional Food Readiness Framework is proposed to support early-stage evaluation of technological feasibility, safety compliance, and regulatory alignment. This holistic perspective aims to guide the design of functional foods that are not only biologically effective, but also robust, safe, and commercially viable. The proposed framework can assist researchers, product developers, and food industry stakeholders in making informed decisions during functional food formulation, process optimization, and regulatory strategy development. Full article

Urban areas in Europe are increasingly challenged by water scarcity, climate variability, and pressure on municipal water systems. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) offers a decentralized, sustainable solution to reduce dependence on potable water, mitigate stormwater runoff, and support urban water resilience. This study presents a case study from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, where an RWH, storage, and on-site retention system was implemented in an educational building. Rainwater was analyzed for key physico-chemical parameters to assess its quality for non-potable applications. The results show that the system significantly decreases municipal water demand for irrigation and cleaning, while seasonal precipitation variability strongly influences storage efficiency. Most water quality parameters fall within acceptable ranges for non-potable uses, although pH and mineral content indicate that additional treatment is required for potable applications. The findings demonstrate the potential of decentralized RWH systems to enhance sustainable urban water management, reduce hydraulic stress on sewer networks, and provide economic benefits through avoided discharge costs. Full article

Floodplain disconnection caused by channel incision and/or levee construction has led to widespread loss of riparian habitats and ecosystem functions globally. Restoring full stream–floodplain connectivity is increasingly promoted, yet evidence of ecological outcomes remains limited. This study evaluates the initial performance of two Stage 0 restoration projects on Whychus Creek, Oregon, which reconnected incised channels to their historical floodplains in 2012 and 2016. We combined pre- and post-restoration vegetation surveys along fixed transects with hydrogeomorphic-based riparian and wetland function assessments and applied quantitative analyses, including Kruskal–Wallis tests, Jaccard correlations, Sorensen similarity indices, and factor analysis, to compare changes in plant assemblages and ecosystem functions across restored, transitional, and unrestored reaches. Our research results indicate that two years post-restoration, the active riparian area expanded 2.5-fold, species richness and structural diversity increased significantly, and riparian and wetland functions such as water storage, sediment retention, and habitat support for fish and amphibians improved markedly. Numbers of anadromous salmonids also increased markedly. This is important as salmon recovery is a regional stream restoration goal. Comparisons with a reach restored six years earlier suggest a positive trajectory toward mature, resilient ecosystems. These findings demonstrate that Stage 0 restoration can rapidly reestablish complex habitat mosaics and enhance ecosystem services critical for biodiversity, water quality, and flood resilience. Practically, this evidence supports process-based restoration strategies that prioritize full floodplain reconnection as a cost-effective approach to reversing long-term ecological degradation. Continued monitoring is essential to guide adaptive management and strengthen the evidence base for the wide-scale implementation of valley-floor wide stream restoration. Full article

Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) are widely appreciated for their flavor, bioactive compounds, and health promoting properties, yet cultivar-dependent differences in metabolic composition and postharvest stability remain incompletely understood. This study evaluated five commercial blueberry cultivars (‘Aurora’, ‘Chandler’, ‘Elliot’, ‘Legacy’, and ‘Liberty’) at harvest and after 15 days of cold storage (postharvest stage) (4 °C), assessing fruit color, size, firmness, primary metabolites, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), anthocyanins, phenolics, and antioxidant capacity. Cultivar-specific differences were observed in fruit morphology, sugar/acid balance, and biochemical composition: ‘Liberty’ and ‘Elliot’ accumulated higher monosaccharides and disaccharides, whereas ‘Aurora’ and ‘Chandler’ showed higher organic acids and amino acids. Volatile profiling at harvest revealed that ‘Liberty’ exhibited the richest aromatic profile, with elevated aldehydes, ketones, acids, phenols, alcohols, and esters. Postharvest storage caused minor changes in primary metabolites but altered anthocyanin content in a cultivar-dependent manner. Principal component analysis indicated that volatile compounds were the primary factors differentiating cultivars, while primary metabolites largely influenced sweetness–acidity balance. Overall, the results demonstrate that blueberry fruit quality is strongly cultivar-dependent, with cultivar-specific metabolic and volatile signatures shaping sensory and nutritional attributes, and provide valuable information for breeding, postharvest management, and cultivar selection to optimize flavor, bioactive content, and shelf-life. Full article

Rice straw as a growth substrate for soilless sod production not only avoids the damage to farmland soil deterioration but also solves the difficulty in disposing of a large amount of agricultural straw waste. This study was designed to explore the feasibility of using rice straw as a soilless sod production for seashore paspalum. The results showed that both fermented rice straw and raw rice straw significantly promoted the creeping growth and tillering of seashore paspalum, shortening the sod production period, when compared to the conventional soil sod. Rice straw sod significantly reduced sod weight to 50% and 52% of the soil sod, but increased sod strength to avoid tear damage in handling and transportation. Rice straw sod had 2 d longer shelf life than the soil sod, with slower decline of sod quality and maintained higher root and leaf emergence vigor during the sod storage. After sod installation, rice straw sod showed higher numbers of root and leaf emergence, and higher green leaves, stolons, new roots, aboveground and underground biomass, but lower thatch biomass, compared to the soil sod. Our results demonstrated that using rice straw as a growth substrate to produce soilless sod is feasible and significantly better than conventional soil sod production. Full article

This study investigated the preservative effect and molecular mechanism of cold-air pre-cooling (CAP) combined with storage at 15 °C/85% relative humidity on Volvariella volvacea. CAP significantly reduced weight loss and browning, maintained moderate respiratory intensity, minimised malondialdehyde accumulation and polyphenol oxidase activity, and preserved higher firmness and soluble-protein content, extending the shelf life by 4 d. An analysis of energy metabolism indices revealed that CAP increased mitochondrial quantity, membrane potential, and ATP content. Specifically, CAP restricted the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle rate by downregulating the activities of succinate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and citrate synthase. Additionally, CAP prevented the peak activation of respiratory complex I, while sustaining optimal activity of complexes III and IV, thereby stabilising intracellular ATP levels. Transcriptomic analysis further indicated that CAP suppressed the activity of the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation pathways during postharvest storage. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) validated the downregulation of genes associated with respiratory complexes after CAP treatment. In conclusion, CAP maintained the postharvest quality of V. volvacea by preserving energy metabolism homeostasis, providing a theoretical basis for its application in edible mushroom preservation. Full article

Fresh bluefin tuna is highly susceptible to quality deterioration during refrigerated storage due to lipid oxidation and microbial activity, creating a need for effective clean-label preservation strategies. This study evaluated the efficacy of natural astaxanthin as an antioxidant treatment to improve the refrigerated stability of fresh bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) fillets stored under vacuum packaging (VP) or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 70% N₂/30% CO₂). Tuna fillets were treated by short immersion in astaxanthin solutions (10–20 mg/L), applied alone or in combination with other natural antioxidants, including ascorbic acid, and compared with a rosemary–ascorbic acid reference system. Selected treatments incorporated microencapsulated astaxanthin to enhance antioxidant stability. Quality changes were monitored during refrigerated storage (4 °C) through sensory evaluation (appearance, colour, and odour), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), histamine determination, and microbiological analyses. Astaxanthin-treated samples exhibited improved colour stability, delayed sensory deterioration, and significantly lower TVBN accumulation compared with the rosemary–ascorbic acid reference treatment. Under MAP conditions, astaxanthin reduced TVBN values by approximately 20% after 12 days of storage, while microencapsulated astaxanthin combined with ascorbic acid achieved reductions of up to 30% under vacuum packaging. All selected treatments complied with regulatory microbiological and histamine limits throughout storage. These results indicate that natural astaxanthin, particularly in microencapsulated formulations, can enhance quality stability of fresh bluefin tuna when applied in combination with oxygen-limiting packaging systems under controlled refrigerated conditions. The findings provide a scientific basis for further investigation of astaxanthin-based preservation strategies in high-value seafood products. Full article

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) combined with chemometrics has emerged as a rapid and non-destructive technique for fruit quality evaluation, enabling efficient monitoring of biochemical changes during postharvest storage. Among quality indicators, antioxidant activity is closely associated with nutritional value and physiological stability. This study aimed to develop an HSI-based approach for assessing the antioxidant capacity of strawberries subjected to different pre-cooling treatments during storage. Strawberries were treated with five pre-cooling methods and stored for up to 41 days. Antioxidant activity was measured using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay. Hyperspectral data were collected and preprocessed using multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), followed by partial least squares regression (PLSR) to construct predictive models. Among the treatments, immersion vacuum cooling combined with one-cycle pulsing (IVCWP1) exhibited significantly higher DPPH scavenging activity (61.17 ± 12.31%) than immersion vacuum cooling with water (IVCW, 52.89 ± 18.30%) (p < 0.05). The PLSR model developed using MSC-corrected average reflectance spectra showed superior predictive performance and a higher coefficient of determination (R²) than models based on raw spectra. The results demonstrate that HSI coupled with chemometrics is an effective and practical tool for non-destructive evaluation of antioxidant activity and comparison of pre-cooling strategies in strawberries. Full article

The beneficial reuse of reclaimed water is a legislative objective of the State of Florida and a critical element in the optimization of water management in areas facing scarcity of freshwater. Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) of reclaimed allows for the balancing of variations in seasonal and longer-term supply and demand. Destin Water Users, Inc. (DWU), which serves a barrier island community in the Florida panhandle, implemented a groundbreaking ASR system that stores reclaimed water in a shallow sand-and-gravel aquifer. Institutional controls were used to provide additional assurance that public health is protected, and natural contamination attenuation processes are taken advantage of to address arsenic leaching into stored water and disinfection byproducts (trihalomethanes) removal. The DWU ASR system eliminated the need for more expensive and environmentally impactful options for the disposal of excess of reclaimed water and increases the reliability of the reuse system, having the benefit of reserving higher-quality fresh groundwater resources for potable use. Full article

Mountain forests within arid zones function as critical regional “water towers” and biodiversity hotspots, providing essential ecosystem services (ESs) such as carbon sequestration, water retention, soil conservation, and habitat maintenance. Despite their ecological significance, the spatiotemporal characteristics of these services remain insufficiently characterized. For this study, focusing on the Altai Mountains in northwestern China, we employed the InVEST model using climate, land cover, and soil survey datasets (2000–2020) to quantify ES dynamics, then applied Spearman rank correlation to analyze their spatial interactions. Results indicated the following distinct spatiotemporal patterns: (1) Temporally, water retention capacity increased by 23.5% from 2000 to 2020, with the most rapid growth occurring between 2000 and 2010, whereas carbon storage experienced a slight decline of 1.9%. (2) Spatially, water retention followed a “high-North, low-South” distribution, while carbon storage and habitat quality were highly concentrated in the central mid-elevation zones (1400–2400 m). (3) Trade-off intensification: a significant negative correlation between water retention and carbon storage deepened over the study period, highlighting an escalating “water–carbon” conflict. The aforementioned findings suggest that future management should be focused on avoiding high-density afforestation in mid-elevation water-sensitive zones to prevent excessive evapotranspiration. Instead, spatially differentiated strategies—prioritizing water yield protection in high-altitude regions and stand structure optimization in mid-altitude forests—are essential for reconciling regional ecosystem service trade-offs. Full article

Sodium salt is critical for determining the quality of fermented vegetables, with particular influence on their physicochemical properties, textural characteristics, and food safety. However, the relatively high salt levels in traditional fermented products do not align with the growing consumer preference for low-salt, health-oriented foods. Simply reducing salt levels compromises the storage stability, edibility, and processability of fermented vegetables. Therefore, lowering salt content while maintaining product quality poses a significant challenge for the fermented vegetable industry. Effective quality control in low-salt fermented vegetable production requires a comprehensive understanding of the role salt plays in product quality. In this review, we outline the functions of salt in fermented vegetables and detail the current applications and technological developments in salt-reduction strategies; we focus on sodium substitutes, biological salt-reduction approaches, and emerging non-thermal technologies. The current challenges in low-salt fermentation processes are also discussed, providing valuable theoretical and practical guidance for the high-quality processing of low-salt fermented vegetable products. Full article

The effective cleaning of corn prior to storage is crucial for ensuring grain quality and safety. Traditional Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based detection methods often struggle to maintain accuracy in scenarios with dense occlusions. Furthermore, limitations in image quality and feature representation hinder their generalization to diverse impurity types. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an enhanced real-time detector transformer model named RT-DETR-CD (Real-Time Detector Transformer with Convolution and Dynamic Upsampling) for corn impurity detection based on industrial vision. This approach integrates Receptive Field Attention Convolutions (RFAConv) to enhance sensitivity to local texture details and employs the dynamic upsampling operator DySample to restore high-frequency edge information. Additionally, a novel Inner-Shape-IoU loss function is introduced to accelerate bounding box regression for objects with varying aspect ratios. Images were captured using FLIR industrial cameras under controllable annular LED illumination. Experiments on a self-built dataset demonstrate that the proposed model achieves a 4.7% improvement in mean average precision (mAP) and operates at 68 frames per second (FPS), outperforming the original RT-DETR model in both accuracy and speed. This work provides a practical solution for real-time, high-precision impurity detection on grain processing lines. Full article