Search Results (4,471)

Background/Objectives: Curcumin (CUR) is well known for its therapeutic properties, particularly attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in managing chronic diseases such as arthritis. While CUR application for biomedical purposes is well known, the phytochemical has several restrictions given its poor water solubility, physicochemical instability, and low bioavailability. These limitations have led to innovative formulations, with nanocarriers emerging as a promising alternative. For this reason, this study aimed to address the potential advantages of associating CUR with nanocarrier systems in managing arthritis through a scoping review. Methods: A systematic literature search of preclinical (in vivo) and clinical studies was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (December 2024). General inclusion criteria include using CUR or natural derivatives in nano-based formulations for arthritis treatment. These elements lead to the question: “What is the impact of the association of CUR or derivatives in nanocarriers in treating arthritis?”. Results: From an initial 536 articles, 34 were selected for further analysis (31 preclinical investigations and three randomized clinical trials). Most studies used pure CUR (25/34), associated with organic (30/34) nanocarrier systems. Remarkably, nanoparticles (16/34) and nanoemulsions (5/34) were emphasized. The formulations were primarily presented in liquid form (23/34) and were generally administered to animal models through intra-articular injection (11/31). Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) was the most frequently utilized among the various models to induce arthritis-like joint damage. The findings indicate that associating CUR or its derivatives with nanocarrier systems enhances its pharmacological efficacy through controlled release and enhanced solubility, bioavailability, and stability. Moreover, the encapsulation of CUR showed better results in most cases than in its free form. Nonetheless, most studies were restricted to the preclinical model, not providing direct evidence in humans. Additionally, inadequate information and clarity presented considerable challenges for preclinical evidence, which was confirmed by SYRCLE’s bias detection tools. Conclusions: Hence, this scoping review highlights the anti-arthritic effects of CUR nanocarriers as a promising alternative for improved treatment. Full article

Insect pests cause severe damage and yield losses to many agricultural crops globally. The use of chemical pesticides on agricultural crops is not recommended because of their toxic effects on the environment and consumers. In addition, pesticide toxicity reduces soil fertility, poisons ground waters, and is hazardous to soil biota. Therefore, applications of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are an alternative, eco-friendly solution to chemical pesticides and mineral-based fertilizers to enhance plant health and promote sustainable food security. This review focuses on the biological and ecological aspects of these organisms while also highlighting the practical application of molecular communication approaches in developing a novel plant health product. This insight will support this innovative approach that combines PGPR and EPNs for sustainable crop production. Several studies have reported positive interactions between nematodes and bacteria. Although the combined presence of both organisms has been shown to promote plant growth, the molecular interactions between them are still under investigation. Integrating molecular communication studies in the development of a new product could help in understanding their relationships and, in turn, support the combination of these organisms into a single plant health product. Full article

The rapid advancement of underwater wireless communication technologies is critical to unlocking the full potential of marine resource exploration and environmental monitoring. This paper reviews recent progress in three primary modalities: underwater acoustic communication, radio frequency (RF) communication, and underwater optical wireless communication (UWOC), each designed to address specific challenges posed by complex underwater environments. Acoustic communication, while effective for long-range transmission, is constrained by ambient noise and high latency; recent innovations in noise reduction and data rate enhancement have notably improved its reliability. RF communication offers high-speed, short-range capabilities in shallow waters, but still faces challenges in hardware miniaturization and accurate channel modeling. UWOC has emerged as a promising solution, enabling multi-gigabit data rates over medium distances through advanced modulation techniques and turbulence mitigation. Additionally, bio-inspired approaches such as electric field communication provide energy-efficient and robust alternatives under turbid conditions. This paper further examines the practical integration of these technologies in underwater platforms, including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), highlighting trade-offs between energy efficiency, system complexity, and communication performance. By synthesizing recent advancements, this review outlines the advantages and limitations of current underwater communication methods and their real-world applications, offering insights to guide the future development of underwater communication systems for robotic and vehicular platforms. Full article

This study explores the development of a topical film-forming spray infused with phytobiotic herbs to extend egg shelf life and maintain its quality. Unlike traditional surface treatments, film-forming sprays provide uniform drug distribution, better bioavailability, effective CO₂ retention by sealing pores, and antibacterial effects. The spray includes a polymer to encapsulate phytoconstituents and form the film. The resulting film is highly water-resistant, glossy, transparent, and dries within two minutes. SEM analysis showed a fine, uniform morphology, while zeta analysis revealed a negative potential of −0.342 mV and conductivity of 0.390 mS/cm, indicating stable dispersion. The spray’s effectiveness was tested on 640 chicken eggs stored at varying temperatures. Eggs treated and kept at 2–8 °C showed the best results, with smaller air cells, higher specific gravity, and superior quality indicators such as pH, albumen weight, albumen height and index, Haugh unit, yolk weight, and yolk index. Additionally, the spray significantly reduced microbial load, including total plate count and E. coli. Eggs stored at 28 °C remained safe for 24–30 days, while those at 2–8 °C lasted over 42 days. This innovative film-forming spray offers a promising approach for preserving internal and external egg quality during storage. Full article

High-performance waterproof and breathable nanofiber membranes (WBNMs) are in great demand for various advanced applications. However, the fabrication of such membranes often relies on fluorinated materials or involves complex preparation processes, limiting their practical use. In this study, we present an innovative approach by utilizing silicon-containing polyurethane (SiPU) as a single-component, fluorine-free raw material to prepare high-performance WBNMs via a simple one-step electrospinning process. The electrospinning technique enables the formation of SiPU nanofibrous membranes with a small maximum pore size (d_max) and high porosity, while the intrinsic hydrophobicity of SiPU imparts excellent water-repellent characteristics to the membranes. As a result, the single-component SiPU WBNM exhibits superior waterproofness and breathability, with a hydrostatic pressure of 52 kPa and a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 5798 g m⁻² d⁻¹. Moreover, the optimized SiPU-14 WBNM demonstrates outstanding mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 6.15 MPa and an elongation at break of 98.80%. These findings indicate that the single-component SiPU-14 WBNMs not only achieve excellent waterproof and breathable performance but also possess robust mechanical strength, thereby enhancing the comfort and expanding the potential applications of protective textiles, such as outdoor apparel and car seats. Full article

Accurate estimation of groundwater levels in river basins is essential for effective water resource planning. Innovations in deep learning and artificial intelligence (AI) have been introduced into this field to enhance the accuracy of long-term groundwater level estimation. This study employs the Transformer deep learning model to estimate groundwater levels, with a benchmark comparison against the long short-term memory (LSTM) model. These models were applied to estimate groundwater levels in the Yellow River Basin, where approximately 1100 monitoring wells are located. Monthly average groundwater level data from the period 2018–2023 were collected from these wells. The two models were used to estimate groundwater levels for the period 2003–2017 by incorporating remote sensing information. The Transformer model was enhanced to simultaneously capture features from both historical temporal data and surrounding spatial data, while automatically enhancing key features, effectively improving estimation accuracy and robustness. At the basin-averaged scale, the enhanced Transformer model outperformed the LSTM model: R² increased by approximately 17.5%, while RMSE and MAE decreased by approximately 12.4% and 10.9%, respectively. The proportion of poorly predicted samples decreased by an average of approximately 12.1%. The estimation model established in this study contributes to improving the quantitative analysis capability of long-term groundwater level variations in the Yellow River Basin. This could be helpful for water resource development planning in this densely populated region and likely has broad applicability in other river basins. Full article

Contact unmodified antisense DNA biotechnology (CUADb), developed in 2008, employs short antisense DNA oligonucleotides (oligos) as a novel approach to insect pest control. These oligonucleotide-based insecticides target pest mature rRNAs and/or pre-rRNAs and have demonstrated high insecticidal efficacy, particularly against sap-feeding insect pests, which are key vectors of plant DNA viruses and among the most economically damaging herbivorous insects. To further explore the potential of CUADb, this study evaluated the insecticidal efficacy of short 11-mer antisense DNA oligos against Coccus hesperidum, in comparison with long 56-mer single-stranded and double-stranded DNA sequences. The short oligos exhibited higher insecticidal activity. By day 9, the highest mortality rate (97.66 ± 4.04%) was recorded in the Coccus-11 group, while the most effective long sequence was the double-stranded DNA in the dsCoccus-56 group (77.09 ± 6.24%). This study also describes the architecture of the DNA containment (DNAc) mechanism, highlighting the intricate interactions between rRNAs and various types of DNA oligos. During DNAc, the Coccus-11 treatment induced enhanced ribosome biogenesis and ATP production through a metabolic shift from carbohydrates to lipid-based energy synthesis. However, this ultimately led to a ‘kinase disaster’ due to widespread kinase downregulation resulting from insufficient ATP levels. All DNA oligos with high or moderate complementarity to target rRNA initiated hypercompensation, but subsequent substantial rRNA degradation and insect mortality occurred only when the oligo sequence perfectly matched the rRNA. Both short and long oligonucleotide insecticide treatments led to a 3.75–4.25-fold decrease in rRNA levels following hypercompensation, which was likely mediated by a DNA-guided rRNase, such as RNase H1, while crucial enzymes of RNAi (DICER1, Argonaute 2, and DROSHA) were downregulated, indicating fundamental difference in molecular mechanisms of DNAc and RNAi. Consistently, significant upregulation of RNase H1 was detected in the Coccus-11 treatment group. In contrast, treatment with random DNA oligos resulted in only a 2–3-fold rRNA decrease, consistent with the normal rRNA half-life maintained by general ribonucleases. These findings reveal a fundamental new mechanism of rRNA regulation via complementary binding between exogenous unmodified antisense DNA and cellular rRNA. From a practical perspective, this minimalist approach, applying short antisense DNA dissolved in water, offers an effective, eco-friendly and innovative solution for managing sternorrhynchans and other insect pests. The results introduce a promising new concept in crop protection: DNA-programmable insect pest control. Full article

This work presents a high-fidelity simulation of the Peach Bottom turbine trip (PBTT) benchmark using the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications (VERA), a multiphysics reactor modeling tool developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors energy innovation hub. The PBTT benchmark, based on a 1977 transient event at the end of cycle 2 in a General Electric Type-4 boiling water reactor (BWR), is a critical test case for validating core physics models with thermal feedback during rapid reactivity events. VERA was employed to perform end-to-end, pin-resolved simulations from conditions at the beginning of cycle 1 through the turbine-trip transient, incorporating detailed neutron transport, fuel depletion, and subchannel thermal hydraulics. The simulation reproduced key benchmark observables with high accuracy: the peak power excursion occurred at 0.75 s, matching the scram time and closely aligning with the benchmark average of 0.742 s; the simulated maximum power spike was approximately 7600 MW, which is within 3% of the benchmark average of 7400 MW; and void-collapse dynamics were consistent with benchmark expectations. Reactivity predictions during cycles 1 and 2 remained within 1500 pcm and 400 pcm of criticality, respectively. These results confirm VERA’s ability to model complex coupled neutronic and thermal hydraulic behavior in a BWR turbine-trip transient, which will support its use in future studies of modeling dryout, fuel performance, and uncertainty quantification for transients of this type. Full article

Environmental monitoring plays a key role in understanding and mitigating the effects of climate change, pollution, and resource mismanagement. The growth of printed sensor technologies offers an innovative approach to addressing these challenges due to their low cost, flexibility, and scalability. Printed sensors enable the real-time monitoring of air, water, soil, and climate, providing significant data for data-driven decision-making technologies and policy development to improve the quality of the environment. The development of new materials, such as graphene, conductive polymers, and biodegradable substrates, has significantly enhanced the environmental applications of printed sensors by improving sensitivity, enabling flexible designs, and supporting eco-friendly and disposable solutions. The development of inkjet, screen, and roll-to-roll printing technologies has also contributed to the achievement of mass production without sacrificing quality or performance. This review presents the current progress in printed sensors for environmental applications, with a focus on technological advances, challenges, applications, and future directions. Moreover, the paper also discusses the challenges that still exist due to several issues, e.g., sensitivity, stability, power supply, and environmental sustainability. Printed sensors have the potential to revolutionize ecological monitoring, as evidenced by recent innovations such as Internet of Things (IoT) integration, self-powered designs, and AI-enhanced data analytics. By addressing these issues, printed sensors can develop a better understanding of environmental systems and help promote the UN sustainable development goals. Full article

Liquid calcium aluminate cement (LCAC) is an innovative material technology with significant potential for varied applications in civil engineering. However, despite its promising results, a significant gap remains in the direct application of LCAC as a concrete binder. The primary catalysts for LCAC are sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH). Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the effects of sodium and potassium ions on alkali–aggregate reactions in concrete structures. This study evaluated the durability of liquid calcium aluminate cement concrete catalyzed using four different concentrations of NaOH (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) as experimental variables, incorporating a control group of traditional concrete with a water–cement ratio of 0.64. The findings indicate that NaOH catalysis in the concrete significantly trigger alkali–aggregate reactions, leading to volume expansion. Furthermore, it increased chloride ion penetration and porosity in the concrete. These effects were more notable with the increase in NaOH concentration. The results suggested that NaOH catalysis can enhance certain chemical reactions within the concrete matrix; however, its concentration must be carefully controlled to mitigate adverse effects. The NaOH dosage should be limited to 0.5% to ensure optimal durability of the concrete. This study emphasizes the crucial importance of precisely balancing catalyst concentration to maintain the long-term durability and performance of liquid calcium aluminate cement concrete in structural applications. Full article

With the growing severity of environmental pollution, people are paying increasing attention to their health. However, naturally occurring wood with health benefits and applications in human healthcare is still scarce. Natural wood exhibits a limited negative oxygen ion release capacity, and this release has a short duration, failing to meet practical application requirements. This study innovatively developed a humidity-responsive, healthy wood material with a high negative oxygen ion release capacity based on fast-growing poplar. Through vacuum cyclic impregnation technology, hexagonal stone powder was infused into the pores of poplar wood, endowing it with the ability to continuously release negative oxygen ions. The healthy wood demonstrated a static average negative oxygen ion release rate of 537 ions/cm³ (peaking at 617 ions/cm³) and a dynamic average release rate of 3,170 ions/cm³ (peaking at 10,590 ions/cm³). The results showed that the particle size of hexagonal stone powder in suspension was influenced by the dispersants and dispersion processes. The composite dispersion process demonstrated optimal performance when using 0.5 wt% silane coupling agent γ-(methacryloxy)propyltrimethoxysilane (KH570), achieving the smallest particle size of 8.93 μm. The healthy wood demonstrated excellent impregnation performance, with a weight gain exceeding 14.61% and a liquid absorption rate surpassing 165.18%. The optimal impregnation cycle for vacuum circulation technology was determined to be six cycles, regardless of the type of dispersant. Compared with poplar wood, the hygroscopic swelling rate of healthy wood was lower, especially in PEG-treated samples, where the tangential, radial, longitudinal, and volumetric swelling rates decreased by 70.93%, 71.67%, 69.41%, and 71.35%, respectively. Combining hexagonal stone powder with fast-growing poplar wood can effectively enhance the release of negative oxygen ions. The static average release of negative oxygen ions from healthy wood is 1.44 times that of untreated hexagonal stone powder, and the dynamic release reaches 2 to 3 times the concentration of negative oxygen ions specified by national fresh air standards. The water-responsive mechanism revealed that negative oxygen ion release surged when ambient humidity exceeded 70%. This work proposes a sustainable and effective method to prepare healthy wood with permanent negative oxygen ion release capability. It demonstrates great potential for improving indoor air quality and enhancing human health. Full article

Nanofluids are an innovative working medium in solar hot water installations (DHWs), thanks to their increased thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient. The aim of this work was to assess the effect of Al₂O₃ nanofluids in a water–ethylene glycol base (40:60%) and with the addition of Tween 80 surfactant (0.2 wt%) on thermal efficiency (ε) and exergy (η_ex) in a plate heat exchanger at DHW flows of 3 and 12 L/min. The numerical NTU–ε model was used with dynamic updating of thermophysical properties of nanofluids and the solution of the ODE system using the ode45 method, and the validation was carried out against the literature data. The results showed that the nanofluids achieved ε ≈ 0.85 (vs. ε ≈ 0.87 for the base fluid) and η_ex ≈ 0.72 (vs. η_ex ≈ 0.74), with higher entropy generation. The addition of Tween 80 reduced the viscosity by about 10–15%, resulting in a slight increase of Re and h-factor; however, the impact on ε and η_ex was marginal. The environmental analysis with an annual demand of Q = 3000 kWh/year and an emission factor of 0.2 kg CO₂/kWh showed that for ε < 0.87 the nanofluids increased the emissions by ≈16 kg CO₂/year, while at ε ≈ 0.92, a reduction of ≈5% was possible. This paper highlights the need to optimize nanofluid viscosity and exchanger geometry to maximize energy and environmental benefits. Nowadays, due to the growing problems of global warming, the analysis of energy efficiency and carbon footprint related to the functioning of a building seems to be crucial. Full article

In the rock–soil–biology–water ecosystem, rock weathering provides essential plant nutrients. However, its supply is insufficient for rising crop demands under population growth and climate change, while excessive fertilizer causes soil degradation and pollution. This study innovatively irrigated with carbonate rock leachates to enhance soil nutrient availability. A pot experiment with lettuce showed that irrigation significantly increased soil NO₃⁻-N (+102.20%), available K (+16.45%), available P (+17.95%), Ca (+6.04%), Mg (+11.65%), and Fe (+11.60%), and elevated the relative abundance of Firmicutes. Lettuce biomass per plant rose by 23.78%, with higher leaf minerals (P, K, Ca, and Mg) and antioxidants (carotenoids and ascorbic acid). A field experiment further confirmed improvement of soil nutrient availability and peanut yield. This carbonate rock leachate irrigation technique effectively enhances soil quality and crop productivity/quality, offering a sustainable approach for green agriculture. Full article

This study aims to enhance the performance of an innovative steel slag–ceramsite foam concrete (SSCFC) to advance sustainable green building materials. An eco-friendly composite construction material was developed by integrating industrial by-product steel slag (SS) with lightweight ceramsite. Employing a three-factor, three-level orthogonal experimental design at a fixed density of 800 kg/m³, 12 mix proportions (including a control group) were investigated with the variables of water-to-cement (W/C) ratio, steel slag replacement ratio, and ceramsite replacement ratio. The governing mechanisms of the W/C ratio, steel slag replacement level, and ceramsite replacement proportion on the SSCFC’s fluidity and compressive strength (CS) were elucidated. The synergistic application of range analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) quantified the significance of factors on target properties, and partial least squares regression (PLSR)-based prediction models were established. The test results indicated the following significance hierarchy: steel slag replacement > W/C ratio > ceramsite replacement for fluidity. In contrast, W/C ratio > ceramsite replacement > steel slag replacement governed the compressive strength. Verification showed R² values exceeding 65% for both fluidity and CS predictions versus experimental data, confirming model reliability. Multi-criteria optimization yielded optimal compressive performance and suitable fluidity at a W/C ratio of 0.4, 10% steel slag replacement, and 25% ceramsite replacement. Full article

The cosmetics industry has been seeking to develop products with renewable natural ingredients to reduce the use of or even replace synthetic substances. Biosurfactants can help meet this demand. These natural compounds are renewable, biodegradable, and non-toxic or have low toxicity, offering minimal risk to humans and the environment, which has attracted the interest of an emerging consumer market and, consequently, the cosmetics industry. The aim of the present study was to produce a biosurfactant from the yeast Starmerella bombicola ATCC 22214 cultivated in a mineral medium containing 10% soybean oil and 5% glucose. The biosurfactant reduced the surface tension of water from 72.0 ± 0.1 mN/m to 33.0 ± 0.3 mN/m after eight days of fermentation. The yield was 53.35 ± 0.39 g/L and the critical micelle concentration was 1000 mg/L. The biosurfactant proved to be a good emulsifier of oils used in cosmetic formulations, with emulsification indices ranging from 45.90 ± 1.69% to 68.50 ± 1.10%. The hydrophilic–lipophilic balance index demonstrated the wetting capacity of the biosurfactant and its tendency to form oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions, with 50.0 ± 0.20% foaming capacity. The biosurfactant did not exhibit cytotoxicity in the MTT assay or irritant potential. Additionally, an antioxidant activity of 58.25 ± 0.32% was observed at a concentration of 40 mg/mL. The compound also exhibited antimicrobial activity against various pathogenic microorganisms. The characterisation of the biosurfactant using magnetic nuclear resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the biomolecule is a glycolipid with an anionic nature. The results demonstrate that biosurfactant produced in this work has potential as an active biotechnological ingredient for innovative, eco-friendly cosmetic formulations. Full article