Browse Articles

Physiological and molecular investigation of nanosilica mediated drought tolerance in cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.)

Dynamic cost prediction of power technical transformation projects based on graph neural networks and multi-scale attention mechanisms

Mechanism of circ_0075961 promoting invasive metastasis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cells by regulating the EMT process through ZEB1

Mathematical modeling of vertical pneumatic conveying for solid waste transportation

Deformation behaviour of over–consolidated soil in a deep confined aquifer under multi–stage pore pressure changes in Shanghai, China

FLASH effect tissue sparing comparison for X-ray, hadron, and VHEE irradiation modalities

Abstract FLASH-RT is an irradiation modality using Ultra-High-Dose-Rates, where a healthy tissue sparing effect is observed. Different particle types have distinct characteristics in lateral and distal dose deposition, which can affect the amount of healthy tissue sparing by the FLASH effect. However, few comparative studies investigate this impact. In this Monte Carlo-based study, we compare different irradiation modalities in a simple geometrical model and demonstrate how dose, dose-rate, and particle type influence the volume of healthy tissue benefiting from FLASH. The results indicate that less conformal modalities, such as X-rays and VHEE, benefit more from the effect than hadrons. Despite this, FLASH X-rays and FLASH VHEE still deposit higher dose to healthy tissue than conventional hadrons. Assuming a FLASH-triggering dose threshold and dose-rate threshold from literature, we found that hadrons require a target dose of 20 Gy and target dose-rate of 75 Gy/s to achieve healthy tissue sparing, about twice as high as for VHEE and X-rays. The results imply that highly fractionated treatments cannot be applied under current assumptions of FLASH-triggering dose and dose-rate thresholds. Future studies using clinical dose distributions could explore the use of multiple angles, fractionation possibilities, and relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for more specific clinical cases.

ANFIS-based prediction and optimization of tribological performance in graphene–boron carbide reinforced C355 aluminium alloy hybrid nanocomposites

Abstract The current situation in the automotive, aerospace, marine, and rail industry involves addressing component wear and tear. The composite materials are very appropriate for the problem’s replacement because they attain great strength, high hardness, strong wear resistance, exceptional corrosion resistance, and high impact toughness. The present investigation of C355 aluminium alloy hybrid composites (C355AHCs) shows they are utilized highly suitably for the various component preparations of the automotive, aerospace, marine, and rail industries. The C355 aluminium alloy addition with graphene (0, 2 and 4 wt.%) and boron carbide (0, 3 and 6 wt.%) hybrid nanocomposites are prepared by utilizing the selective laser melting (SLM) additive process. According to ASTM G99 rules, the pin-on-disc device was utilized to perform the wear experiment test. The optical microscope (OM) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) to examine the characterization and worn surface analysis of the C355AHCs. The wear response was assessed via experiments carried out through pin-on-disc testing tribometer, considering applied load, sliding velocity, sliding distance, and sliding time, which were modelled by means of a Box-Behnken design approach. The novel aspect of this research work is the combination of SLM-processed C355/Gr/B 4 C hybrid nanocomposites with ANFIS-based tribological prediction, comparative modeling using RSM, and multi-objective optimization. From the experimental findings, it was found that the wear rate falls between 0.274 g/min and 0.475 g/min, whereby the applied load emerged as the most significant factor affecting the wear behaviour. The significance of the fitted regression equation via RSM and ANOVA analysis showed a level of significance ( P -value < 0.05), albeit with moderate prediction (R 2  = 0.576). As a means of overcoming this problem, an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) was employed, and the results were quite accurate and smooth. ANFIS showed better accuracy and smoothness than regression modelling in terms of prediction. Wear studies of worn surfaces showed that there was a shift from adhesive and abrasive wear in the base alloy to mild abrasive wear in the hybrid nanocomposites owing to the synergy of the graphene-lubricating effect and the B 4 Creinforcement effect. Multi-criteria optimization of wear, frictional force, and coefficient of friction through desirability analysis resulted in optimum conditions. This paper concludes that ANFIS is highly dependable in modelling tribological properties and that the produced SLM C355/Gr/B 4 C hybrid nanocomposites have promising application in automobile brakes and other engineering fields.

Reduced myopia progression with low-dose atropine in DIMS non-responders and evidence of altered pupillary light reflex kinetics

Abstract This study evaluated the efficacy of adding nightly 0.025% atropine to Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) spectacle treatment in children with ongoing myopia progression and explored whether dynamic pupillometry could help identify such progression. In a mixed-method design, a longitudinal arm included 20 DIMS non-responders, defined by annual progression of ≥ 0.5 D spherical equivalent refraction or ≥ 0.2 mm axial elongation, who received adjunctive atropine and were followed for 12 months. In a separate cross-sectional arm, dynamic pupillometry was performed in 60 DIMS-treated children classified as fast or slow progressors based on prior-year progression. Combination therapy significantly reduced myopia progression, with mean axial elongation decreasing from 0.39 ± 0.18 to 0.20 ± 0.18 mm/year and mean refractive progression improving from − 0.82 ± 0.67 to − 0.28 ± 0.45 D/year. Transient axial shortening was observed in 20% of patients, while 25% remained unresponsive, predominantly those with high maternal myopia. Dynamic pupillometry revealed that fast progressors exhibited slower and prolonged pupil constriction compared with slow progressors, whereas dilation parameters and static pupil size did not differ. In conclusion, adjunctive low-dose atropine effectively reduced progression in most DIMS non-responders, and altered pupil constriction dynamics may reflect underlying physiological differences associated with treatment resistance.

Comparative analysis of bioactive compounds and antimicrobial activity in marine cyanobacteria

Abstract A comparative study of bioactive compounds in two marine cyanobacteria species, Oscillatoria acutissima and Oscillatoria simplicissima, grown in F/2 media was performed by estimation of many of bioactive compounds after 12th days, The greatest level of Phenolics and tannins was observed in Oscillatoria acutissima . Methanolic extracts of two species of cyanobacteria demonstrated diverse antimicrobial activity toward various human pathogenic microbial species which were associated with their bioactive components. Two species of cyanobacteria were observed to be the most active one in relation to all examined pathogenic microorganisms. The methanolic extracts of the algae were chemically distinguished by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy “GC–MS”. Based on the results obtained, the two species of marine cyanobacteria can be a renewable provider of beneficial bioactive complexes for health and nutritional products.

Seaweed-derived extracts and their combinations display immunomodulatory activity in a porcine cell culture model

Abstract Antimicrobial resistance is a global concern affecting humans, animals, and the environment. Therefore, livestock production is exploring seaweed-based extracts as antibiotic alternatives due to their potential bioactive compounds and immunoregulatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro immunomodulatory effect of three seaweed extracts: Ascophyllum nodosum (AN), Ulva lactuca (UL), Palmaria palmata (PP), and their 1:1 combinations (ANUL, ANPP, ULPP) on porcine alveolar macrophages (porcine AMs). Briefly, macrophages were seeded at 1 × 10 6 cells/mL and treated with seaweed extracts and challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The experimental design was a 2 (0–1 µg/mL of LPS) × 5 (five doses of each seaweed extract and their combinations). Cell viability was determined using the MTT assay. The results demonstrated that the LPS challenge with certain doses of tested seaweeds decreased ( p  < 0.05) the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1-β (IL-1β), and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). Particularly, a dose-response decrease in TNF-α production was observed for ULPP ( p  < 0.05). PP treatment significantly ( p  < 0.05) suppressed IL-1β secretion at 100 and 200 µg/mL doses, while AN and ULPP (only in doses of 100 and 200 µg/mL) significantly ( p  < 0.05) reduced TGF-β1 secretion from LPS-challenged porcine AMs. These results highlighted that seaweed extracts, particularly from PP, and ULPP with their in vitro immunomodulatory effects, may be valuable candidates for managing inflammation and encourage further in vivo research to confirm their efficacy.

Biochar-amended and fertilized conditions influences nitrogen retention and loss dynamics: insights from a sandy loam soil column study

Food neophobia is associated with lower self-reported physical and mental health

Revealing sludge electrochemical dewatering mechanism using Naive Bayes-Fuzzy Theory with EPS polar spatial structure and water-holding capacity

Retraction Note: Retinal degeneration driven by brain-derived neurotrophic factor deficiency in microglia and T-lymphocytes

Environmental space similarity model maps dry red soil under limited samples in the Yuanmou Dry Hot Valley

Tract-based lesion mapping of quiet-standing postural control phenotypes in patients with subacute stroke

Comparative effectiveness of arthroscopic-assisted uniportal surgery versus percutaneous endoscopic decompression in lumbar spinal stenosis

RIS assisted energy aware multi agent adaptive SAC for UAV aided IoT network path planning and obstacle avoidance

Abstract Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are emerging as critical enablers of next generation Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructures, supporting real-time data collection, wireless relaying, and agile operations in dynamic environments. However, achieving safe and energy efficient multi UAV navigation under sixth generation (6G) communication constraints remains a significant challenge due to dynamic obstacles, limited on board energy, and the high cost of centralized coordination. This study introduces a multi agent soft actor-critic (MASAC) framework for UAV path planning and energy aware coordination in a fixed RIS assisted IoT grid. MASAC integrates entropy regularized actor-critic learning with reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) aware reward shaping to support energy aware navigation, RIS assisted recharging, and connectivity guided trajectory optimization. A lightweight convolutional policy network is used to encode spatial information from the grid environment, including obstacle locations, dynamic obstacle states, exploration memory, and UAV position, enabling efficient policy learning under constrained navigation settings. Extensive simulations in RIS assisted, 6G enabled IoT environments demonstrate that MASAC achieves a 100% mission success rate, where mission success is defined as reaching the fixed goal cell before energy depletion and within the maximum episode horizon of 500 steps. Compared with the strongest baseline success rate of 75%, this corresponds to a 25%-point absolute improvement and a 33.3% relative improvement under the same evaluation protocol and identical environmental settings. Within the adopted grid level energy abstraction, MASAC also achieves approximately 33% higher RIS recharge utilization. It also provides 6% greater grid level 6G connectivity and 23% higher cumulative reward. Meanwhile, it maintains a low simulation time evaluation latency of approximately 38 ms per UAV. Statistical analysis confirms these gains as significant ( $$p < 0.05$$ ). The proposed framework offers a simulation level benchmark for energy efficient UAV navigation in RIS assisted IoT environments. It also supports future deployment oriented research under realistic operational constraints.

Genetic diversity assessment of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) along climatic gradients in Chad

Abstract Bambara groundnut [ Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.] is a nutrient-dense, drought-resilient African legume cultivated largely by smallholders in semi-arid zones. While widely cultivated due to its ability to biologically fix nitrogen, enrich soil fertility, and hold cultural significance, most production relies on germplasm propagated within families with limited breeding efforts. Understanding the genetic diversity across pedoclimatic regions is essential for improving seed yields, quality, and physiological traits. To explore this, 212 diverse Bambara groundnut landraces were collected from four regions in Chad, involving over 80 farmers, from which 172 were used to assess genetic and phenotypic variations in nutritional and agronomic traits. Genotyping revealed significant genetic differentiation between regions ( p  = 0.1), with farm-level factors being the primary driver of variation ( p  < 0.001), highlighting the role of farmer selection practices, preferences, and abilities. Farmer surveys confirmed that most Bambara groundnut growers rely on self-propagated and selected seeds for cultivation. Genetic, seed composition, and physiological data all pointed to regional and farm-based origins as the main source of variation. The findings underscore the importance of including farmers in breeding processes, particularly through the distribution of pre-breeding materials tailored for high nutritional value and drought resistance. Additionally, the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with fat and phytate content suggests potential applications for marker-assisted selection to develop improved germplasm. These strategies could improve food security and sustainability and reduce malnutrition.

Exact solutions and instability analysis of a fifth-order nonlinear evolution equation exhibiting multi-scale wave structures

Abstract A fifth-order nonlinear partial differential equation is analyzed to construct exact traveling wave solutions through the modified extended mapping method. By converting the governing equation into an equivalent ordinary differential form, the approach enables the derivation of multiple classes of analytical solutions in a unified manner. These solutions include localized structures such as bright and dark solitons, singular waveforms, periodic and singular periodic patterns, as well as rational, exponential, and elliptic function solutions represented by both Weierstrass and Jacobi formulations, in addition to combined bright–dark soliton structures. To further characterize the system, a linear perturbation framework is applied to assess stability properties. The resulting dispersion relation is examined to determine parameter regimes associated with the onset of instability and the evolution of disturbed wave states. This work provides a generalized analytical perspective for exploring complex nonlinear wave behavior in higher-order systems and offers a foundation for future studies involving multi-scale wave interactions and stability features.