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Effect of blade parameters on radial turbine rotor aerodynamics
Abstract Radial turbines play a vital role in turbochargers and compact power systems, where efficiency and size optimization are crucial. However, the combined aerodynamic effects of key rotor geometric features–namely blade angle distribution, thickness profile, and blade count–have not been comprehensively examined. This work presents a unified CFD-based methodology to assess how coordinated changes in these parameters influence turbine performance. A validated numerical model of a reference rotor was employed to systematically vary each design factor and evaluate its impact on efficiency and reduced mass flow. The investigation demonstrates that carefully optimized geometric adjustments can enhance flow uniformity, minimize secondary losses, and improve overall energy conversion. The study establishes clear performance trends supported by detailed flow-field analysis and provides design-oriented correlations that can guide future optimization of radial turbine rotors for high-efficiency operation.
Axial Ligand Engineering of Silver Single-Atom Catalysts with <i>N</i> -Heterocyclic Carbenes Unlocks Efficient Photocatalytic H <sub>2</sub> O <sub>2</sub> Production
Cholesterol-lowering effects of oats induced by microbially produced phenolic metabolites in metabolic syndrome: a randomized controlled trial
Abstract Oats have various positive effects on human health, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. To identify oat-microbiome-host interactions contributing to metabolic improvements, we conducted two randomized controlled dietary interventions in parallel-design in individuals with metabolic syndrome, comparing a short-term, high-dose and a six-week, moderate oat intake with respective controls (DRKS00022169). Both oat diets lead to an increase in plasma ferulic acid (0.64 [0.26, 1.02], P = 0.002; 0.55 [0.21, 0.89], P = 0.003), while the high-dose oat-diet also increased dihydroferulic acid (1.23 [0.44, 2.01], P = 0.003). Here we show that microbial phenolic metabolites are driving factors for the cholesterol-lowering effect of oats, which might be of relevance since short-term, high-dose oat-diet is a suitable approach to alleviate obesity-related lipid disorders.
Extracellular vesicle-derived miR-760 as a novel promising candidate biomarker differentiating stable RRMS from SPMS
Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system with heterogenous clinical course, lacking non-invasive biomarkers for phenotype differentiation. This study aimed to explore circulating extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived microRNA (miRNA) signatures and related molecular profiles capable of distinguishing stable relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) from secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Plasma samples were collected from stable RRMS ( n = 30), SPMS ( n = 30), and healthy controls (HC) ( n = 30), followed by total EVs isolation and characterization using transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and flow cytometry. RNA was extracted from EVs, and miRNA profiles were analyzed via RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR. Cytokines and neuronal/astroglial injury biomarkers were quantified using the BioPlex system and ELISA. Functional enrichment and network analyses of miRNA targets were performed, alongside logistic regression modeling to explore potential distinguishing features. Four EV-derived miRNAs (miR-760, miR-98-5p, miR-301a-3p, miR-223-3p) showed significant differences ( p < 0.05) between stable RRMS and SPMS. An integrative model combining miRNAs with fibroblast growth factor (FGF) basic protein enabled accurate phenotypic differentiation (AUC = 0.942). miR-760 showed the strongest distinctive capacity for stable RRMS. Additionally, miR-98-5p was markedly up-regulated in both stable RRMS and SPMS compared to HC. Network analysis of miRNA targets suggested distinct immunoregulatory patterns across MS phenotypes. Plasma EV-derived miRNAs—particularly miR-760, and miR-98-5p—showed potential as molecular indicators associated with disease phenotype in MS. Integrating EV-miRNA profiling with protein markers support efforts toward more precise stratification of MS patients. Further studies in independent cohorts and functional validation are warranted before clinical translation.
Biosynthesis of 17-Carbon Terpenoids in Bacteria
Quantum suppression of cold reactions far from the s-wave energy limit
Abstract Quantum effects in chemical reactions are most pronounced at ultracold temperatures, where only a few partial waves contribute. While interference among many partial waves is theoretically expected to persist at higher temperatures, direct evidence for such quantum effects in reactive processes has been lacking. Here, we report signatures of quantum interference suppressing a chemical reaction in the multi-partial-wave regime: resonant charge exchange between a single 87 Rb + ion and its parent atom 87 Rb. Using quantum-logic detection on a single atom-ion pair and a calibrated in-situ measurement of Langevin collision probabilities, we benchmark the thermally averaged reaction rate against both classical and quantum predictions. We find that the reaction rate is suppressed by over an order of magnitude relative to the classical expectation, despite occurring in the millikelvin temperature regime (more than three orders of magnitude above the s -wave threshold), where more than a dozen partial waves contribute. These results suggest quantum interference as a key mechanism in chemical reactivity beyond the ultracold limit and offer a platform for probing coherent quantum effects in atom-ion reactions where ab initio methods remain intractable.
Evaluation of bentonite–graphite (B–G) mixture homogeneity using visible-near infrared spectroscopy and its impact on B–G buffer block manufacturability
Understanding the Mechanism of Nontraditional Zeolite Synthesis Using <i>In Situ</i> Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction
Homochiral Helicene Covalent Organic Frameworks
Identification of modifiable plasma protein markers of cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents with obesity
Evaluation of dECM hydrogel-NAP on 3D organotypic human corneal epithelium in diabetic keratopathy model
The Mantle Fe3+/ΣFe Ratio Has Doubled Since the Early Archean
Abstract How mantle redox state developed, particularly the mantle source associated with mid-ocean ridge-like settings, remains a subject of ongoing debate. Here, we employ thermodynamic-thermomechanical numerical simulations to explore the redox properties of melts formed under mid-ocean ridge-like settings in both Archean and modern conditions. By comparing these results with a global database of mid-ocean ridge-like rocks extending back to 3.8 Ga, we reconstruct the mantle’s redox evolution since the early Archean. Using the whole-rock Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratio as a robust redox proxy, derived from integrated numerical modeling and thermodynamic inversion, we find that the mantle’s average Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratio has approximately doubled since the early Archean. Our calculations further indicate that ultra-low-oxygen-fugacity mantle domains in modern oceanic lithosphere reflect an initially reduced origin rather than deeper or hotter melting. Our results suggest that Earth’s oxygenation and tectono-magmatic evolution may have been coupled.