Browse Articles

Predicting entrepreneurship from brain structure and neural responses to risk and ambiguity

Lab-scale investigation of drag reduction for crude oil by oil-soluble polymers

Investigating the effect of dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma on the aflatoxin removal and the physicochemical properties of sesame seeds

Abstract Cold plasma is a non-thermal technology that has been proposed as an efficient method for the mycotoxins destruction in the food industry. The first stage of this study was conducted to determine the effect of the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment gas (air, argon, wet argon) on the aflatoxin B1 reduction and sesame seed peroxide value (PV). The results showed that air gas was more effective in the reduction of aflatoxin B1 from 65 to 47 ppb (27.7% decrease), while the peroxide content increased from 0.61 ± 0.09 to 1.61 ± 0.011. The effects of power (45 and 56 W) and exposure time (1, 4, and 8 min) of plasma with argon gas on aflatoxin B1 content and physicochemical characteristics of sesame seeds were studied in the second stage. The greatest reduction in aflatoxin B1 content was achieved at DBD treatment of 8 min and 56 W from 63.4 to 19.9 ppb (68.59% decrease). This sample was further investigated for physicochemical analysis in which PV, acid value, colour parameters (a* and b*), and texture parameters (hardness, fracturability, cohesiveness, gumminess) in the treated sample has been increased, whereas the pH, colour parameter (L*), texture parameter (springiness index), phytosterol, sesamol, sesamin and sesamolin levels has been decreased compared with the control samples. Also, there was no significant difference in protein content. The results indicate the effectiveness of DBD plasma treatment on AFB1 reduction, along with physicochemical changes that need to be optimized.

YOLOv8-MCDE for lightweight detection of small instruments in complex backgrounds from inspection robots’ perspective

Automated rating of Fazekas scale in fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI for ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack using machine learning

Computational study of KGeCl3 perovskite solar cells toward high efficiency via electron transport innovation

From gene hunter to drug hunter

Influencing factors of flexion contracture among patients with knee osteoarthritis: a multi-center retrospective cross-sectional study

AI-Integrated autonomous robotics for solar panel cleaning and predictive maintenance using drone and ground-based systems

Abstract Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, especially in dusty and high-temperature regions, suffer performance degradation due to dust accumulation, surface heating, and delayed maintenance. This study proposes an AI-integrated autonomous robotic system combining real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and intelligent cleaning for enhanced solar panel performance. We developed a hybrid system that integrates CNN-LSTM-based fault detection, Reinforcement Learning (DQN)-driven robotic cleaning, and Edge AI analytics for low-latency decision-making. Thermal and LiDAR-equipped drones detect panel faults, while ground robots clean panel surfaces based on real-time dust and temperature data. The system is built on Jetson Nano and Raspberry Pi 4B units with MQTT-based IoT communication. The system achieved an average cleaning efficiency of 91.3%, reducing dust density from 3.9 to 0.28 mg/m³, and restoring up to 31.2% energy output on heavily soiled panels. CNN-LSTM-based fault detection delivered 92.3% accuracy, while the RL-based cleaning policy reduced energy and water consumption by 34.9%. Edge inference latency averaged 47.2 ms, outperforming cloud processing by 63%. A strong correlation, r = 0.87 between dust concentration and thermal anomalies, was confirmed. The proposed IEEE 1876-compliant framework offers a resilient and intelligent solution for real-time solar panel maintenance. By leveraging AI, robotics, and edge computing, the system enhances energy efficiency, reduces manual labor, and provides a scalable model for climate-resilient, smart solar infrastructure.

Leading orexin receptor agonist clears phase III for narcolepsy

Health risks and contamination degrees associated with heavy metals in three coastal fish from the Red Sea

Abstract This study focuses on the levels of heavy metals (HMCs) in the commonly consumed marine fish from the Aqaba Gulf, Red Sea, Egypt. It evaluates the effectiveness of soaking treatments as a novel approach to reducing HMCs. The order of metals varied among species, with sigan and bongos fish following Mn < Ni < Cu < B < Fe < Zn, while mallas fish followed Mn < Ni < Cu < Zn < Fe < B. The highest level in untreated samples was observed in sigan for Zn (67.60 ± 2.34 µg/g ww-b), while the lowest was recorded in bongos for Mn (0.96 ± 0.07 µg/g ww-b). Soaking treatments significantly reduced HMCs in all species, as confirmed by environmental risk indices. Risk assessments revealed that the hazard index (HI-HMCs) values for children often exceeded the acceptable threshold of HI-HMCs ≤ 1, suggesting potential health risks despite reductions achieved through soaking. Among the soaking methods, the mixed soaked treatment, which combined salt and apple vinegar, showed the most pronounced reduction in metal levels, demonstrating a synergistic effect. In conclusion, while soaking treatments effectively mitigate HMCs contamination, further efforts are required to develop safer fish processing methods, particularly to safeguard vulnerable groups like children.

FDA grants first US approval for decades-old eye drug

Evaluating the utility of data integration with synthetic data and statistical matching

Small-molecule PI3Kα binder with selective anticancer activity

Effect of V content on high temperature oxidation resistance of S30403 austenitic stainless steel

In vivo engineering broadens CAR-T cell therapy use

Study on fracture development and failure characteristics of repeated mining overlying strata in multi-coal seams with faults

Antiarthritic activities of berberine in a rat model of gouty arthritis

Abstract Gouty arthritis (GA) is an inflammatory arthritic disorder that is characterized by intense, acute inflammatory responses, such as synovitis and arthritis that occur due to articular deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals. This study has compared the therapeutic potentials of either Berberine (BERB) or Paracetamol (Para) on MSU-induced inflammation in rat model of Gouty arthritis (GA). GA was induced by “intra-articular” injection of MSU suspension (20 mg/ml) inside the knee joint of the rat’s right limb. Circumference was measured at 48 h after MSU injection and 14 days post-treatment with BERB or Para. Gait assessment was conducted. Histopathological alterations of knee and paw (ankle) joint tissue were investigated. Serum levels of Malondialdehyde (MDA), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were estimated. Molecular analysis of Elastase, Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and Myeloperoxidase (MPO) was evaluated. In addition, DNA fragmentation assay was performed. Our results revealed that deposition of MSU crystals in the articular joints provoked an inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and DNA fragmentation (apoptosis). However, the oral treatment of MSU-induced rats with either BERB (50 mg/kg/day) or Para (50 mg/kg/day) for 14 days mitigated MSU-stimulated inflammation and arthritis as represented by the behavioral, histopathological, biochemical, and molecular levels. Treatment of MSU-induced arthritic rats with BERB or Para attenuated oedema and alleviated histological signs of acute inflammation. In addition, treatment decreased chemokine levels and reduced MDA levels. These results indicated that BERB and Para exerted strong anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-apoptotic activities against GA.

Broader horizons for cereblon glue degraders

Predictive factors for the development of macular neovascularization in chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

Abstract This single-center, retrospective study analyzed the development of macular neovascularization (MNV) in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) during a treatment-free follow-up period and the factors associated with its development. In total, 236 patients (280 eyes, 149 males and 87 females, mean age 55.3 ± 13.9 years) with treatment-naïve CSCR with no MNV detected on multimodal imaging who were observed for > 6 months were assessed. The association between age, sex, the presence of MNV, central choroidal thickness (CCT), the presence of the double-layer sign (DLS), and the cumulative duration of the persistence of serous retinal detachment (SRD) was also analyzed to determine the visual outcome before the onset of MNV. Twenty-eight (10%) eyes developed MNV over a mean follow-up period of 48.3 ± 43.3 months. The persistence of SRD for ≥ 6 months (p = 0.003) and presence of DLS measuring ≥ 1000 μm in length and < 100 μm in height (p = 0.040) exhibited significant associations with the development of MNV. Furthermore, the persistence of SRD for ≥ 6 months showed a significant association with logMAR visual acuity loss of ≥ 0.3 (p = 0.0009). Thus, the persistence of SRD for ≥ 6 months and numerically defined DLS were identified as predictors for the development of MNV in patients with CSCR.