Good Application Research Articles

Biosynthesis of ZnO nanocomposites from Mentha spicata applications of antioxidant, antimicrobial and genotoxicity advances in MCF-7 cell line

This study focuses on enhancing the, Spearmint (Mentha spicata), an aromatic herb indigenous to Europe and Asia, which is valued for its refreshing flavor and potential health benefits. This herb is widely utilized in culinary practices, medicinal applications, and cosmetic formulations. The ethanol extract derived from the M. spicata leaf contains is rich secondary metabolites with various bioactive properties: Specifically, such as tannins, flavonoids, and polyphenols are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, saponins help reduce cholesterol, and alkaloids have analgesic properties. The extract has a total flavonoid content (TFC) of 231.37 ± 2.05 mg GAE/g and a total phenol content (TPC) of 247.32 ± 5.07 mg GAE/g. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized from this extract and subsequently characterized through various analytical techniques. The absorbance measurement at 437 nm confirmed the successful nanoparticle synthesis. FTIR spectra showed water-related absorption bands at 3330 cm−1 and 3337 cm−1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated the presence of spherical nanoparticles of about 25.4 nm, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) illustrated particles ranging from 20 to 50 nm with high crystallinity and a lattice spacing of 0.297 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed their crystalline structure with distinct Bragg reflections at 39.1°, 46.1°, 68.7°, and 79.2°, which corresponding to (111), (200), (220,311) planes, respectively (JCPDS card no. 01–080-1876). Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed the high purity of the synthesized ZnO nanocrystals. The nanoparticles demonstrated significant antioxidant activity with radical scavenging rates up to 97.33 %, effective antimicrobial properties, and notable anticancer activity, achieving 99.75 % inhibition of MCF-7 cells at 40 μg/mL. These findings highlight the nanoparticles' potential applications in health and medicine.

Effect of probiotic fermentation on the extraction rate and bioactivity of plant-based polysaccharides: A review

Polysaccharides are biomacromolecules that make up the human body and have good physicochemical properties, bioactivities, and applications; these positive properties can be observed especially in polysaccharides from plants. However, the relatively low extraction rate and bioactivity of plant-based polysaccharides limit their application and popularization. Searching for a better extraction approach is important because of the disadvantages of high cost, environmental pollution, and narrow utilization range of physical, chemical, and enzymatic methods. This work conducted a review and found that probiotic fermentation effectively improved the extraction rate of plant-based polysaccharides in most cases. Meanwhile, probiotic fermentation significantly enhanced the bioactivities (including hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and probiotic activities) of plant-based polysaccharides. From a long-term perspective, probiotic fermentation might be a green and efficient strategy to improve the extraction rate and bioactivity of plant-based polysaccharides with great development potential, with probiotic-fermented dairy products and beverages being the best examples.

An improved high-precision polyhedron SBFEM with combinatorial interpolation strategies

Computational accuracy and solution efficiency are crucial indicators for evaluating the performance of finite element numerical algorithms, and the corresponding improvements in these areas are the motivation for the development of computational science. In this paper, a flexible and high-precision polyhedron algorithm is proposed in conjunction with SBFEM and the triangle/quadrilateral interpolation functions. The main content can be summarized as follows: The construction equations for a mixed-order polyhedron element are derived, meanwhile, a generalized procedural framework is designed for multi-performance applications, including automatic elements type identification, coupled solutions, and dynamic storage, and the integrated development is completed based on self-developed software GEODYNA. The correctness, convergence and practicability of the proposed method are demonstrated through several examples in different dimensions. The results show that the proposed method obtains results with an error of less than 3% compared to theoretical solutions and the fine numerical solutions, while significantly reducing computational costs; Besides, the proposed method overcomes the limitations of conventional methods on mesh shape and can be seamlessly integrated with octree algorithms, which offers a powerful technical means for the efficient and high-precision analyses of bending deformation and stress concentration problems. It is foreseeable that a good application potential in high-precision structural analysis would be revealed.

Soot formation in laminar ammonia-ethylene counterflow diffusion flames: Isolation of chemical, thermal, and dilution effects

This numerical study investigates the effect of ammonia (NH3) addition on soot formation in laminar ethylene counterflow diffusion flames (CDFs). A chemically inert species is used to isolate the chemical effect, while the thermal and dilution effects are isolated using the formation rate fitting method. The KM2-NH3 mechanism is constructed, demonstrating good applicability for modeling NH3-C2H4 CDFs. As the NH3 addition ratio (XNH3) increases, the peak temperature, benzene (A1) mole fraction, and soot volume fraction (SVF) decrease. The chemical effect of NH3 addition promotes temperature though R1: H + O2 = O + OH and R1927: NH2 + NH = N2H2 + H. It also promotes A1 formation by boosting R298: 2C2H3 → A1, etc., and converts C4H6-13 to produce C3H3. However, it suppresses soot formation through surface growth SR42: open(se) + C2H2 → H(se) + 2C(B) + H. The dilution effect on suppressing A1 formation is stronger than the thermal effect. The thermal effect dominates the suppression of soot formation, and the chemical effect is stronger than the dilution effect at low XNH3, while the opposite is true at high XNH3.

Passive RFID integrated sensors based on ZnO/CuO/RGO and SnO2/CuS/RGO nanomaterials are used for CO2 and ethanol detection in fruit and vegetable storage and transportation

This article proposes and designs a passive RFID integrated dual parameter gas sensor that can respond to ethanol and carbon dioxide gases at room temperature. Firstly, nanocomposite sensitive materials were prepared by hydrothermal method, and their microstructure and elemental composition were analyzed through TEM, SEM, XRD, XPS and UPS characterization tests. The dual frequency gas sensing antenna was designed and optimized using HFSS software, and a high-precision engraving mechanism was used to prepare the sensor model. Finally, two different gas sensitive materials were deposited on the corresponding positions of the symmetric structure of the sensing antenna, and the different gas concentration changes were converted into amplitude and frequency changes at different frequency points of the sensing antenna. The test results showed that the sensor operates within the range of carbon dioxide concentration of 600ppm∼1600ppm, with an amplitude change of 10.3dB and a sensitivity of 0.009dB/ppm. The sensitivity of the sensor is 0.29MHz/ppm when operating stably within the ethanol concentration range of 200ppm∼2800ppm. Compared with traditional gas sensors, passive RFID dual parameter gas sensors have the advantages of selective response to carbon dioxide and ethanol gases in mixed gas environments, fast response speed, strong anti-interference to interfering gases, and strong temperature adaptability. It has a good application prospect transportation, agricultural greenhouses, and food testing.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of mHealth applications for depression in Germany using a Markov cohort simulation

AbstractRegulated mobile health applications are called digital health applications (“DiGA”) in Germany. To qualify for reimbursement by statutory health insurance companies, DiGA have to prove positive care effects in scientific studies. Since the empirical exploration of DiGA cost-effectiveness remains largely uncharted, this study pioneers the methodology of cohort-based state-transition Markov models to evaluate DiGA for depression. As health states, we define mild, moderate, severe depression, remission and death. Comparing a future scenario where 50% of patients receive supplementary DiGA access with the current standard of care reveals a gain of 0.02 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) per patient, which comes at additional direct costs of ~1536 EUR per patient over a five-year timeframe. Influencing factors determining DiGA cost-effectiveness are the DiGA cost structure and individual DiGA effectiveness. Under Germany’s existing cost structure, DiGA for depression are yet to demonstrate the ability to generate overall savings in healthcare expenditures.

Development and validation of a risk prediction model for cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer patients often experience cognitive impairment as a complication during treatment, which seriously affects their quality of life. This study aimed to assess the risk factors associated with cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients and to construct and validate a nomogram model to predict cognitive impairment in this population. In this study, we used a convenience sampling method to select 423 breast cancer patients who attended the Department of Breast Surgery at the First Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University from September 2023 to March 2024. We analyzed these patients' cognitive impairment risk factors through LASSO regression and logistic regression analysis to develop a predictive model. The model was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC) from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the calibration curve and decision curve analysis. This study found a prevalence of cognitive impairment of 19.62% among breast cancer patients. A nomogram model was developed based on six influencing factors: age, educational level, pathological type, treatment program, emotional state, and fatigue. The area under the curve (AUC) for the model's training and validation groups was 0.944 and 0.931, respectively. The model calibration curves showed a high degree of consistency, and the decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated good clinical applicability of the model. This nomogram demonstrates good discrimination, calibration, and clinical applicability, making it a more intuitive predictor of the risk of cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients.

Analysis of the Impact of Foundation Pit Construction on the Deformation of Underlying Metro Tunnels

The excavation of a foundation pit will cause soil unloading, resulting in the structural deformation of underlying tunnels, which affects the safety of tunnel operation. Here, the impact of foundation pit excavation on the structural deformation of the metro interval tunnel underlying a foundation pit support project for a storage pond is analyzed through theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and on-site monitoring, and corresponding safety control measures are proposed. The research shows that simplifying the tunnel into an infinite-length Euler–Bernoulli beam resting on the Kerr foundation model has good rationality and applicability when analyzing the impact of pit construction on the deformation of the interval tunnel. The distance between the foundation pit and the tunnel cross-section significantly affects the deformation of the tunnel structure, and the shorter the straight-line distance from the pit foundation, the more obvious the structural deformation of the interval tunnel. The maximum deformation of the tunnel structure occurs in the upper-left area of the middle of the tunnel near the foundation pit, and the deformation shows a nonlinear decreasing trend toward the two ends of the tunnel. Timely support can effectively inhibit the deformation of the foundation pit, and the spatial and temporal effects of foundation pit excavation on the underlying tunnels should be minimized during construction. The impact on the structural deformation of the underlying tunnels should be mitigated in strict accordance with the three-level control principle: early warning, alarm, and control. The research results provide a reference for guiding foundation pit construction.

Combination Nanodrug Delivery Systems Facilitate the Syncretism of Chemotherapy with Immunotherapy to Promote Cancer Treatment.

Cancer has emerged as a significant threat that gravely endanger human health. Anti-tumor immunotherapy has now emerged as an important treatment for cancer. However, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment limits the antitumor immunity. The importance of the immune system in the cancer treatment process must be emphasized. Herein, two precision-targeted nanoparticles PD-L1@Cur-NPs and PD-1@AS-NPs are constructed for cancer treatment. PD-L1@Cur-NPs can precisely target tumor cells in vivo to eradicate tumor cells or induce them apoptosis. PD-1@AS-NPs can precisely target T cells in vivo to activate the T cell-mediated immune system and induce antitumor immune responses. Furthermore, these two nanoparticles have good synergistic effect and show stronger antitumor effect after combination. After treatment with the combination of two nanoparticles, the tumor volumes of C57BL/6 tumor-bearing mice are significantly reduced. Moreover, the percentage of CD8+T cells and CD4+T cells in the tumor significantly increased, and the percentage of regulatory T cells significantly decreased. The percentage of memory T cells and memory effector T cells in the spleen also significantly increased after treatment, suggesting that the antitumor immunity is activated after treatment. This study provides a new antitumor treatment strategy combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which has good application prospect.

Three-dimensional numerical calculation and case application of IP five-directional well logging

Abstract Conventional well logging can effectively detect the vertical distribution range of ore bodies near the well by placing detectors in the well. However, its detection capability for the horizontal extension of ore bodies is limited. Therefore, starting from the differential equations satisfied by the point source in three-dimensional structures, this paper deduced the variational problem satisfied by the total potential under three-dimensional complex conditions. By focusing on well logging, tetrahedral cross-grid partitioning technology was employed to achieve high-precision three-dimensional finite element forward modeling. Simulations were carried out for different forms of ore bodies using the induced polarization five-direction observation method, considering the presence of ore bodies near the well and the case where the measurement well passes through the ore body. The paper analyzed and summarized the induced polarization anomaly patterns formed by ore bodies with low resistance and high polarization in different horizontal extension directions under induced polarization five-direction logging with power supply measurements from different directions. Based on this, a human-computer interaction system was constructed to perform forward fitting and inversion interpretation of the measured induced polarization data, resulting in a good application effect.

Telehealth to Address Preventable Maternal Deaths: A Call to Action.

Over 80% of maternal deaths are preventable. Telehealth approaches can help address disparities by increasing access to quality maternal health care. In this position statement, we advocate for the utility of telehealth to address maternal mortality disparities, focusing specifically on the postpartum period, where most maternal deaths occur. Specifically, we describe how telehealth visits, mobile health applications, and wearable devices for remote patient monitoring can be used to promote the uptake of postpartum care and adherence to evidence-based treatment for the most common causes of maternal death (i.e., cardiovascular conditions and mental health-related conditions). We discuss challenges that must be overcome to ensure the broad and equitable reach of telehealth and identify specific action steps to address this pressing public health issue.

Investigation of the Thermophysical Simulation and Material Removal Mechanism of the High-Volume-Fraction SiCp/Al Composite in Wire Electrical Discharge Machining

SiC particle reinforced aluminum matrix composites (SiCp/Al) are widely used in aviation, weaponry, and automobiles because of their excellent service performance. Wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) regardless of workpiece hardness has become an alternative method for processing SiCp/Al composites. In this paper, the temperature distribution and the discharge crater size of the SiCp/Al composite are simulated by a thermophysical model during a single-pulse discharge process (SPDP) based on the random distribution of SiC particles. The material removal mechanism of the SiCp/Al composite during the multi-pulse discharge process (MPDP) is revealed, and the surface roughness (Ra) of the SiCp/Al composite is predicted during the MPDP. The thermophysical model simulation results during the MPDP and experimental characterization data indicate that the removal mechanism of SiCp/Al composite material consists of the melting and vaporization of the aluminum matrix, as well as the heat decomposition and shedding of silicon carbide particles. Pulse-on time (Ton), pulse-off time (Toff), and servo voltage (SV) have a great influence on surface roughness. The Ra increases with an increase in Ton and SV, but decreases slightly with an increase in Toff. Moreover, compared with experimental data, the relative error of Ra calculated from the thermophysical model is 0.47–7.54%. This means that the developed thermophysical model has a good application and promotion value for the WEDM of metal matrix composite material.

A mileage correction method of pipeline inertial measurement for dam internal deformation monitoring

Internal deformation monitoring is of great significance to the safe operation and maintenance of dams. Some scholars have carried out dam internal deformation monitoring by pipeline inertial measurement with a pipeline measurement robot, which has improved the monitoring accuracy and efficiency considerably, compared with the traditional monitoring methods. However, there are still shortcomings in this method. Because the odometer on the pipeline measurement robot will slip or slide, resulting in errors in the mileage of the multiple measurement routes, which hinders the development of the accuracy of pipeline inertial measurement. This paper proposes a mileage correction method based on junction detection to improve the accuracy of pipeline inertial measurement for better dam internal deformation monitoring. The mileage correction method establishes a reference model of pipeline junction location, detects the locations of pipeline junction welds on the measurement routes using two k-mean clustering, and corrects the odometer data based on the difference between the detected and reference locations. We evaluate the enhancement of this mileage correction method on the internal accuracy and deviation values compared with other method for pipeline inertial measurement. The proposed method is validated using measured data from the internal pipeline of Tianchi Dam. The results show that compared with the results directly fused without detection–correction, the method proposed in this paper reduces the root-mean-square error of the results by an average of 30.30% and improves the deviation compared with the reference deformation by an average of 2.3 mm. Therefore, the method has good results and practical applications.

Polyethylene Glycol-Protected Zinc Microwall Arrays for Stable Zinc Anodes.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries promise good commercial application prospects due to their environmental benignity and easy assembly under atmospheric conditions, positioning them as a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries. However, some inherent issues, such as chaotic zinc dendrite growth and inevitable side reactions, challenge the commercialization progress. In this work, we imprint highly ordered zinc microwall arrays to regulate the electric field toward uniform Zn deposition. Afterward, coating a polyethylene glycol protection layer on the zinc microwalls aims to passivate the surface defects that rise unintentionally by mechanical imprinting. Polyethylene glycol can also boost oriented Zn deposition along the (002) plane and inhibit hydrogen gas production, further enhancing the stability of such three-dimensional (3D) hybrid anodes. Compared to the messy electric field near the polyethylene glycol-protected Zn foil, the uniform electric field provided by these 3D hybrid anodes can regulate the Zn deposition behaviors, enabling a longer lifespan and thus certifying the necessity of adding 3D microstructures. Additionally, 3D microstructures can offer a larger surface area than that of the planar Zn foil, providing more reaction sites and higher specific capacity. In this case, the 3D hybrid electrode exhibits a good initial capacity of approximately 120 mA h/g at a current density of 5 A/g and a nice retention of more than 80% after 800 cycles. The proposed scheme paves the way for a long-term stable 3D zinc anode solution with promising application prospects.

Construction of Spiro[pyrrolidine-azlactone] via [2 + 3] Cycloaddition of Alkylidene Azlactone with Trifluoromethylated Imine.

A Ag-catalyzed [2 + 3] cycloaddition of alkylidene azlactones with trifluoromethylated imines has been documented, providing spiro[pyrrolidine-azlactones] bearing four adjacent stereogenic centers with good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities. Catalytic asymmetric cycloaddition has also been developed with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Further gram-scale preparation and synthetic transformation to pyrrolidine derivative showed the good practicality and applicability of this reaction.

Effectiveness and equity of mHealth apps for preeclampsia management in LMICs: A rapid review protocol.

Preeclampsia remains a formidable public health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where it significantly contributes to the high rates of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The advent of mobile health (mHealth) applications presents a promising avenue for enhancing the management of preeclampsia. This review protocol is designed to systematically assess the effectiveness and equity of mHealth apps in managing preeclampsia within LMICs, with a focus on clinical outcomes and the broader implications for accessibility, affordability, and cultural relevance. To achieve the objectives of this review, a rapid review methodology will be employed, encompassing a structured search strategy to identify pertinent studies from databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, as well as grey literature. The inclusion criteria are set to encompass randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials (CCTs), observational studies, and qualitative studies that offer insights into the effectiveness and user experience of mHealth apps for preeclampsia management. Participants in these studies will include pregnant women at risk for or diagnosed with preeclampsia, healthcare providers, and app developers. The quality of the included studies will be critically appraised using standardized tools, and data extraction will focus on study characteristics, interventions, outcomes, and equity considerations. The implications of this review are far-reaching, offering the potential to inform stakeholders including policymakers, healthcare providers, and app developers about the deployment and development of mHealth solutions for preeclampsia management in LMICs. Ultimately, the anticipated findings of this review are expected to contribute significantly to the understanding of mHealth apps' role in improving preeclampsia management and addressing healthcare disparities, thereby guiding future strategies to enhance maternal and neonatal health outcomes in LMICs.

Perilla Seed Oil: A Review of Health Effects, Encapsulation Strategies and Applications in Food

Perilla (Perilla frutescens L.) is an annual herbaceous plant whose seed oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). This oil exhibits various health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, hypoglycemic, neuroprotective and immunomodulatory activities. In addition, incorporating perilla oil into a diet can effectively increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiota. However, perilla oil is prone to oxidation, which reduces its nutritional value and lowers its bioavailability. To address these issues, encapsulation technologies such as emulsions, oleogels, liposomes and microcapsules have been employed, showing promising results. Nonetheless, further research is needed to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms of perilla seed oil’s health effects, validate its benefits through large-scale human clinical trials and optimize encapsulation techniques. Future investigations should also explore the synergistic effects of combining perilla seed oil with other functional components and its role in modulating gut microbiota to achieve comprehensive health benefits.

Alkylated RALA-Derived Peptides for Efficient Gene Delivery.

RALA is an amphipathic cationic peptide demonstrated to be a low-toxicity and high-efficiency delivery platform for the systemic delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics. This work reports three RALA-derived peptides modified with N-terminal palmitic acid, engineered through amino acid substitutions and truncated sequences. All three peptides have good nucleic acid encapsulation, release and uptake, biocompatibility, and endolysosome escape. The siRNA transfection efficiency is about 90%, and the silencing rate of GA (C16-GLFWHHHARLARALARHLARALRA) exceeds that of lipofectamine 2000 (siRNA concentration = 50 nM). Truncating the peptide chain while retaining a certain amount of arginine ensures an effective particle size. Replacing glutamic acid with three histidines ensures an effective zeta potential and accelerates the endosome escape process through the proton sponge phenomenon. Introducing phenylalanine enhances the carrier-cell interaction. We believe that they are powerful carriers of siRNA therapy and may have good application prospects in treating various diseases.

Security enhancement for NOMA-PON with 2D cellular automata and Turing pattern cascading scramble aided fixed-point extended logistic chaotic encryption

The non-orthogonal multiple access-passive optical network (NOMA-PON) is facing the dual security threats of primary user interference and unauthorized third-party user eavesdropping, so efficient data security enhancement techniques are crucial. To solve these problems, we propose a fixed-point extended (FE)-logistic chaotic mapping to reduce the computational complexity while employing a two-dimensional (2D) cellular automata (CA) and Turing pattern (TP) cascading scramble (CA-TPCS) encryption algorithm to further improve the sensitivity of the NOMA-PON system. The CA-TPCS consists of 2D-CA dynamic bit encryption and Turing symbol substitution (TSS). By using FE chaos to construct 2D-CA and adopting index sort to extract the TSS matrix, dynamic diffusion of bits and scrambling of a 2D symbol matrix are achieved. To ensure the key privacy, we employ a dual key mechanism, and uplink data is introduced as the private key. To verify the feasibility of the proposed method, a simulation validation is built on a 17.6 Gb/s power division multiplexing-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (PDM-OFDM) NOMA-PON system transmitted over 25 km standard single mode fiber (SSMF). The results show that the proposed scheme has no effect on the optimal power allocation rate (PAR) values and the values are all 3. Meanwhile, the receiver sensitivity gains of 0.2 and 0.3 dB are obtained for high-power and low-power users after encryption. The ciphertext has good diffusion and statistical properties, and the key space is flexibly controlled by the FE precision f, the length l of the transmitted bit, and the size T of the TP, with the value of 22f+l+T×T. The results show that the proposed scheme is not only very compatible with PDM technology but also can realize the dual defense of internal aggression and external aggression. It has a good application prospect in the future NOMA-PON.

Study on Extraction and Bioactivity of Polysaccharides from Viburnum sargentiiKoehne with Deep EutecticSolvent.

The fruits of Viburnum sargentiiKoehne (Vsk) are rich in bioactive polysaccharides and polyphenols, which exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hypoglycemic properties. This study explored the use of deep eutectic solvents (DES), specifically urea-choline chloride, as a green extraction medium to maximize polysaccharide yield from Vsk polysaccharides. Extraction conditions, including solvent composition, temperature, and time, were optimized using response surface methodology, achieving significantly higher yields and purity compared to hot water extraction. The polysaccharides extracted through DES showed a more homogeneous molecular structure, with reduced protein and pigment impurities. Bioactivity assays confirmed potent antioxidant and hypoglycemic effects, with DES-extracted polysaccharides displaying enhanced reducing power, free radical scavenging capabilities, and notable α-amylase inhibition compared to those obtained by conventional methods. These findings highlight DES extraction as an effective approach not only to improve yield and purity but also to enhance the bioactivity of extracted compounds. Consequently, DES-extracted Vsk polysaccharides show potential for use in developing functional foods and nutraceuticals. This study advances sustainable extraction technologies, positioning Vsk polysaccharides as valuable bioactive compounds with promising health applications.