Water Content Measurements Research Articles

Optical Based Methods for Water Monitoring in Biological Tissue.

Skin homeostasis is strongly dependent on its hydration levels, making skin water content measurement vital across various fields, including medicine, cosmetology, and sports science. Noninvasive diagnostic techniques are particularly relevant for clinical applications due to their minimal risk of side effects. A range of optical methods have been developed for this purpose, each with unique physical principles, advantages, and limitations. This review provides an in-depth examination of optical techniques such as diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, optoacoustic spectroscopy, optoacoustic tomography, hyperspectral imaging, and Raman spectroscopy. We explore their efficacy in noninvasive monitoring of skin hydration and edema, which is characterized by an increase in interstitial fluid. By comparing the parameters, sensitivity, and clinical applications of these techniques, this review offers a comprehensive understanding of their potential to enhance diagnostic precision and improve patient care.

Historie a současnost meteorologických měření a pozorování v oblasti Jeseníků

The oldest known mention of meteorological observations in the area of interest is from 1816 Frývaldov (German: Freiwaldau, today’s town of Jeseník). Between 1840 and 1845, Dr. Heinisch observed the weather in the Karlova Studánka municipality. In 1851, the Central Institute for Meteorology and Earth Magnetism was founded in Vienna, which, however, was more important for the region of Bohemia. The foundation of the Natural Research Society in 1861 in Brno by Johann Gregor Mendel contributed to the enlargement of the meteorological station network in northern Moravia. The result of the activities of this association was, for example, the station of a meteorological station in Šumperk, established in 1865. One of the oldest meteorological stations with available meteorological data in the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute is the Bernartice station near Javorník at the foothills of the Rychleby Mountains (1848–1946). Another organization that had an influence on the development of meteorological stations in the Jeseníky Mountains region was the Hydrographic Commission for the Kingdom of Bohemia and especially its Ombrometric Section (1875). In 1876, observations began in Heřmanovice, Holčovice, Jeseník and Vrbno pod Pradědem. The Razová station has been observing since 1877, and the observation from Rýmařov has been preserved since 1879. Since 1881, meteorological observations have been carried out in Albrechtice near Rýmařov, in Branná or in Dětřichov, and in 1883 records from the first peak station on Králický Sněžník are also available (although only from a few years). A greater increase in the number of meteorological stations occurred in 1895 (13 new stations in the Jeseníky Mountains) as a result of the establishment of the k. k. Central hydrographic office at the Ministry of the Interior in Vienna (1893). Shortly after the floods in Moravia in July 1997, on September 15, 1997, the operation of the highest professional meteorological station in the Czech Republic at Praděd was terminated. Since January 1, 2004, the professional station at Šerák has been in operation. On October 27, 2019, an automatic weather station was established under the peak of Králický Sněžník at an altitude of 1,402m above sea level. On September 23, 2022, the automated weather station Nové Heřminovy was put into operation. The owner of the station is the Povodí Odry Enterprise. Since 2020, the Forestry and Game Management Research Institute has been operating an EMS Brno automated weather station in Švýcárna. The CHMI managed to establish cooperation with the Institute, and we use the data from this station to prepare climatological characteristic of the top parts of the Jeseníky Mountains. The installation of new snow measuring stations at Malý Děd and Pod Jelení studánkou took place in June 2024. These two stations thus complemented the ASNS type station (so-called snow measuring pillow, i.e. snow measuring sensor and “pillow”) for measuring water content of the total snow cover on Klepáčov, which has been operating since 2011. Since 2018, the CHMI regional office in Ostrava has operated several additional stations with air temperature measurements in the Jeseníky Mountains (Červenohorské sedlo, Dlouhé Stráně lower reservoir, Rejvíz, and Alfrédova myslivna) and from 2023, in cooperation with amateur meteorologists, three measurements in frosty locations (Heřmanovice, Moravský Kočov, Moravský Beroun). There are around 100 locations within an area of interest of the Jeseníky Mountains where meteorological stations with various observation programs existed or still exist. Currently, there are 41 stations under the management of the CHMI, Ostrava regional office.

Rapid and simultaneous measurement of ice and unfrozen water content based on an inverse analysis surrogate model

Rapid and simultaneous measurement of ice and unfrozen water content based on an inverse analysis surrogate model

Formulation of red rice powder beverages: effects of maltodextrin and egg white powder on chemical properties and sensory acceptance

Abstract The enormous appeal of red rice can be attributed to its vivid crimson hue, unique taste, high nutritional content, and adaptability in various culinary and beverage contexts. The increasing global demand presents prospects for developing novel products, such as powdered beverages. Fillers such as maltodextrin and bulking substances, namely egg white powder, are essential in formulating red rice powdered beverages. These components play a critical role in establishing the liking of product and its chemical characteristics. The objective of this work was to assess the impact of maltodextrin and egg white powder on the acceptability of sensory and chemical properties of beverages made with red rice powder. A range of maltodextrin concentrations (10%, 20%, and 30%) and egg white powder concentrations (4%, 4.5%, and 5%) were examined as independent variables. The analysis included measurements of water content, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, and level of hedonic acceptability. Significant reductions in water content (from 4.69% to 3.96%), total phenolic content (from 16.09 to 6.98 mg GAE/g dry sample), and antioxidant capacity (from 0.0009 to 0.0003 mg TE/g dry sample) were seen with greater quantities of egg white powder and maltodextrin. In addition, higher quantities of these constituents led to enhanced lightness of the powdered drinks. However, changes in the amounts of egg white powder and maltodextrin did not lead to significant differences in overall sensory acceptability. This indicates that red rice powdered beverages can be formulated without compromising consumer acceptance, providing an opportunity to enhance shelf life and stability.

Improving anti-oxidant stress treatment of subarachnoid hemorrhage through self-assembled nanoparticles of oleanolic acid

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a life-threatening acute hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease, with early brain injury (EBI) being the main cause of high mortality and severe neurological dysfunction. Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of EBI. In this study, we synthesized antioxidant stress nanoparticles based on self-assembled oleanolic acid (OA) using the solvent volatilization method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were employed to analyze and understand the self-assembly mechanism of oleic acid nanoparticles (OA NPs). The TUNEL assay, Nissl staining, and brain water content measurements were conducted to investigate the impact of OA NPs on cortical neuronal injury. Additionally, Western blot analysis was performed to investigate the antioxidant stress mechanism of OA NPs. The result showed that OA NPs exhibited a spherical structure with an average diameter of 168 nm. The application of OA NPs in SAH has been found to contribute to the reduction of keap1 protein levels and an increase in the nuclear level of Nrf2. As a result, the transcription of antioxidant stress proteins, including HO1 and NQO1, is triggered. The activation of the antioxidant stress pathway by OA NPs ultimately leads to a decrease in neuron damage and an improvement in neurological dysfunction. In conclusion, we successfully designed and synthesized OA NPs that can efficiently target the site of SAH. These nanoparticles have demonstrated their potential as antioxidants for the treatment of SAH, offering significant clinical applications.

Early quality control of stabilised dredged material by correlating heat production with strength

This study explores the use of isothermal calorimetry to assess heat release during the initial phases of dredged sediment (DS) stabilisation with the primary goal of predicting the 28-day unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and enhancing the stabilisation process’ quality control. The study was performed on DS samples collected from Göta river, Gothenburg, Sweden. The water content of the raw DS was set to 138%, 185%, and 291%, and mixing was performed with water-to-binder ratios 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 using a binder consisting of 40% Portland limestone cement and 60% slag. The heat release measurements were conducted during the first 7 days of hydration, non-destructive free–free resonance tests were performed at 7, 14, and 28 days of hydration, and the 28-day UCS was done to assess the compressive strength of stabilised DS. For each water content, a statistical analysis was performed to determine the strength of the relationship, specifically using linear regression, to assess how well early calorimetric data could predict the UCS, and a correlation was found between the 28-day compressive strength and heat release of stabilised DS after 48 h of hydration. By measuring water content and heat release in the early stages of stabilisation, it is thus possible to assess the binder content and predict the ultimate compressive strength of a treated DS.

Flexible, multimodal device for measurement of body temperature, core temperature, thermal conductivity and water content

Body core temperature is an important physiological indicator for self-health management and medical diagnosis. However, existing devices always fails to achieve continuous monitoring of core body temperature due to their invasive or motion-restricted measurement principles. Here, a wearable flexible device which can continuously monitor the core body temperature was developed. The flexible device integrated with fourteen temperature sensors and one thermal conductivity sensor on the polydimethylsiloxane substrate can be conformally attached to the human skin. With the wearable data processing module and wireless communication module, the continuous monitoring of the core body temperature for 24 h and the portable monitoring of the skin thermal conductivity were realized using this device. Owing to the annular distribution design of the temperature sensor and the directional heat transfer design of the thermal conductivity sensor, this device is comparable in accuracy and stability compared to standard instruments that require invasive or motion-restricted measurements.

Optimization of lyophilization cycle for the formulation and stability assessment of Doxycycline Hyclate

Background and Aim:Doxycycline hyclate, prone to instability in solution, is unsuitable for liquid dosage forms. Lyophilization, a low-temperature drying process, addresses this limitation by converting the drug into a stable solid. This study aimed to optimize the lyophilization cycle for doxycycline hyclate, enhancing its stability, handling, and transport in injectable form Methods: Pre-formulation studies included solubility analysis, pH determination, water content measurement, FTIR, DSC, photostability, and compatibility studies. Twelve lyophilization cycles were designed, optimizing four formulations by varying temperature, pressure, and cycle duration. Formulations were assessed for cake appearance, solution clarity, pH, reconstitution time, and assay. The optimized formulation underwent additional evaluations for diluent and filter compatibility, in vitro antibacterial activity (disk diffusion), and stability under accelerated and photostabilityconditions.Results:Formulation F3 from Trial 3 exhibited superior performance, with a uniform, smooth cake appearance, clear reconstitution, stable pH, rapid reconstitution time, low water content (0.98%), and minimal organic impurities. Diluent and filter compatibility tests revealed no adverse interactions. The formulation remained stable under light and accelerated conditions, showing dose-dependent antibacterial activity comparable to the innovator’s product.Conclusion:The optimized lyophilization cycle significantly enhanced doxycycline hyclate's stability, handling, and transport. The injectable formulation demonstrated excellent stability, reliable antibacterial activity, and clinical suitability, offering a safer, more convenient alternative to liquid formulations.

Comparative analysis of deep neural network and artificial neural network for predicting wheat water content using UAV multispectral and thermal imagers

Water is a vital component for the growth of wheat and the quality of its grains. The measurement of plant water content (PWC) serves as a crucial indicator for assessing the water status of crops, thereby guiding effective irrigation management practices. Recent advancements in technology, particularly the use of multispectral and thermal imaging from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), offer the capability to capture a comprehensive view of PWC variability across agricultural fields. This study aimed to create predictive models for PWC utilizing artificial neural networks (ANN), deep neural networks (DNN), and traditional stepwise regression techniques, all based on the analysis of multispectral and thermal imagery. To effectively evaluate the protein content in wheat, we combined high-resolution thermal and multispectral imaging techniques with machine learning approaches. This assessment was carried out through three distinct experiments, which included one conducted in a rainout shelter and two performed under rainfed conditions. The findings demonstrated that UAV-derived multispectral imagery, when coupled with machine learning models, can effectively predict wheat plant water content with remarkable precision. Notably by considering all the dataset, DNN model exhibited superior performance (R2=0.96, ENS=0.98, RMSE=1.37%, MAE=0.98%) compared to both the ANN (R2=0.95, ENS=0.95, RMSE=1.88%, MAE=1.46%,) and the stepwise regression model (SRM) (R2=0.67, ENS=0.51, RMSE=10.79%, MAE=9.03%). Across all machine learning approaches, both the DNN and ANN models significantly outperformed the stepwise regression model in predictive accuracy. The statistical outcomes derived from the calibration phase indicate that both the trained Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Deep Neural Networks (DNN) serve as effective instruments for accurate prediction of PWC. Notably, the DNN network demonstrates superior accuracy compared to ANN.

Unlocking the potential of melting calorimetry: a field protocol for liquid water content measurement in snow

Abstract. Melting calorimetry, a classic experiment often conducted in high-school chemistry laboratories, holds significant untapped potential for scientific applications beyond its educational context. Traditionally, this technique has been applied to measure the liquid water content in snow using two different formulations: melting calorimetry and freezing calorimetry. In contrast to freezing calorimetry, which is considered the reference method for measuring liquid water content, melting calorimetry has been perceived as prone to generating significant inaccuracies. This research revisits the formulations for both melting and freezing calorimeters to assess volumetric liquid water content in snow. By incorporating the calorimetric constant, we account for heat exchange with the calorimeter, a critical factor often neglected in melting-calorimetry experiments. This paper identifies the most effective and least uncertain method for determining this constant. A central contribution of this work is the introduction of a framework for estimating uncertainty in volumetric liquid water content measurements, adhering to established guidelines for uncertainty expression. This novel framework allows us to revisit past mathematical analyses and demonstrate that melting calorimetry delivers reliable measurements with an uncertainty 0.25 % greater than freezing calorimetry. Notably, despite this slightly higher uncertainty, melting calorimetry offers significant practical advantages for field applications. Moreover, we show how the proposed uncertainty framework can be expanded beyond instrumental uncertainty and also take into account the variability from environmental factors and operators, providing a more comprehensive characterization of the uncertainty. By exploiting the proposed uncertainty framework, we finally conduct an in-depth analysis for the optimal tuning of the experiment parameters. This analysis culminates in a robust field protocol for melting calorimetry that transcends commonsense procedural guidelines. Strict adherence to this protocol will maximize measurement accuracy. Applied in field tests in Italy and Switzerland, the melting calorimetry was demonstrated to accurately track the wet front penetration in the snowpacks, producing results comparable to independent dielectric measurements. These findings highlight the accuracy and the practical advantages of melting calorimetry as a reliable field tool for quantifying snowpack liquid water content. Melting calorimetry can potentially serve as a valuable tool for the independent calibration and validation of proximal and remote sensing techniques used for liquid water content retrieval.

Implementation Of IoT-Based Optical Sensors For Real-Time Monitoring In Palm Oil Processing

Optical sensors are widely used in various industrial sectors, including petrochemical and medical industries, with applications ranging from oxygen level measurement, concentration of substances in a liquid, object detection, and more. Optical sensors can be used to detect the water content in oil, such as palm oil or other oils. In an industrial process, especially in the palm oil industry, the water content in oil must meet a maximum standard of 4.5%. Optical sensors can measure water content using various methods, such as Total Internal Reflection (TIR) or Mid-Infrared (MIR), and can be monitored in real-time using IoT-based applications. The utilization of sensitive optical technology takes advantage of changes in the refractive index caused by variations in water content in palm oil. The method employed involves the development of an optical sensor based on the Mid-Infrared principle, which measures the amount of light absorbed by water and the light reaching the sensor for comparison. The results of water content measurements in palm oil that have been conducted can only be implemented for water content measurements of 0-5% in palm oil, with a sensor response that is less than linear above 5% water content. By correcting the non-linearity error of the sensor, the data is reduced to produce measurement results that are closer to the actual water content in palm oil, which will be displayed on local monitoring and real-time or continuous monitoring through IoT using smartphones and PCs wirelessly via IoT-based applications

Eleutheroside B alleviates oxidative stress and neuroinflammation by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in a rat high altitude cerebral edema model.

High altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is a condition where the central nervous system experiences severe impairment as a result of sudden oxygen deprivation at high elevations. At present, effective measures for preventing and treating this condition are still lacking. Eleutheroside B (EB), the primary natural active compound found in the Eleutheroside senticosus, has demonstrated various biological functions. It has also shown significant potential in addressing acute mountain sickness and various neurological disorders. However, additional investigation is required to explore the potential protective effects and its underlying mechanisms of EB on HACE. The male rats received pre-treatment with either vehicle, EB 100mg/kg or 50mg/kg, Dexamethasone 4mg/kg, or coumermycin A1 100μg/kg. To simulate the hypobaric hypoxia environment at a plateau of 6,000m, a hypobaric hypoxia chamber was utilized. The therapeutic effects of EB were assessed through measurements of brain water content, histopathological observation, and evaluation of oxidative stress and inflammatory factors using immunofluorescence and ELISA. Furthermore, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation and Western blot were employed to clarify its molecular mechanism. Through these analyses, the underlying mechanism by which EB on HACE was identified. Pre-treatment with EB demonstrated a significant protective effect against HACE by effectively reducing brain water content, down-regulating HIF-1α and AQP4 protein expression induced by hypoxia and reversing pathological changes in brain tissue and neuron damage. Compared to the group treated with HACE alone, the group pre-treated with EB showed a significant reduction in levels of ROS and MDA, as well as an increase in GSH. In addition, pre-treatment with EB led to a significant decrease in the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations indicated that EB has a strong binding affinity to the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Western blot further confirmed that EB significantly downregulated the expression of JAK2/STAT3 related proteins in the brain tissue of HACE rats. Additionally, coumermycin A1, an agonist of the JAK2, reversed the anti-oxidative stress and neuroinflammation against HACE of EB. EB exerts its antioxidant stress and anti-neuroinflammatory effects by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in a rat HACE model.

Low-Cost Sensors for the Measurement of Soil Water Content for Rainfall-Induced Shallow Landslide Early Warning Systems

Monitoring soil water content (SWC) can improve the effectiveness of early warning systems (EWSs) designed to mitigate rainfall-induced shallow landslide risk. In extensive areas, like along linear infrastructures, the adoption of cost-effective sensors is critical for the EWS implementation. The present study aims to evaluate the reliability of different low-cost SWC sensors (frequency domain reflectometry and capacitance-based) in capturing soil moisture conditions critical for EWS, without performing soil-specific calibration. The reliability of the low-cost sensors is assessed through a comparative analysis of their measurements against those from high-cost and well-established sensors (time domain reflectometry) over a two-year period in a shallow landslide-prone area of Oltrepò Pavese, Italy. Although no landslides are observed during the monitoring period, meteorological conditions are reconstructed and statistical analysis of sensor’s responses to different rainfall events is conducted. Results indicate that, despite differences in absolute readings, low-cost sensors effectively capture relative SWC variations and demonstrate sensitivity to rainfall events across both cold and warm periods. The presented low-cost sensors can serve as reliable indicators of soil infiltration and saturation levels, highlighting their potential for real-time monitoring within extensive networks for EWS.

Enhancing Accuracy in Soil Water Content Measurement: A Modified Dielectric Model Approach

Enhancing Accuracy in Soil Water Content Measurement: A Modified Dielectric Model Approach

A Theoretical Framework to Quantify Ecosystem Pressure-Volume Relationships.

'Water potential' is the biophysically relevant measure of water status in vegetation relating to stomatal, canopy and hydraulic conductance, as well as mortality thresholds; yet, this cannot be directly related to measured and modelled fluxes of water at plot- to landscape-scale without understanding its relationship with 'water content'. The capacity for detecting vegetation water content via microwave remote sensing further increases the need to understand the link between water content and ecosystem function. In this review, we explore how the fundamental measures of water status, water potential and water content are linked at ecosystem-scale drawing on the existing theory of pressure-volume (PV) relationships. We define and evaluate the concept and limitations of applying PV relationships to ecosystems where the quantity of water can vary on short timescales with respect to plant water status, and over longer timescales and over larger areas due to structural changes in vegetation. As a proof of concept, plot-scale aboveground vegetation PV curves were generated from equilibrium (e.g., predawn) water potentials and water content of the above ground biomass of nine plots, including tropical rainforest, savanna, temperate forest, and a long-term Amazonian rainforest drought experiment. Initial findings suggest that the stored water and ecosystem capacitance scale linearly with biomass across diverse systems, while the relative values of ecosystem hydraulic capacitance and physiologically accessible water storage do not vary systematically with biomass. The bottom-up scaling approach to ecosystem water relations identified the need to characterise the distribution of water potentials within a community and also revealed the relevance of community-level plant tissue fractions to ecosystem water relations. We believe that this theory will be instrumental in linking our detailed understanding of biophysical processes at tissue-scale to the scale at which land surface models operate and at which tower-based, airborne and satellite remote sensing can provide information.

Examination of the Dry Density Importances in TDR Use and of the ASTM D6780 Standard Based on a New Calibration Procedure

Abstract The use of time domain reflectometry (TDR) to monitor soil water content at either field or laboratory scales is highly common. Regarding the soil dry density, ρd, effect on the TDR application, three main approaches are found in the literature: (1) Ignore the density issue and use calibration to evaluate the water content regardless of the density. This approach is basic, yet common. (2) Include soil density in the calibration equation and use calibration for the water content as a function of both the TDR output and soil density. In this approach, the soil density should be provided from an independent source. (3) Determined ρd from the TDR waveform. In this case both water content and ρd are set from the TDR analysis. In cases where the ρd is not available, in order to use TDR for water content measurement, a decision has to be made whether to address the density issue although it requires resources, or to neglect it. This article reviews this issue and validates the density effect using an efficient TDR calibration methodology. A calibration scheme that controls ρd of the specimen has been developed and applied. The methodology creates continuous calibration curves over a range of volumetric water content from a single test specimen. Based on the results, it has been demonstrated that the soil density has a major effect on the TDR output and it cannot be ignored. In addition, this article presents a unique examination of ASTM D6780, Standard Test Methods for Water Content and Density of Soil In Situ by Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). The ASTM dry density estimation was found to provide reliable results; however, the gravimetric water contents estimation gives unsatisfactory results, especially for low densities.

Wetting and interfacial behavior of imidazolium-based ionic liquids and water: A comprehensive review

Ionic liquids (ILs) have garnered considerable attention for their diverse applications, notably in controlling wettability on specific solid substrates, which holds ramifications for various processes reliant on interfacial behaviour encompassing adhesion and wetting. This review encompasses key advancements in IL wetting behavior and its implications. Factors such as drop size, temperature, alkyl chain structure, anion type, water concentration, and external electric fields influence the contact angle of ILs and their aqueous solutions. Despite challenges arising from IL property susceptibility to water content and wettability measurement sensitivity to solid surface, this review navigates the extent of IL wetting research, addressing line tension, surface tension measurement, and hydrogen bonding. The study aspires to furnish profound insights into IL wetting dynamics, informing IL-based fluidic technology design and elucidating intricate static and dynamic wetting attributes in analogous complex fluids.

Investigation of 9 True Weevil (Curculionidae Latreille, 1802) Species for Chitin Extraction.

Chitin, the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose, is an important resource for biosourced materials. The global demand for chitin is rapidly increasing, however, the majority of industrial chitin is sourced from crustacean shells, which may be less accessible in regions without seafood waste. Therefore, it is crucial to explore alternative chitin sources, such as those derived from beetles and other arthropods. This study investigated chitin extraction from nine species of Curculionidae (true weevils), which are recognized as crop pests. The extraction process and yields were described, and the isolated chitin was characterized by SEM, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, XRD, and ash and water content measurements. This work highlights the potential of Curculionidae as an alternative chitin source.

BL-918 alleviates oxidative stress in rats after subarachnoid hemorrhage by promoting mitophagy through the ULK1/PINK1/Parkin pathway

Background and purposeOxidative stress plays a critical role in early brain injury (EBI) following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The small molecule ULK1 agonist, BL-918, demonstrated neuroprotective effects in other central nervous system diseases; however, its role in SAH has not yet been explored. This study aimed to evaluate whether BL-918 could provide neuroprotective effects in rats following SAH. MethodsAn SAH model was established in Sprague-Dawley rats using endovascular perforation. BL-918 was administered intraperitoneally after SAH, while the ULK1 inhibitor SBI was given intraperitoneally prior to SAH modeling. PINK1 siRNA was administered into the lateral ventricle before SAH induction. The neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of BL-918 were assessed through SAH grading, brain water content measurement, blood-brain barrier permeability, neurobehavioral tests, Western blot, immunofluorescence, TUNEL staining, DHE staining, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). ResultsAfter SAH, the expression levels of p-ULK1, PINK1, Parkin, and LC3Ⅱ increased, peaking at 24 h post-SAH. BL-918 treatment improved neurological function in rats, reduced brain water content and blood-brain barrier permeability, and exhibited anti-oxidative stress and anti-apoptotic effects. Western blot analysis revealed that BL-918 increased the expression of p-ULK1, PINK1, Parkin, LC3Ⅱ, Bcl-xl, and Bcl-2 while inhibiting the expression of Bax and Cleaved Caspase-3. Oxidative stress-related indicators showed that BL-918 alleviated oxidative stress. Immunofluorescence and TEM results demonstrated that BL-918 promoted mitophagy and preserved mitochondrial morphology. Furthermore, the positive effects of BL-918 were reversed by SBI and PINK1 siRNA, respectively. ConclusionBL-918 improved both short-term and long-term neurological impairments in rats after SAH and reduced oxidative stress by promoting mitophagy, at least partially through the ULK1/PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway.

Development and in situ application of actively heated fiber Bragg grating cable for soil water content measurement

The actively heated fiber-optic (AHFO) technology has emerged as a frontier and hotspot in soil water content measurement, offering advantages such as easy installation, large-scale distributed measurement capability, and resistance to electromagnetic interference. However, current AHFO water content sensors fail to simultaneously achieve high precision, applicability for deep soil, and automated real-time monitoring, thereby limiting their development and application. Therefore, this study introduces a novel actively heated fiber Bragg grating (AH-FBG) cable. Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the heating uniformity of the AH-FBG cable and to establish the temperature characteristic value (Tt) – soil water content (θ) calibration formula for water content measurement. Subsequently, AH-FBG cables were deployed for in situ soil water content monitoring in a test pit on the Loess Plateau. Through two-year monitoring data verified the accuracy of the AH-FBG cable and elucidated the spatiotemporal distribution of in situ loess water content. Laboratory results demonstrated superior heating uniformity of AH-FBG cable, with a Tt standard deviation of approximately 0.3 °C. In the field, the AH-FBG cable exhibited excellent performance in soil water content measurement, achieving a high accuracy of 0.023 cm3/cm3. Further analysis revealed that the θ fluctuation predominantly occurred within a 10 m depth from the soil surface, with an overall upward trend over the two-year monitoring period; the response of shallow θ to precipitation was significant but exhibited increasing hysteresis with depth; frequent precipitation significantly enhanced water infiltration depth. This study provides technical guidance for high-precision, quasi-distributed, automated and real-time water content measurement of deep soil.