Short-term Application Research Articles

An Experimental Insight Into the Role of Agomelatine in Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease and accounts for 50%-75% of mortality following renal pathologies or organ transplantation. Ischemia‒reperfusion injury (IRI) involves an interrupted blood supply to organs and the kidney; IRI exacerbates AKI development. Owing to several pharmacological treatment methods, AKI still has a poor prognosis, and novel therapeutic options are needed. Agomelatine (AGM) is a melatonin receptor agonist (MT1 and MT2) with increased bioavailability and lipophilicity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of AGM in experimental renal IRI via long-term and short-term applications. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 10): the control, I/R, AGM20S, AGM40S, AGM20L, and AGM40L groups. Following the establishment of the renal IRI model, the rats received agomelatine at 20 and 40 mg/kg orally, and agomelatine solvent (hydroxyethylcellulose) was used as a vehicle. At the end of the experiment, blood samples and renal tissues were harvested for histopathological and biochemical analysis. Urea, creatinine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) levels were measured in blood serum samples. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), and total glutathione (GSH) levels were measured in renal tissue supernatants. Our biochemical results indicated that AGM reduced creatinine, TNF-α, IL-1β, and malondialdehyde levels and increased SOD, CAT, GSHPx, and total GSH levels. Agolematine reduced infiltration, intratubular hemorrhage, and intratubular cast formation histopathologically. Our results suggest that AGM could be a potential therapeutic adjuvant agent for ischemia‒reperfusion injury in the kidney and several other organs.

Additional far-red increases fruit yield of greenhouse sweet pepper mainly through enhancing plant source strength

Supplementary lighting is necessary for year-round greenhouse production of fruit vegetables in high-latitude regions. Far-red (FR) radiation can influence plant photomorphogenesis as well as photosynthesis. We aimed to identify the effects of supplementary FR on fruit set and yield of sweet pepper, and its underlying mechanisms via a yield component analysis. A 24-week greenhouse experiment was conducted with cultivars 'Gialte' and 'Margrethe', where FR was added to 190 μmol·m−2·s−1 of white supplementary light in four treatments: 0, 50 or 100 μmol·m−2·s−1 FR throughout the whole generative growth phase (since 8 weeks after transplanting), or 100 μmol·m−2·s−1 FR for only four weeks (12 to 16 weeks after transplanting). Fruit yield increased linearly with the cumulative amount of FR provided in supplementary light. The increased fruit dry weight with additional FR was mainly associated with an increased plant dry weight, accompanied by a marginal increase in the fraction of dry matter partitioned to fruits. The increase in plant dry weight resulted from an increased light use efficiency (plant dry weight per unit of supplementary photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) incident on top of the canopy) and an increased incident PAR (due to taller plants closer to the lamps). However, additional FR reduced radiation use efficiency (plant dry weight per unit of supplementary PAR plus FR incident on top of the canopy), indicating that additional FR was used less efficiently than PAR for biomass production. Additional FR enhanced fruit set percentage and fruit set fluctuations over time, where both long-term and short-term FR application elevated the subsequent fruit set peak after the start of FR application. Without additional FR, 17% fruits in 'Gialte' and 25% in 'Margrethe' showed medium or severe cracking. Additional FR substantially reduced this percentage to 8% in both cultivars. We conclude that additional FR improves sweet pepper fruit set and yield in greenhouses, mainly by enhancing plant source strength.

Regional calibration of the Hargreaves model for estimation of reference evapotranspiration

Abstract Estimation of reference evapotranspiration values is crucial in climatological and hydrological research, agricultural engineering, and irrigation design. The Penman-Monteith method, endorsed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and numerous research studies, is widely regarded as the gold standard. However, its extensive data requirements limit its applicability in regions with sparse meteorological networks or limited measurement capabilities. The Hargreaves method, which requires only basic air temperature inputs, offers an alternative solution. The aims of this study were to calibrate the Hargreaves model for Central European climate conditions, considering altitudinal dependence, and to evaluate the temporal stability of the model parameters. In the first part of the research, we regionalized the Hargreaves coefficients using a curve-fitting method to ensure the best accuracy across 60 climatological stations in Slovakia. The regionalization of the Hargreaves coefficient improved accuracy by 10.1%, reducing the weighted absolute percentage error (WAPE) to 17.9%. However, our results showed that the accuracy of the modified Hargreaves model decreased with the increasing altitude of a climatological station. Incorporating altitude into the Hargreaves equation significantly improved model accuracy in stations at higher altitudes, providing a consistent level of accuracy across all climatological stations, regardless of their location and altitude. The results also indicated that the optimal model coefficient values change over time, showing a decreasing trend of –0.5 for the B coefficient and –0.1 for the C coefficient between the periods 1981–2000 and 2001–2020. Although regionalizing the Hargreaves model coefficients for local conditions can achieve good model performance, the model’s accuracy is not stable over time. Thus, periodic validation of the model is necessary for short-term applications.

In Situ Rapid Preparation of the Cu-MOF Film on Titanium Alloys at Low Temperature.

Titanium alloys are widely used in marine environments and medical fields due to their excellent corrosion resistance and high specific strength. However, their good biocompatibility can lead to severe biofouling, thereby limiting their effectiveness. To inhibit biofouling on the surface of titanium alloys, this study proposes an antifouling solution, which involves the in situ preparation of Cu-MOF film on titanium alloys by leveraging the antibacterial properties of Cu ions. Here, the dense and stable TiO2 film on the surface of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy was removed by alkali-heat treatment; meanwhile, a porous surface structure was simultaneously obtained where OH- ions were retained. In the subsequent step, the retained OH- ions in the pores attracted Cu2+ ions in solution to form Cu(OH)2 in the pores, providing active sites for the formation of Cu-MOFs. Subsequently, Cu(OH)2 reacted with organic ligand (1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, BTC) at room temperature to form Cu-MOFs in the pores, which then grew quickly to cover the alkali-heat-treated surface within 1 h. The formation mechanism of Cu-MOF film on Ti-6Al-4V was elucidated, which provides a reference for designing and preparing multifunctional MOF film in situ on titanium alloys. The stability of in situ-grown Cu-MOF samples and their inhibitory effects on bacteria and microalgae have also been verified. The results indicate that although the stability of Cu-MOFs is relatively poor, their bactericidal and algicidal effects are extremely significant, suggesting that this material has significant potential for short-term applications that require high antibacterial performance.

A Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Membrane for PEM Fuel Cells Using Bacterial Cellulose.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is an advantageous polymer due to its renewable nature, low cost, environmental compatibility, biocompatibility, biodegradability, chemical stability, and ease of modification. With these advantages, BC is an interesting candidate for the development of novel eco-friendly materials for proton-exchange membrane (PEM) applications. However, its practical applications have been limited by its relatively high dispersion in water, which usually occurs during the operation of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In addition, the proton conductivity of bacterial cellulose is poor. In this study, functionalized BC modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was prepared using a solvent casting method to enhance its performance. The results showed that the water stability of the modified BC membrane was significantly improved, with the contact angle increasing from 54.9° to 103.3°. Furthermore, the optimum ratio of BC and APTES was used to prepare a proton-exchange membrane with a maximum proton conductivity of 62.2 mS/cm, which exhibited a power generation performance of 4.85 mW/cm2 in PEMFCs. It is worth mentioning that modified BC membranes obtained by combining an alkaline proton carrier (-NH2) with BC have rarely been reported. As fully bio-based conductive membranes for PEMFCs, they have the potential to be a low-cost, eco-friendly, and degradable alternative to expensive, ecologically problematic fluoric ionomers in short-term or disposable applications, such as biodegradable electronics and portable power supplies.

A fully adaptive time–frequency coupling model using self-attention mechanism based on deep operator network for very short-term forecasting of ship motion

Very short-term ship motion forecasting aims to predict future movements using historical ship motion data. While ship motion features both temporal and frequency characteristics, the latter is often neglected. This paper proposes a fully adaptive time–frequency coupling forecasting model using self-attention mechanism based on the Deep Operator Network (DeepONet), abbreviated as TFD. The multi-head attention layers enable the trunk net to adaptively learn the relationships between different frequencies in the frequency domain and assign varying weights accordingly. Thus, compared to the Fourier transform and multilayer perceptron-net enhance model based on DeepONet (FMD), which relies on manually specified filter frequencies, the TFD model is capable of fully learning the motion patterns in both the time and frequency domains, establishing nonlinear mapping relationships between them. It exhibits greater interpretability and generalization. The TFD model is tested for accuracy and generalization using ship motion data from the Iowa University experimental tank. The results indicate that, compared to the DeepONet and FMD, the TFD model reduces the mean square error (MSE) by up to 64.72% and 52.45%, with an average reduction of 55.57% and 42.47%. In terms of generalization, the forecasting MSE is reduced by up to 65.04% and 46.08%. Compared to the DeepONet and FMD, the proposed TFD model demonstrates significant improvements in forecasting horizon and generalization, providing a notable advantage in very short-term ship motion prediction applications.

The effect of percussion and manual activation massage on explosive strength and balance in young adult males: A crossover pilot study

BackgroundRecently, the usage of percussive vibration machines in physiotherapy and sports has increased rapidly. Numerous manufacturers claim they can enhance physical performance. However, there is minimal peer-reviewed research on their efficacy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of percussion massage (PM) on muscular performance, particularly explosive strength and balance. Moreover, this is the first study to evaluate the potential PM impact on balance. Materials and methods18 young male participants aged 20.89 ± 3.43 years with a BMI of 25.08 ± 3.95 completed three measurements with two interventions - PM by Theragun device (TG), activation massage (AM), and assessment without activation (WA). The targeted area was m. triceps surae, hamstrings, and m. quadriceps femoris of the dominant leg. Single-leg squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and Y-balance tests (YBT) were performed. One-Way Repeated Measures ANOVA was utilized to analyze the data. The level significance threshold was set to p ≤ 0.05. ResultsNo statistically significant difference was reported between TG, AM, and WA in the height of the squat jump and countermovement jump (p > 0.05). Furthermore, no significant changes were recorded in the YBT performance score (p > 0.05). ConclusionsNo improvement was reported in the monitored physical parameters when the PM by Theragun or manual AM was applied for 90 s right before the muscular performance. Therefore, we do not recommend the short-term stimulative application of PM and AM before athletic performance when lower limb explosive strength or balance improvements are the objective.

Comparative study of greywater treatment using activated carbon and woodchip biochar for surfactant and organic matter removal

Greywater (GW) treatment is recognized as a more efficient alternative to blackwater treatment, particularly for reuse applications, due to its lower pathogen content and higher concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and surfactants. In this study, the adsorption performance of woodchip biochar (BC) and activated carbon (AC) was compared for the removal of COD, anionic surfactants (ASU), and non-ionic surfactants (NISU) from GW. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the removal efficiency of both organic matter and surfactants. AC demonstrated higher adsorption capacities for COD and ASU, with KL = 0.007 L/mg and Qmax = 0.95 mg/g for COD, and KL = 1.4 × 104 L/mg and Qmax = 0.08 mg/g for ASU. In contrast, BC showed a significantly higher affinity for NISU, with KL = 8.4 × 103 L/mg and Qmax = 0.01 mg/g. Breakthrough curves and pseudo-first-order (PFO) kinetics provided insights into adsorption dynamics, with AC showing delayed breakthrough and greater longevity, while BC offered rapid adsorption and cost-effectiveness. The treated GW achieved substantial reductions in contaminant levels, with final COD and surfactant concentrations reduced to approximately 10 mg/L and 0.05 mg/L, respectively, meeting Italian and Australian regulatory standards. The study highlights the potential of woodchip BC as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to AC, particularly for short-term adsorption applications, and offers valuable insights into the treatment of GW for reuse.

One-dimensional lepidocrocite titania mesoparticles integrated with activated carbon for high-performance supercapacitor applications

Herein, we mix titania-based, TiO2, porous mesostructured, comprised of one-dimensional lepidocrocite nanofilaments, 1DLs, ≈ 5 × 7 Å2 in cross-section, with activated carbon, AC, to create unique composite structures with exceptional electrochemical properties. The synthesis method is facile, cost-effective, and scalable. While the porous mesoparticles, PMs, possess excellent protonic conductivity and exhibit enhanced faradic behavior in acidic aqueous media, their low electronic conductivity restricts their power output. The problem is solved by mixing the PMs with AC powders with various loadings. Electrolytes used were sulfuric acid, H2SO4, potassium hydroxide, KOH, lithium and Na-sulphates. The best PM loading was found to be 25 wt%. The resulting composite exhibits a specific capacitance (capacity) of 1024 Fg−1 (554 mAhg−1) at a 2 mVs−1 scan rate, with 97 % cyclic stability over 10,000 cycles when the electrolyte was 1 M H2SO4. Upon integration into a symmetrical device, the composite exhibited a specific energy of 135 Whkg−1 at 0.5 Ag−1. Further, it demonstrated a peak specific power of 18 kWkg−1, while retaining a specific energy of 54 Whkg−1 at 5 Ag−1. Notably, following 100,000 cycles at 1 Ag−1, the symmetrical cell sustained approximately 50 % of its initial specific capacitance. Subsequently, a 24 h self-discharge test revealed a decrease in cell voltage from 1.95 V to 0.48 V, thereby highlighting the potential suitability of these supercapacitors for short-term energy storage applications.

Experimental Study on Heat Recovery in a CaO/Ca(OH)2-Based Mechanical Fluidized Bed Thermochemical Energy Storage Reactor

Long-term storage of seasonally available solar energy and its provision to balance heating energy demand can contribute significantly to the sustainable use of energy resources. Thermochemical energy storage is a suitable process for this purpose, offering the possibility of loss-free long-term energy storing and heat supply. In order to develop suitable technical solutions for the use of this technology, novel reactor concepts and scientific questions regarding material and technology development are being investigated. In this publication, the energy storage process of a long-term energy storage system based on a ploughshare reactor is experimentally investigated under various technically relevant operating conditions. One specific aspect of this technology is related to the release of water vapour during the charging process. Therefore, this work focusses, in particular, on the possibility of technically utilizing the latent heat of the released water vapour in the range of 45 °C to 80 °C, which covers the operating requirements of common heating systems in households. The experiments have shown that the dehydration process enables the separation of two heat fluxes: the chemically bound energy for long-term storage and the physically (sensible and latent) stored energy for short-term applications. However, the limitation of gas transport was also identified as the most important influencing parameter for optimising the performance of the process.

Effects of Organic Manure on Wheat Yield and Accumulation of Heavy Metals in a Soil—Wheat System

The application of organic manure is an effective way to develop sustainable agriculture. However, the application of organic manure may be associated with a potential risk of heavy metal pollution for soil and crops. In this study, the effects of organic cow manure (T1) (as base fertilizer), organic pig manure (T2) (as base fertilizer) and chemical fertilizer (T3) on winter wheat grain yields, grain quality, heavy metal concentrations and heavy metal bioconcentration factors (BCFs) in a soil–wheat system were studied from November 2021 to June 2023. The results showed that the winter wheat grain yields in the T1 and T2 treatments were lower than those in the T3 treatment by 2.57–38.0% and 10.5–25%, respectively. There were no significant differences in quality indexes of winter wheat grain among different fertilizer treatments. The concentrations of heavy metals in topsoil and winter wheat were 0.12–76.11 μg/g and 0.01–43.25 μg/g, respectively. The BCFs of heavy mental in the soil–wheat grain system was 0–2.92. In general, there were no significant differences in heavy metals’ concentrations in topsoil and wheat grain among different fertilizer treatments. In summary, compared with chemical fertilizer, the short-term application of organic manures had no significant effect on heavy metals concentrations in topsoil and wheat.

Functional outcomes and participants’ perspectives during short-term application of spinal stimulation in individuals with spinal cord injury

Objective The primary objective of this study was to quantify changes in performance of task-specific motor activities over 12 motor rehabilitation sessions with lumbosacral spinal cord stimulation (SCS) via either transcutaneous stimulation or epidural stimulation. Both stimulation modalities have been used in recent years to restore functions lost to spinal cord injury (SCI). Secondary outcomes examine participants’ perspectives captured via the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) upon study completion to further understand their perception of SCS. Methods Six individuals with SCI completed 12 sessions with one modality of SCS during supine and/or side-lying, seated forward reaching, and standing activities. Changes in volitional lower extremity movement, the number of points of contact needed at hips and/or knees to facilitate standing, and changes in seated forward reaching distance were used to quantify performance. The UEQ was administered to gauge participants’ perspectives following use of SCS to enable functions impaired due to SCI. Results For all participants, performance of motor activities improved with SCS compared to without stimulation. Responses for the UEQ showed an overall positive perception of trialing SCS with rehabilitation to enhance motor functions impaired by SCI. Conclusions Regardless of injury severity, location of injury, time since SCI, or SCS modality, all participants experienced gains in motor function in the presence of SCS combined with a condensed rehabilitation program. However, no evidence of sustained motor functions was found in the absence of SCS. UEQ results highlight the positive perception of SCS with rehabilitation as well as the importance of consulting persons with lived experience of SCS during clinical trial design and protocol development. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05095454.

Prolonged inhibition of intratumoral mast cells enhances efficacy of low-dose antiangiogenic therapy.

Low-dose antiangiogenic therapies have demonstrated the ability to enhance normalization of tumor vessels, consequently improving hypoxia levels, drug delivery, and promoting anticancer immune responses. Mast cells have been identified as contributors to resistance against antiangiogenic therapy and facilitators of abnormal neoangiogenesis. In this study, we demonstrate that by simultaneously targeting intratumoral mast cells with Imatinib and administering low-dose anti-VEGFR2 therapy, antitumor efficacy can be enhanced in preclinical models. Thus, combinatory treatment overcomes therapy resistance, while concurrently promoting tumor vessel normalization. Notably, histomorphometric analysis of tumor sections revealed that vessel perfusion could be improved through mast cell inhibition and, despite a significantly reduced microvessel density, the combination treatment did not result in elevated tumor hypoxia levels compared to anti-VEGFR2 therapy alone. Short-term Imatinib application effectively increased antitumor efficacy, and by prolonging the application of Imatinib tumor vessel normalization was additionally improved. The combination of mast cell depletion and antiangiogenic treatments has not been investigated in detail and promises to help overcoming therapy resistance. Further studies will be required to explore their impact on other treatment approaches, and subsequently to validate these findings in a clinical setting.

Smart structural health monitoring using computer vision and edge computing

Structural health monitoring (SHM) provides real-time data on the condition and performance of infrastructure, enabling timely and cost-effective maintenance interventions, and hence enhanced safety and extended service life. The computer vision-based non-contact sensor has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional contact-type sensors for structural displacement measurement and SHM. Many of the currently reported vision-based structural displacement measurement systems typically temporarily set up a video camera from a distance to the structure. The collected images or videos are usually stored locally and post-processed offline to obtain structural displacement responses, which is cumbersome and limited to short-term SHM applications. The recent development of technologies empowered by the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing has enabled real-time video processing and analysis at the source, minimizing latency, reducing bandwidth requirements, and enabling prompt decision-making, thereby enhancing efficiency and responsiveness compared to traditional offline video recording and processing systems. In this paper, an edge computing vision-based displacement measurement system (EdgeCVDMS) is developed. Video recording, processing, and displacement response identification are entirely performed on an edge device integrated with the vision-based displacement tracking algorithm, thereby greatly reducing the amount of data transmitted to the cloud server. The feasibility and applicability of the developed sensing system are experimentally validated on a laboratory-scaled transmission tower structure. The proposed EdgeCVDMS is cost-effective, easily deployable, and of great potential to be applied for the condition assessment of a larger population of aging civil infrastructure.

Short-term effect of a moderate-potency topical corticosteroid on epidermal biophysical parameters in patients with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis: A randomised controlled study.

Skin barrier dysfunction is an important component of atopic dermatitis (AD) pathophysiology. Topical corticosteroids (TCSs) are the mainstay therapy, but steroid phobia is emerging due to potential side effects. We aimed to determine the short-term effect of clobetasone butyrate on patients with AD. This investigator-blinded, randomised, moisturiser-controlled study evaluated patients with stable mild-to-moderate AD. Clobetasone butyrate ointment plus aqueous cream (Aq) or Aq alone was applied on randomised sites twice daily for 6 weeks. The itch score, modified Eczema Area and Severity Index (M-EASI) and epidermal biophysical parameters were assessed at baseline and 1 h, 3 h, 2 weeks and 6 weeks after application. Sixteen patients, among whom 14 (87.5%) were women and two (12.5%) were men, participated in the study. There were no significant differences in pH, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and hydration between TCS + Aq and Aq from 1 h to 6 weeks. A non-significant trend of pH increment was observed with TCS + Aq from baseline to 6 weeks. TEWL and hydration improved at 6 weeks for both treatment arms. The difference in TEWL from baseline was significant with Aq (P=0.01). The M-EASI at 6 weeks was comparable between the two arms. TCS + Aq improved itch and erythema better than Aq (P=0.02). No cutaneous adverse effects were observed at both sites. Short-term application of clobetasone butyrate with Aq is safe with no significant changes in epidermal biophysical parameters while controlling the symptoms and signs of eczema faster than Aq alone.

Morphometric and functional changes in the kidney of rats induced by inorganic selenium.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element. Depending on concentration, Se can manifest both beneficial and harmful effects on the cell and can have both oxidative and antioxidant effects. Because the therapeutic index for Se is very narrow and it can depend on the form of Se used, we aimed to investigate the potential safety and side effects of inorganic Se on kidney function and structure in rats. After 8 days of treatment, no detectable signs of microscopic changes or oxidative stress in kidney tissue were observed. We detected a moderate increase in urea and creatinine levels in the blood as a sign of a slight decrease in kidney function. The most notable changes in our study were morphometric alterations in proximal tubules and glomeruli, both of which were considerably enlarged. The short-term application of inorganic Se to rats in a supratherapeutic dose induced mild functional and ultrastructural changes in the kidneys. The dose of inorganic Se used could be considered relatively safe for short-term application in situations where Se could be beneficial to the organism, such as the usage of known nephrotoxicants or high levels of oxidative stress in the body.

12-year continuous biochar application: Mitigating reactive nitrogen loss in paddy fields but without rice yield enhancement

Numerous studies have documented the beneficial effects of short-term biochar application on soil carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and ecological functions enhancement. However, concerns persist regarding the impacts on soil reactive nitrogen (N) loss and crop yields under long-term biochar application (more than ten years), due to the irreversibility once biochar is incorporated into soils. This study presents the results of a 12-year field experiment in a rice-wheat rotation system with treatments including a control (CK, no corn straw or biochar), annual corn straw returning (CS, 6 Mg·ha−1·yr−1), and annual application of corn straw biochar pyrolyzed at 400°C at rates of 2.4, 6, and 12 Mg·ha−1·yr−1 (BC1, BC2, and BC3), investigating rice yields (2011–2022) and reactive N loss (2021–2022). The results showed that after 11 years of continuous biochar application until the 2021 rice season, alkaline hydrolysis N (AN, equivalent to an average of 347 kg N ha−1) within the 0–15 cm soil layer in biochar treatments was significantly higher than that of the CK (200 kg N ha−1), attributable to the biochar-induced enhancement of cation exchange capacity (CEC). The application of biochar reduced inorganic N leaching and NH3 volatilization losses by an average of 42.21 % and 30.85 %, respectively. However, N2O emission in the BC3 treatment was over 2 times as high as in the CK. Continuous biochar applications did not increase rice yield over the 12 rice seasons, as excessive soil AN level under biochar application reduced the rice harvest index. The results indicated that continuous biochar application was effective in reducing reactive N losses and increasing plant-available N supply, suggesting a potential to sustain rice production with lower fertilizer N inputs.

Impact of multilamellar formulations on stratum corneumlipid organization and epidermal lipid barrier enhancement (Part II).

The integrity of the stratum corneum (SC) is crucial for the skin's barrier function, protecting against environmental stressors and minimizing transepidermal water loss. Advances in skincare formulations have introduced multilamellar systems designed to emulate the SC's lipid composition and organization. This study hypothesizes that the application of a multilamellar cream will significantly impact the SC's lipid content and lamellar structure, thereby enhancing the epidermal barrier. A saturated phosphatidylcholine-based multilamellar cream was applied to a cohort of adult subjects with very dry skin. Electron microscopy was utilized to analyse the micro-morphology of the cream and its integration into the lipid-depleted SC. Lipid analysis was conducted to quantify changes in the intercellular lipid matrix. Transmission-electron microscopy (TEM) imaging demonstrated that the multilamellar cream possesses a structured arrangement comparable to the natural SC architecture. Short-term application revealed a time-dependent restoration of lipid bilayers, while a 14-day regimen showed a marked increase in lipid lamellae density and length within the SC. Lipid analysis indicated a significant increase in total lipid content, with notable enhancements in ceramide and free fatty acid levels, without altering cholesterol levels. Lipid ratio analysis further confirmed the rebalancing of the SC's lipid composition. The multilamellar cream selectively increased specific lipids critical for barrier function, suggesting an action mechanism that aligns with the skin's natural regulatory processes. This selective augmentation indicates the potential of the formulation to not only restore but also enhance the epidermal barrier, with the maintenance of physiological lipid ratios suggesting compatibility with intrinsic repair mechanisms. The study confirms that a multilamellar cream can significantly improve the SC's lipid composition and structural integrity, indicating enhanced barrier function. They are pivotal for skincare professionals, dermatologists, and product developers, enriching the understanding of multilamellar creams' benefits and applications in improving epidermal barrier function.

End-to-End Modeling and Long Short-Term Memory Application in Time Series Modeling

With the vigorous development of e-commerce, accurately modeling and predicting user behavior has become a key factor in improving business efficiency. Precisely understanding user behavior not only enables companies to provide personalized services but also allows them to stand out in the intense market competition. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of applying end-to-end models, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and attention mechanisms in time series modeling to enhance the performance of modeling and predicting user behavior in e-commerce. In the methodology section, we first introduce the basic principles of the end-to-end model, which extracts features directly from raw data for prediction, avoiding the need for intricate feature engineering. Simultaneously, we introduce Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) to better capture long-term dependencies in time series data.

Impact of Air-Cathodes on Operational Stability of Single-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell Biosensors for Wastewater Monitoring

The increasing global water pollution leads to the need for urgent development of rapid and accurate water quality monitoring methods. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have emerged as real-time biosensors for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), but they grapple with several challenges, including issues related to reproducibility, operational stability, and cost-effectiveness. These challenges are substantially shaped by the selection of an appropriate air-breathing cathode. Previous studies indicated a critical influence of the cathode on both the enduring electrochemical performance of MFCs and the taxonomic diversity at the electroactive anode. However, the effect of different gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) on 3D-printed single-chamber MFCs for BOD biosensing application and its effect on the bioelectroactive anode was not investigated before. Our study focuses on comparing GDE cathode materials to enhance MFC performance for precise and rapid BOD analysis in wastewater. We examined for over 120 days two Pt-coated air-breathing cathodes with distinct carbonaceous gas diffusion layers (GDLs) and catalyst layers (CLs): cost-effective carbon paper (CP) with hand-coated CL and more expensive woven carbon cloth (CC) with CL pre-applied by the supplier. The results show significant differences in electrochemical characteristics and anodic biofilm composition between MFCs with CP and CC GDE cathodes. CP-MFCs exhibited lower sensitivity (16.6 C L mg−1 m−2) and a narrower dynamic range (25 to 600 mg L−1), attributed to biofouling-related degradation of the GDE. In contrast, CC-MFCs demonstrated superior performance with higher sensitivity (37.6 C L mg−1 m−2) and a broader dynamic range (25 to 800 mg L−1). In conclusion, our study underscores the pivotal role of cathode selection in 3D-printed MFC biosensors, influencing anodic biofilm enrichment time and overall BOD assessment performance. We recommend the use of cost-effective CP GDL with hand-coated CL for short-term MFC biosensor applications, while advocating for CC GDL supplied with CL as the preferred choice for long-term sensing implementations with enduring reliability.