The composition and volume of tear fluid lining the ocular surface are governed by the rates of lacrimal gland secretion, tear film evaporation, nasolacrimal drainage, and epithelial ion and water transport. Tear fluid hyperosmolality and reduced volume are key drivers of dry eye disease (DED) pathogenesis. We constructed a mathematical model to compute the composition and volume of tear fluid and epithelial cell compartments, with transport parameters specified for the mouse eye based on published data and in vivo measurements of ocular surface potential differences. The model accounted for transcellular and paracellular transport across the epithelia under open-circuit conditions utilizing flux equations for individual transport mechanisms, with mass balance constraints on solute and water content in cytoplasm and tear fluid. Model computations revealed a rough orthogonality between the determinants of tear fluid volume and osmolality in which lacrimal secretion and nasolacrimal drainage primarily regulate tear fluid volume, whereas evaporation and transepithelial osmosis primarily regulate tear fluid osmolality. Under DED conditions established by reduced lacrimal secretion and increased evaporation, the model predicted the efficacy of currently available DED therapies, including punctal plugs, humidification goggles, lacrimal gland stimulation, and artificial tear eye drops. The model also predicted the limited efficacy of anti-absorptive and pro-secretory drugs targeting epithelial ion transporters and the high efficacy of targeting epithelial water permeability or paracellular ion permeability. The modeling herein provided quantitative predictions to prioritize drug targets for DED to drive the development of novel therapies.

ABSTRACT The physical properties of concrete depend on the type of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs); thus, its strength must be evaluated for specific purposes. In this study, the Random Forest regression (RFR) machine learning (ML) algorithm was used to estimate the compressive strength (CS) of blended concrete (BC) with fly ash (F_Ash). The hyperparameters of the RFR model were optimized using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to enhance predictive performance. The optimized RFR model served as a surrogate model, and PSO found optimal input parameters for the best response. Key inputs included cement, GGBS, fine aggregate (FA), coarse aggregates (CA), fly ash (F_Ash), water content, superplasticizer and curing days, with CS as the output. Performance evaluation used indices, such as MAE, MAPE, MSE, RMSE, MBE, R 2, a20-index to assess accuracy. Sensitivity analysis showed the relationship between inputs and CS, highlighting the impact of F_Ash and other parameters on CS prediction. The model achieved an RMSE of 2.005 and an R 2 of 0.9858 for CS. The optimized response was confirmed at 71.42 MPa, with optimized input parameters: Cement = 365.94 kg/m3, GGBS = 263.184 kg/m3, F_Ash = 148.610 kg/m3, W = 123.907 litres, SP = 23.58 kg/m3, CA = 820.788 kg/m3, FA = 734.118 kg/m3, and days = 166.710.

Determination of dry density and water content of compacted bentonite blocks using a dual-source (133Ba and 137Cs) gamma-ray attenuation technique

A systematic study on the occurrence and distribution characteristics of As in multi-media in a typical semi-enclosed bay and its inflow river estuaries in China.

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction using a choline chloride-lactic acid green solvent for gingerbread sample preparation before elemental analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Injectable photo-crosslinked hyaluronic acid/carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel for the sustained delivery of rhFGF2 and accelerated wound healing.

The pursuit of high-quality freshwater fish products is a significant challenge for the food industry, which is often plagued by textural deterioration, flavor loss, and oxidative spoilage during traditional processing. Lightly salted and semi-dried products represent an advancement over traditional dried foods. In this study, we attempted to address the aforementioned issues from the perspectives of brining conditions and drying methods. The effects of brining conditions (NaCl solutions with or without glucose (G)) and drying methods (hot-air drying (HD) and vacuum drying (VD)) on the quality of semi-dried grass carp fillets were investigated. When water content was reduced to below 50%, The G-VD group exhibited the least increase in hardness, followed by VD, G-HD, and HD (P < 0.05). Moreover, the VD group showed a lower degree of protein denaturation than the HD group. Owing to oxygen isolation, VD retarded lipid oxidation and retained more volatile flavor compounds. Addition of glucose accelerated moisture removal and the Maillard reaction, thereby enhancing color development and reducing texture hardening. VD combined with glucose addition endowed semi-dried grass carp fillets with better physicochemical properties and flavor retention. The present study could provide a theoretical and practical basis for the processing and quality control of freshwater fish products. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Genetic dissection of seed quality traits in mungbean through QTL-seq of recombinant inbred line populations.

Resistivity characteristics of organic soils under different water content and temperature conditions

Ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent extraction of polyphenols from Cornus officinalis: Optimization, mechanisms, and bioactivity.

Green extraction of polyphenols from Berberis vulgaris using NADES: process optimization and extract characterization.

Female athletes have a greater risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, a disparity partly attributed to hormonal influences on ligament biomechanics and collagen metabolism. Oral contraceptives (OCs) may stabilize hormonal fluctuations and have been associated with a reduced risk of ACL injury; however, their potential effect on biological healing after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) remains unclear. To investigate whether the use of OCs affects graft maturation, assessed by the signal-to-noise quotient (SNQ) of postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in female patients who have undergone ACLR with hamstring tendon autograft and associated lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET). Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. This retrospective comparative cohort study included a series of female patients with an active menstrual cycle, aged 16 to 45 years, who underwent anatomic ACLR with hamstring tendon autograft and LET between January 2022 and December 2023. Patients were stratified based on OC use at the time of surgery and postoperatively. Thus, the study included patients who underwent ACLR+LET with and without OC treatment. The 2 groups were comparable based on all the criteria analyzed. Follow-up MRI (3.0 T) was performed at a mean of 7 months postoperatively to analyze graft maturity using circular region of interest measurements in the proximal, midsubstance, and distal ACL graft regions, by measuring the SNQ. Lower SNQ ratios indicate less water content and better graft maturity and healing. A total of 55 patients with ACLR+LET were included (30 without OC use [R group] and 25 with OC use [R+OC group]). There were no significant demographic differences between the 2 groups. The median global graft SNQ was significantly lower in the R+OC group (1.8 [IQR, 0.6-3.3]) in comparison to the group in which no OC was used (3.7 [IQR, 2.0-6.0]) (P = .001). All graft regions-distal, midsubstance, and proximal-also showed significantly lower SNQ values in patients using OCs (R+OC group) compared to those not using them: distal (1.2 [IQR, 0.3-2.6] vs 3.2 [IQR, 1.5-6.0], P = .007), midsubstance (1.3 [IQR, 0.5-3.3] vs 3.7 [IQR, 2.1-7.8], P = .002), and proximal (1.3 [IQR, 0.7-3.3] vs 3.5 [IQR, 2.0-4.9], P = .006). OC use in female patients undergoing ACLR with hamstring tendon autograft and concomitant LET is associated with lower MRI-based SNQ values.

The control of microbial contamination in flour represents a significant challenge for food safety. Traditional thermal methods often compromise product safety and quality as they cause undesirable changes. In addition, many existing technologies suffer from limitations such as uneven treatment, safety issues, and mainly superficial effects. To overcome these problems, a prototype system integrating atmospheric dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) cold plasma with mechanical fluidization was developed and applied to naturally contaminated maize flour for 5, 10, 20 and 30 min. Bacterial and fungal inactivation, physico-chemical properties, particle size distribution and microstructural properties were evaluated. A gradual reduction in mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB) was observed, with complete inactivation achieved after 30 min; however, bacterial regrowth was detected after 16 days of storage. Filamentous fungi were completely inactivated after 10 min and although partial recovery occurred during storage, fungal loads remained below those of the control. Fungal diversity was also altered, with Aspergillus flavus being more sensitive than Aspergillus oryzae. A notable reduction in water content and activity was observed for longer treatments. Modification of particle size and morphology likely occurred in the process with plasma associated to mechanical fluidization of flour. Overall, the effectiveness of ACP was influenced by treatment duration and fungal species, highlighting both its potential and limitations in flour decontamination, without detrimental effects on the selected physical quality attributes of the product. • Mechanical fluidization-assisted ACP was applied to maize flour. • Cold plasma significantly reduced the naturally contaminated microbiota by 3.3 Log. • Microbial inactivation and surface morphology depended on plasma exposure time. • Post-treatment storage showed no full regrowth of fungi over 16 days. • SEM analysis revealed progressive granule deformation and surface roughening.

Soil organic carbon accumulation in response to vegetation restoration across global mining areas: A meta-analysis.

Green and efficient extraction of polyphenols from Lycium barbarum leaves using a betaine-based natural deep eutectic solvent: Process optimization, mechanistic elucidation, and bioactivity evaluation.

Structural characterization and functional properties of safflower seed protein extracted by natural deep eutectic solvents.

Plant 3D-2D-ResNet-SE: Monitoring the changes of leaf water content and chlorophyll in Betula luminifera seedlings during drought stress

Advances in understanding natural articular cartilage have led to the development of bionic repair materials, with hydrogel composites emerging as a promising option due to their low friction, high water content, and customizable mechanical properties. This study investigates PVA/PAMPS/FMWCNT hydrogels, focusing on the role of negatively charged groups in enhancing performance. FTIR analysis confirmed the integration of PVA, PAMPS. SEM revealed a porous structure resembling cartilage, with carboxyl-functionalized samples showing the largest pores and achieved a 1853% swelling ratio, while hydroxyl- and amine-functionalized samples had smaller pores and greater crosslink density. Mechanical tests showed hydroxyl-functionalized samples achieved 1.01MPa tensile stress and 237% elongation, whereas carboxyl-functionalized samples, despite strong hydrogen bonding, had inferior mechanical properties due to high porosity. Tribological tests demonstrated carboxyl-functionalized samples had the 0.0346 coefficient of friction (COF), attributed to their high negative charge density and hydration lubrication. Long-term friction tests revealed a stable coefficient (0.07), demonstrating sustained frictional stability under extended sliding conditions. These findings highlight the importance of functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (FMWCNT) and negatively charged groups in optimizing hydrogels for cartilage repair, offering insights for developing bionic materials.

Variations in ionic profiles and chemical characteristics viz. aerosol liquid water content (ALWC) and in situ pH of fine aerosol plausibly caused by crop residue burning (CRB) over the North-Western Indo-Gangetic Plain were studied. Ambient PM2.5 samples were collected and criteria air pollutants were obtained for Amritsar, Punjab, from September to December, covering pre-CRB and CRB phases. These samples were analyzed for water-soluble ionic species. Further, Extended Aerosol Inorganics Model (E-AIM) model II was used to calculate ALWC and in situ pH. PM2.5 concentrations increased significantly from 48.5 ± 22.6μg m-3 (pre-CRB) to 77.6 ± 24.3μg m-3 during CRB, showing a 60% increase during the CRB phase. Scaling analysis revealed that while gaseous pollutants (NO2, SO2) were primarily amplified by meteorological trapping, the surge in PM2.5 was driven by a 2.7-fold increase, from 23 ± 36 (pre-CRB) to 63 ± 88 (CRB), in fire detection counts. Chemical characterization of water-soluble ionic species showed a doubling of the biomass burning marker K+ from 746ng m-3 to 1367ng m-3 and a significant rise in secondary inorganic aerosols, particularly nitrate (NO3-), which increased from 198ng m-3 to 2439ng m-3. Charge balance analysis revealed an alkaline aerosol nature, with neutralization pathways shifting from terrigenous dust (Ca2+, Mg2+) to anthropogenic (NH4+ + K+) during the CRB phase. Interestingly, the median value of ALWC increased significantly (p = 0.002) from 6.18μg m-3 (pre-CRB) to 16.48μg m-3 (CRB). However, no significant variation in in situ pH was observed between pre-CRB and during CRB periods. This could be attributed to internal changes observed in the ionic profiles of fine aerosol due to CRB emissions.

Degradable and non-degradable microplastics regulate soil greenhouse gas emissions: Multi-factor insights and key monitoring factors from a Kolmogorov-Arnold Network ensemble model.