Small secreted peptides (SSPs) play important roles in regulating plants’ growth and development in response to external stimulus, but the genes and functions of SSPs in many species are still unknown. Therefore, it is particularly significant to characterize and annotate SSP genes in plant genomes. As a widely used stock of pears, Pyrus betulifolia has strong resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we analyzed the SSPs genes in the genome of P. betulifolia according to their characteristics and homology. A total of 1195 SSP genes were identified, and most of them are signaling molecules. Among these, we identified a new SSP, subtilase peptide 3 (SUBPEP3), which derived from the PA region of preSUBPEP3, increasing the expression level under salt stress. Both adding synthetic peptide SUBPEP3 to the culture medium of pears and the overexpression of SUBPEP3 in tobacco can improve the salt tolerance of plants. In summary, we annotated the SSP genes in the P. betulifolia genome and identified a small secreted peptide SUBPEP3 that regulates the salt tolerance of P. betulifolia, which provides an important theoretical basis for further revealing the function of SSPs. Full article

The exponential growth of urban centers has exacerbated the prevalence of traffic-related issues. This surge has amplified the conflict between the escalating need for travel among individuals and the constricted availability of road infrastructure. Consequently, the escalation of traffic accidents and the exacerbation of environmental pollution have emerged as increasingly pressing concerns. Urban road intersections, serving as pivotal junctures for vehicle convergence and dispersal, have remained a focal point for scholarly inquiry regarding enhanced operational efficacy and safety. Concurrently, vehicles navigating intersections are subject to external influences, such as pedestrian crossings and signal controls, causing frequent fluctuations in their operational dynamics. These fluctuations contribute to heightened exhaust emissions, exacerbating air pollution and posing health risks to pedestrians frequenting these intersections. A reasonable signal timing scheme can enable more vehicles to pass through the intersection safely and smoothly and reduce the pollutants generated by transportation. Therefore, optimizing signal timing schemes at intersections to alleviate traffic problems is a topic that needs to be studied urgently. In this paper, the emission model based on specific power is analyzed. Through an analysis of the correlation between specific power distribution intervals and the emission rates of individual pollutants, it has been observed that vehicle emission rates are at their lowest during idle speed, progressively increasing with rising vehicle speeds. Investigation into specific power distribution based on variables, such as vehicle type, frequency of stops, and varying delays, has led to the deduction that the peak specific power of vehicles at intersections consistently occurs within the (0, 1) interval. Furthermore, it has been established that high-saturation intersections exhibit higher peak specific power compared to low-saturation intersections. Full article

Anaerobic digestion is an important means to turn agricultural waste into resources and an important way to address the challenges in treating vegetable residues in China. In this study, the co-digestion of dairy manure with tomato residue was investigated to clarify the effect of the total solids (TS) of the digestion substrate on methane’s production and mechanism using the self-made anaerobic digestion device. The results showed that all treatments could rapidly ferment methane and that the daily methane production showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. The optimal concentrations of the digestion substrate for liquid anaerobic digestion (L-AD), hemi-solid-state anaerobic digestion (HSS-AD), and solid-state anaerobic digestion (SS-AD) were 10%, 18%, and 25%, respectively. Compared with SS-AD and HSS-AD, L-AD gas production peaked 3–6 days earlier. Treatment TS25 had the best cumulative methane production, reaching 117.4 mL/g VS. However, treatment TS6 had acid accumulation and a very unstable system. The cumulative methane production of SS-AD was higher than that of HSS-AD and L-AD. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the dominant flora, and Methanoculleus, Methanosarcina, and Methanobrevibacter were the main archaeal groups. The TS significantly changed the microbial community composition of the digestion system, especially the low TS treatment. The results presented herein indicated that TS significantly changed the bacterial and archaeal community composition of the digestion system, and thus with the increase in TS from 6% to 25%, the methane yield increased. Full article

The maintenance of an uninterrupted electricity supply to meet demand is of paramount importance for maintaining the stable operation of an electrical power system. Machine learning and deep learning play a crucial role in maintaining that stable operation. These algorithms have the ability to acquire knowledge from past data, enabling them to efficiently identify and forecast potential scenarios of instability in the future. This work presents a hybrid convolutional long short-term memory (ConvLSTM) technique for training and predicting nodal voltage stability in an IEEE 14-bus microgrid. Analysis of the findings shows that the suggested ConvLSTM model exhibits the highest level of precision, reaching a value of 97.65%. Furthermore, the ConvLSTM model has been shown to perform better compared to alternative machine learning and deep learning models such as convolutional neural networks, k-nearest neighbors, and support vector machine models, specifically in terms of accurately forecasting voltage stability. The IEEE 14-bus system tests indicate that the suggested method can quickly and accurately determine the stability status of the system. The comparative analysis obtained the results and further justified the efficiency and voltage stability of the proposed model. Full article

BRAF mutation identification is important for the diagnosis and treatment of several tumor types, both solid and hematologic. Rapid identification of BRAF mutations is required to determine eligibility for targeted BRAF inhibitor therapy. The Idylla BRAF mutation assay is a rapid, multiplex allele-specific PCR test designed to detect the most common oncogenic BRAF V600 mutations in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. Here, we describe the validation of the Idylla BRAF mutation assay in our laboratory. During routine clinical practice, we noticed cases in which BRAF V600 mutations were identified with unusual amplification curves, with three cases displaying a delayed amplification within a double amplification pattern and two false-positive calls. We therefore initiated a quality improvement effort to systematically and retrospectively evaluate next-generation sequencing (NGS)-tested cases with BRAF mutations identified within five amino acids of BRAF codon V600 and did not identify additional false-positive cases. We hypothesize that late amplification in a double amplification pattern may represent non-specific amplification, whereas cases displaying single delayed amplification curves may stem from the presence of either non-V600 variants, very low-level V600 variants, cytosine deamination artifacts, and/or non-specific amplification by an allele-specific PCR primer. Regardless, we recommend that Idylla BRAF cases with non-classical amplification curves undergo reflex NGS testing. These findings are likely relevant for other Idylla assays interrogating hotspot mutations in genes such as EGFR, IDH1/2, KRAS, and NRAS. Full article

A thorough understanding of the impact of climatic factors on agricultural production is crucial for improving crop models and enhancing predictability of crop prices and yields. Fluctuations in crop yield and price can have significant implications for the market sector and farming community. Given the projected increase in frequency and intensity of extreme events, reliable modelling of cropping patterns becomes essential. Temperature anomalies are expected to play a prominent role in future extreme events, emphasizing the need to comprehend their influence on crop yield. Forecasting extreme yield, which encompasses both the highest and lowest levels of agricultural production within a given time period, along with peak crop prices representing the highest market values, poses greater challenges in forecasting compared to other values. Probability-based predictions, accounting for uncertainty and variability, offer a more accurate approach for extreme value estimation and risk assessment. In this study, we employ a multivariate analysis based on vine copula to explore the interdependencies between temperature anomalies and daily strawberry yield in Santa Maria, California. By considering the maximum and minimum daily yields each month, we observe an increased probability of yield loss with rising temperature anomalies. While we do not explicitly consider the specific impacts of temperature anomalies under individual Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios, our analysis is conducted within the broader context of the current global warming scenario. This allows us to capture the overall anticipated effects of regional temperature anomalies on agriculture. The findings of this study have potential impacts and consequences for understanding the vulnerability of agricultural systems and improving crop model predictions. By enhancing our understanding of the relationships between temperature anomalies and crop yield, we can inform decision-making processes related to the impact of climate change on agriculture. This research contributes to the ongoing efforts in improving agricultural sustainability and resilience in the face of changing climatic conditions. Full article

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a highly reactive α-dicarbonyl compound formed endogenously from 3-carbon glycolytic intermediates. Methylglyoxal accumulated in plasma and urine of hyperglycemic and diabetic individuals acts as a potent peptide glycation molecule, giving rise to advanced glycation end products (AGEs) like arginine-derived hydroimidazolone (MG-H1) and carboxyethyl-lysine (CEL). Methylglyoxal-derived AGEs exert their effects mostly via activation of RAGE, a cell surface receptor that initiates multiple intracellular signaling pathways, favoring a pro-oxidant environment through NADPH oxidase activation and generation of high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Diabetic bladder dysfunction is a bothersome urological complication in patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and may comprise overactive bladder, urge incontinence, poor emptying, dribbling, incomplete emptying of the bladder, and urinary retention. Preclinical models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes have further confirmed the relationship between diabetes and voiding dysfunction. Interestingly, healthy mice supplemented with MGO for prolonged periods exhibit in vivo and in vitro bladder dysfunction, which is accompanied by increased AGE formation and RAGE expression, as well as by ROS overproduction in bladder tissues. Drugs reported to scavenge MGO and to inactivate AGEs like metformin, polyphenols, and alagebrium (ALT-711) have shown favorable outcomes on bladder dysfunction in diabetic obese leptin-deficient and MGO-exposed mice. Therefore, MGO, AGEs, and RAGE levels may be critically involved in the pathogenesis of bladder dysfunction in diabetic individuals. However, there are no clinical trials designed to test drugs that selectively inhibit the MGO–AGEs–RAGE signaling, aiming to reduce the manifestations of diabetes-associated bladder dysfunction. This review summarizes the current literature on the role of MGO–AGEs–RAGE–ROS axis in diabetes-associated bladder dysfunction. Drugs that directly inactivate MGO and ameliorate bladder dysfunction are also reviewed here. Full article

Background: Heart failure (HF) affects around 60 million individuals worldwide. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of lung ultrasound (LUS) in managing HF with the goal of reducing hospital readmission rates. Methods: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus, covering clinical trials, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and original articles published between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2023, focusing on LUS for HF assessment in out-patient settings. There is a potential for bias as the effectiveness of interventions may vary depending on the individuals administering them. Results: The PRISMA method synthesized the findings. Out of 873 articles identified, 33 were selected: 19 articles focused on prognostic assessment of HF, 11 centred on multimodal diagnostic assessments, and two addressed therapeutic guidance for HF diagnosis. LUS demonstrates advantages in detecting subclinical congestion, which holds prognostic significance for readmission and mortality during out-patient follow-up post-hospital-discharge, especially in complex scenarios, but there is a lack of standardization. Conclusions: there are considerable uncertainties in their interpretation and monitoring changes. The need for an updated international consensus on the use of LUS seems obvious. Full article

Selective laser melting (SLM) technology used for the design and production of porous implants can successfully address the issues of stress shielding and aseptic loosening associated with the use of solid implants in the human body. In this paper, orthogonal experiments were used to optimize the process parameters for SLM molding of Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) material to investigate the effects of the process parameters on the densities, microscopic morphology, and roughness, and to determine the optimal process parameters using the roughness as a judging criterion. Based on the optimized process parameters, the mechanical properties of SLM-formed TC4 alloy specimens are investigated experimentally in this paper. The main conclusions are as follows: the optimal combination of roughness is obtained by polar analysis, the microhardness of SLM-molded TC4 alloy molded specimens is more uniform, the microhardness of specimens on the side and the front as well as the abrasion resistance is higher than that of casting specimens, the yield strength and tensile strength of specimens is higher than that of ASTM F136 standard and casting standard but the elongation is not as good as that of the standard, and the elasticity and compressive strength of porous specimens are higher than that of casting specimens at different volume fractions. The modulus of elasticity and compressive strength are within the range of human skeletal requirements. This work makes it possible to fabricate high-performance porous femoral joint implants from TC4 alloy SLM-molded materials. Full article

Coastal zones, despite their contribution to global economies, continue to suffer the negative impacts of climate variability, which limit the livelihoods of people, particularly small-scale fishermen. This study examined climate variability, coastal livelihoods, and the influence of ocean change on the total annual fish catch in Ghana’s Coastal Savannah zone. The mixed-methods approach was used to analyze primary data (semi-structured questionnaires and interviews), secondary data (sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity (SSS), and fish catch), and statistical tests (chi-square, binary logistic regression, and multiple regression). Findings revealed a significant increase in climate variability awareness among fishermen, attributed to the influence of broadcast media. However, they lack sufficient information regarding the transformation of cities, the urbanization process, and its impact on the global climate. Increasing temperatures and sea level rise emerged as the most prevalent impacts of climate variability over the past two decades in the zone. Although the fishermen lack awareness regarding the changes in SSS and their effects on fish, the findings of the multiple regression analysis established that changes in SSS exert a more pronounced effect on the decreasing fishing catch in the zone compared to those in SST. Empirical fish catch records supported the fishermen’s claim of a substantial decrease in total fish catch in the zone over the past 20 years. Aside from climate variability impacts, the involvement of many people and light fishing emerged as additional factors contributing to the decreasing fish catch in the zone. High premix fuel prices or shortages and “saiko” activities were the main obstacles that hindered the fishermen’s activities. “Saiko” is an unlawful activity in which foreign industrial trawlers sell fish directly to Ghanaian canoes or small-scale fishermen at sea. The fishermen lack sufficient means of supporting their livelihoods, as there is a lack of viable alternative livelihood options. Additionally, the majority of the fishermen experience symptoms of fever and headaches. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that the fishermen’s income insufficiency could be substantially reduced if they were to have their own houses, canoes, or fish all year. This situation highlights the need for heightened support from policymakers for improved sustainable livelihood prospects as well as health and well-being. Full article

Tomato leaf disease control in the field of smart agriculture urgently requires attention and reinforcement. This paper proposes a method called LAFANet for image-text retrieval, which integrates image and text information for joint analysis of multimodal data, helping agricultural practitioners to provide more comprehensive and in-depth diagnostic evidence to ensure the quality and yield of tomatoes. First, we focus on six common tomato leaf disease images and text descriptions, creating a Tomato Leaf Disease Image-Text Retrieval Dataset (TLDITRD), introducing image-text retrieval into the field of tomato leaf disease retrieval. Then, utilizing ViT and BERT models, we extract detailed image features and sequences of textual features, incorporating contextual information from image-text pairs. To address errors in image-text retrieval caused by complex backgrounds, we propose Learnable Fusion Attention (LFA) to amplify the fusion of textual and image features, thereby extracting substantial semantic insights from both modalities. To delve further into the semantic connections across various modalities, we propose a False Negative Elimination-Adversarial Negative Selection (FNE-ANS) approach. This method aims to identify adversarial negative instances that specifically target false negatives within the triplet function, thereby imposing constraints on the model. To bolster the model’s capacity for generalization and precision, we propose Adversarial Regularization (AR). This approach involves incorporating adversarial perturbations during model training, thereby fortifying its resilience and adaptability to slight variations in input data. Experimental results show that, compared with existing ultramodern models, LAFANet outperformed existing models on TLDITRD dataset, with top1, top5, and top10 reaching 83.3% and 90.0%, and top1, top5, and top10 reaching 80.3%, 93.7%, and 96.3%. LAFANet offers fresh technical backing and algorithmic insights for the retrieval of tomato leaf disease through image-text correlation. Full article

Cellulose nitrates (CNs)-blended composites based on celluloses of bacterial origin (bacterial cellulose (BC)) and plant origin (oat-hull cellulose (OHC)) were synthesized in this study for the first time. Novel CNs-blended composites made of bacterial and plant-based celluloses with different BC-to-OHC mass ratios of 70/30, 50/50, and 30/70 were developed and fully characterized, and two methods were employed to nitrate the initial BC and OHC, and the three cellulose blends: the first method involved the use of sulfuric–nitric mixed acids (MAs), while the second method utilized concentrated nitric acid in the presence of methylene chloride (NA + MC). The CNs obtained using these two nitration methods were found to differ between each other, most notably, in viscosity: the samples nitrated with NA + MC had an extremely high viscosity of 927 mPa·s through to the formation of an immobile transparent acetonogel. Irrespective of the nitration method, the CN from BC (CN BC) was found to exhibit a higher nitrogen content than the CN from OHC (CN OHC), 12.20–12.32% vs. 11.58–11.60%, respectively. For the starting BC itself, all the cellulose blends of the starting celluloses and their CNs were detected using the SEM technique to have a reticulate fiber nanostructure. The cellulose samples and their CNs were detected using the IR spectroscopy to have basic functional groups. TGA/DTA analyses of the starting cellulose samples and the CNs therefrom demonstrated that the synthesized CN samples were of high purity and had high specific heats of decomposition at 6.14–7.13 kJ/g, corroborating their energy density. The CN BC is an excellent component with in-demand energetic performance; in particular, it has a higher nitrogen content while having a stable nanostructure. The CN BC was discovered to have a positive impact on the stability, structure, and energetic characteristics of the composites. The presence of CN OHC can make CNs-blended composites cheaper. These new CNs-blended composites made of bacterial and plant celluloses are much-needed in advanced, high-performance energetic materials. Full article

Habitat restoration and creation within human-altered landscapes can buffer the impacts of climate change on wildlife. The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) is a coal surface mine reclamation practice that enhances reforestation through soil decompaction and the planting of native trees. Recently, wetland creation has been coupled with FRA to increase habitat available for wildlife, including amphibians. Our objective was to evaluate the response of pond-breeding amphibians to the FRA by comparing species occupancy, richness, and abundance across two FRA age-classes (2–5-year and 8–11-year reclaimed forests), traditionally reclaimed sites that were left to naturally regenerate after mining, and in mature, unmined forests in the Monongahela National Forest (West Virginia, USA). We found that species richness and occupancy estimates did not differ across treatment types. Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) and Eastern Newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) had the greatest estimated abundances in wetlands in the older FRA treatment. Additionally, larger wetlands had greater abundances of Eastern Newts, Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus), and Green Frogs (L. clamitans) compared to smaller wetlands. Our results suggest that wetland creation and reforestation increases the number of breeding sites and promotes microhabitat and microclimate conditions that likely maximize the resilience of pond-breeding amphibians to anticipated climate changes in the study area. Full article

This article describes the production of bioadsorbents coming from seven different kinds of organic waste, produced in huge quantities in households, in a two-stage process. In order to determine the influence of the process parameters of carbonization (I stage) and activation with potassium hydroxide solution (II stage), the following analysis of the physicochemical properties of each sample at each stage processing was performed: base elemental composition, structure properties, surface morphology, thermal stability, crystallinity, and transmittance spectra characteristic bands. There was a lack of research on samples after each stage of waste processing in the literature. Addressing this allowed us to evaluate the transformative potential of each kind of organic waste included in the research and select the best waste for the production of bioadsorbents commonly used in environmental protection. Moreover, the results were compared with the ones in the literature. The utilization of particular kinds of organic waste seems to be especially important taking into account the strategy of waste management and sustainable development. Full article

Kidney ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) is a significant contributor to acute kidney injury (AKI), characterized by tubular injury and kidney dysfunction. Salvador family WW domain containing protein 1 (SAV1) is a key component of the Hippo pathway and plays a crucial role in the regulation of organ size and tissue regeneration. However, whether SAV1 plays a role in kidney IRI is not investigated. In this study, we investigated the role of SAV1 in kidney injury and regeneration following IRI. A proximal tubule-specific knockout of SAV1 in kidneys (SAV1^ptKO) was generated, and wild-type and SAV1^ptKO mice underwent kidney IRI or sham operation. Plasma creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were measured to assess kidney function. Histological studies, including periodic acid-Schiff staining and immunohistochemistry, were conducted to assess tubular injury, SAV1 expression, and cell proliferation. Western blot analysis was employed to assess the Hippo pathway-related and proliferation-related proteins. SAV1 exhibited faint expression in the proximal tubules and was predominantly expressed in the connecting tubule to the collecting duct. At 48 h after IRI, SAV1^ptKO mice continued to exhibit severe kidney dysfunction, compared to attenuated kidney dysfunction in wild-type mice. Consistent with the functional data, severe tubular damage induced by kidney IRI in the cortex was significantly decreased in wild-type mice at 48 h after IRI but not in SAV1^ptKO mice. Furthermore, 48 h after IRI, the number of Ki67-positive cells in the cortex was significantly higher in wild-type mice than SAV1^ptKO mice. After IRI, activation and expression of Hippo pathway-related proteins were enhanced, with no significant differences observed between wild-type and SAV1^ptKO mice. Notably, at 48 h after IRI, protein kinase B activation (AKT) was significantly enhanced in SAV1^ptKO mice compared to wild-type mice. This study demonstrates that SAV1 deficiency in the kidney proximal tubule worsens the injury and delays kidney regeneration after IRI, potentially through the overactivation of AKT. Full article

In robot-assisted microsurgery (RAMS), surgeons often face the challenge of operating with minimal feedback, particularly lacking in haptic feedback. However, most traditional desktop haptic devices have restricted operational areas and limited dexterity. This report describes a novel, lightweight, and low-budget wearable haptic controller for teleoperated microsurgical robotic systems. We designed a wearable haptic interface entirely made using off-the-shelf material-PolyJet Photopolymer, fabricated using liquid and solid hybrid 3D co-printing technology. This interface was designed to resemble human soft tissues and can be wrapped around the fingertips, offering direct contact feedback to the operator. We also demonstrated that the device can be easily integrated with our motion tracking system for remote microsurgery. Two motion tracking methods, marker-based and marker-less, were compared in trajectory-tracking experiments at different depths to find the most effective motion tracking method for our RAMS system. The results indicate that within the 4 to 8 cm tracking range, the marker-based method achieved exceptional detection rates. Furthermore, the performance of three fusion algorithms was compared to establish the unscented Kalman filter as the most accurate and reliable. The effectiveness of the wearable haptic controller was evaluated through user studies focusing on the usefulness of haptic feedback. The results revealed that haptic feedback significantly enhances depth perception for operators during teleoperated RAMS. Full article

(1) Background: we conducted this study to evaluate the effect of Kono-S anastomosis on postoperative morbidity after bowel resection for Crohn’s disease. (2) Methods: This study adhered to the PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The primary endpoint was the overall complications rate. Secondary outcomes included specific complications analyses, disease recurrence and efficiency endpoints. A systematic literature screening was performed in major electronic scholar databases (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science), from inception to 17 January 2024. Both Random (RE) and Fixed Effects (FE) models were estimated; the reported analysis was based on the Cochran Q test results. (3) Results: Overall, eight studies and 913 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled analyses confirmed that Kono-S was not superior in terms of overall morbidity (OR: 0.69 [0.42, 1.15], p = 0.16). Kono-S displayed a reduced risk for anastomotic leakage (OR: 0.34 [0.16, 0.71], p = 0.004) and reoperation (OR: 0.12 [0.05, 0.27], p < 0.001), and a shortened length of hospital stay (WMD: −0.54 [−0.73, −0.34], p < 0.001). On the contrary, Kono-S results in higher rates of postoperative SSIs (OR: 1.85 [1.02, 3.35], p = 0.04). (4) Conclusions: This study confirms a comparable morbidity, but a lower risk of anastomotic leak and reoperation of Kono-S over conventional anastomoses. Further high quality studies are required to validate these findings. Full article

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures are prevalent knee injuries, with approximately 200,000 ruptures annually, and treatment costs exceed USD two billion in the United States alone. Typically, the initial detection of ACL tears and anterior tibial laxity (ATL) involves manual assessments like the Lachman test, which examines anterior knee laxity. Partial ACL tears can go unnoticed if they minimally affect knee laxity; however, they will progress to a complete ACL tear requiring surgical treatment. In this study, a computational finite element model (FEM) of the knee joint was generated to investigate the effect of partial ACL tears under the Lachman test (GNRB^® testing system) boundary conditions. The ACL was modeled as a hyperelastic composite structure with a refined representation of collagen bundles. Five different tear types (I–V), classified by location and size, were modeled to predict the relationship between tear size, location, and anterior tibial translation (ATT). The results demonstrated different levels of ATT that could not be manually detected. Type I tears demonstrated an almost linear increase in ATT, with the growth in tear size ranging from 3.7 mm to 4.2 mm, from 25% to 85%, respectively. Type II partial tears showed a less linear incline in ATT (3.85, 4.1, and 4.75 mm for 25%, 55%, and 85% partial tears, respectively). Types III, IV, and V maintained a nonlinear trend, with ATTs of 3.85 mm, 4.2 mm, and 4.95 mm for Type III, 3.85 mm, 4.25 mm, and 5.1 mm for Type IV, and 3.6 mm, 4.25 mm, and 5.3 mm for Type V, for 25%, 55%, and 85% partial tears, respectively. Therefore, for small tears (25%), knee stability was most affected when the tears were located around the center of the ligament. For moderate tears (55%), the effect on knee stability was the greatest for tears at the proximal half of the ACL. However, severe tears (85%) demonstrated considerable growth in knee instability from the distal to the proximal ends of the tissue, with a substantial increase in knee instability around the insertion sites. The proposed model can enhance the characterization of partial ACL tears, leading to more accurate preliminary diagnoses. It can aid in developing new techniques for repairing partially torn ACLs, potentially preventing more severe injuries. Full article

The rapid and sensitive detection of pathogenic bacteria is becoming increasingly important for the timely prevention of contamination and the treatment of infections. Biosensors based on nucleic acid aptamers, integrated with optical, electrochemical, and mass-sensitive analytical techniques, have garnered intense interest because of their versatility, cost-efficiency, and ability to exhibit high affinity and specificity in binding bacterial biomarkers, toxins, and whole cells. This review highlights the development of aptamers, their structural characterization, and the chemical modifications enabling optimized recognition properties and enhanced stability in complex biological matrices. Furthermore, recent examples of aptasensors for the detection of bacterial cells, biomarkers, and toxins are discussed. Finally, we explore the barriers to and discuss perspectives on the application of aptamer-based bacterial detection. Full article

Polymer/polymer nanocomposites based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and biocompatible polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were prepared by tensile drawing of HDPE in the PVA solutions via environmental crazing. The mechanism of this phenomenon was described. The HDPE/PVA nanocomposites were studied by the methods of scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, gravimetry, tensile tests, and their composition, properties, and performance were characterized. The content of PVA in the HDPE/PVA nanocomposites (up to 22 wt.%) was controlled by the tensile strain of HDPE and concentration of PVA in the solution. Depending on the content of PVA, the wettability of the HDPE/PVA nanocomposite (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) could be varied in a broad interval from 45 to 98°. The modification of HDPE by the biocompatible PVA offers a beneficial avenue for practical applications of the HDPE/PVA composites as biomedical materials, packaging and protective materials, modern textile articles, breathable materials, membranes and sorbents, etc. Full article

Accurate and timely fault detection is crucial for ensuring the smooth operation and longevity of rotating machinery. This study explores the effectiveness of image-based approaches for machine fault diagnosis using data from a 6DOF IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensor. Three novel methods are proposed. The IMU6DoF-Time2GrayscaleGrid-CNN method converts the time series sensor data into a single grayscale image, leveraging the efficiency of a grayscale representation and the power of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for feature extraction. The IMU6DoF-Time2RGBbyType-CNN method utilizes RGB images. The IMU6DoF-Time2RGBbyAxis-CNN method employs an RGB image where each channel corresponds to a specific axis (X, Y, Z) of the sensor data. This axis-aligned representation potentially allows the CNN to learn the relationships between movements along different axes. The performance of all three methods is evaluated through extensive training and testing on a dataset containing various operational states (idle, normal, fault). All methods achieve high accuracy in classifying these states. While the grayscale method offers the fastest training convergence, the RGB-based methods might provide additional insights. The interpretability of the models is also explored using Grad-CAM visualizations. This research demonstrates the potential of image-based approaches with CNNs for robust and interpretable machine fault diagnosis using sensor data. Full article

The exploration and development of new hydrocarbon deposits is facing increasing challenges as the global shift to renewable energy sources, such as shallow geothermal deposits, wind farms, and photovoltaics, reduces the dependence on hydrocarbons. To navigate this evolving landscape, it becomes crucial to find solutions that optimize the energy extraction efficiency while maximizing the use of hydrocarbon deposits. This requires exploring opportunities in existing fields and wells, including those slated for decommissioning. This article discusses the potential for extracting resources from seemingly depleted fields, where some 60–70% of the resources remain unrecoverable due to low reservoir energy. Meeting this challenge requires the implementation of secondary and tertiary EOR methods that involve the introduction of external energy to increase reservoir pressure and enhance resource recovery. One of the proposed innovative tertiary methods involves reaming the reservoir using multiple small-diameter radial boreholes generated by a hydraulic drilling nozzle. This strategy is designed to intensify the contact between the production hole and the reservoir layer, resulting in increased or commenced production in certain cases. The described method proves to be a practical application in hydrocarbon deposits, offering the dual benefits of mitigating environmental pollution by eliminating the need for drilling new boreholes and providing a cost-effective means of accessing resources in decommissioned deposits with insufficient reservoir energy for self-exploitation. Another article points out the design variation of a hydraulic drilling nozzle tailored specifically for reaming a reservoir layer. Taking the above into account, this article provides very practical information for future projects in which paths should be sought for the design and development of hydraulic wellheads, among other things, in order to intensify the production from hydrocarbon deposits. Full article