Nitrogen (N) is the most important nutrient in coffee, with a direct impact on productivity, quality, and sustainability. N uptake by the roots is dominated by ammonium (NH₄⁺) and nitrates (NO₃⁻), along with some organic forms at a lower proportion. From the perspective of mineral fertilizer, the most common N sources are urea, ammonium (AM), ammonium nitrates (AN), and nitrates; an appropriate understanding of the right balance between N forms in coffee nutrition would contribute to more sustainable coffee production through the better N management of this important crop. The aim of this research was to evaluate the influences of different NH₄-N/NO₃-N ratios in coffee from a physiological and agronomical perspective, and their interaction with soil water levels. Over a period of 5 years, three trials were conducted under controlled conditions in a greenhouse with different growing media (quartz sand) and organic soil, with and without water stress, while one trial was conducted under field conditions. N forms and water levels directly influence physiological responses in coffee, including photosynthesis (Ps), chlorophyll content, dry biomass accumulation (DW), nutrient uptake, and productivity. In all of the trials, the plants group in soils with N ratios of 50% NH₄-N/50% NO₃-N, and 25% NH₄-N/75% NO₃-N showed better responses to water stress, as well as a higher Ps, a higher chlorophyll content, a higher N and cation uptake, higher DW accumulation, and higher productivity. The soil pH was significantly influenced by the N forms: the higher the NO₃⁻-N share, the lower the acidification level. The results allow us to conclude that the combination of 50% NH₄-N/50% NO₃-N and 25% NH₄-N/75% NO₃-N N forms in coffee improves the resistance capacity of the coffee to water stress, improves productivity, reduces the soil acidification level, and improves ion balance and nutrient uptake. Full article

The influence of damping and friction performance of grinding wheels on precision grinding was explored for the first time. GO hybrid PU-modified PF copolymers were prepared by in situ synthesis and adopted as a matrix for fabricating grinding wheels. FT-IR, DSC, TG, and mechanical property tests showed the optimal modification when PU content was 10 wt% and GO addition was 0.1 wt%. Damping properties were investigated by DMA, and tribological characteristics were measured by sliding friction and wear experiments. The worn surfaces and fracture morphologies of GO hybrid PU–PF copolymers were observed by SEM. Distribution of components on the worn surfaces was explored by Raman mapping and EDS. The research results revealed that the PU component tended to be dispersed around the edges of corundum abrasives acting as a buffer layer of abrasive particles, which could provide micro-damping characteristics for abrasives, making the grinding force more stable during precision machining and facilitating a smoother surface quality of the workpiece. Full article

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and colitis, with increasing incidence and healthcare costs. Its pathogenesis is primarily driven by toxins produced by the bacterium C. difficile, Toxin A (TcdA) and Toxin B (TcdB). Certain strains produce an additional toxin, the C. difficile transferase (CDT), which further enhances the virulence and pathogenicity of C. difficile. These toxins disrupt colonic epithelial barrier integrity, and induce inflammation and cellular damage, leading to CDI symptoms. Significant progress has been made in the past decade in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of TcdA, TcdB, and CDT, which provide insights into the management of CDI and the future development of novel treatment strategies based on anti-toxin therapies. While antibiotics are common treatments, high recurrence rates necessitate alternative therapies. Bezlotoxumab, targeting TcdB, is the only available anti-toxin, yet limitations persist, prompting ongoing research. This review highlights the current knowledge of the structure and mechanism of action of C. difficile toxins and their role in disease. By comprehensively describing the toxin-mediated mechanisms, this review provides insights for the future development of novel treatment strategies and the management of CDI. Full article

The DC distribution network is a low-inertia system, which is very sensitive to load disturbance, system failure, and other factors. By adding virtual capacitance to the converter connected to the power supply, the virtual inertia of the DC power grid can be improved. Firstly, this paper proposes a strategy for adjusting virtual capacitance based on the voltage change rate to achieve adaptive control of virtual inertia, which enables the converter to quickly absorb or release energy during power fluctuations. Secondly, the adaptivity of the strategy is improved and the main control parameters in the proposed control method are qualitatively analyzed. Finally, the four-terminal photovoltaic storage DC distribution network system is constructed. Through Simulink, the adaptive virtual inertia control is incorporated on the battery side to simulate and validate the effectiveness of the strategy and the rationality of parameter analysis. The results show that this method can provide flexible and adjustable inertia support for DC grids and improve the voltage stability of DC grids. Full article

Microarray experiments, a mainstay in gene expression analysis for nearly two decades, pose challenges due to their complexity. To address this, we introduce DExplore, a user-friendly web application enabling researchers to detect differentially expressed genes using data from NCBI’s GEO. Developed with R, Shiny, and Bioconductor, DExplore integrates WebGestalt for functional enrichment analysis. It also provides visualization plots for enhanced result interpretation. With a Docker image for local execution, DExplore accommodates unpublished data. To illustrate its utility, we showcase two case studies on cancer cells treated with chemotherapeutic drugs. DExplore streamlines microarray data analysis, empowering molecular biologists to focus on genes of biological significance. Full article

Background: In an era of dramatic technological progress, the consequent economic transformations, and an increasing need for an adaptable workforce, the importance of education has risen to the forefront of the social discourse. The concurrent increase in the awareness of issues pertaining to social justice and the debate over what this justice entails and how it ought to be effected, feed into the education policy more than ever before. From the nexus of the aforementioned considerations, concern about the so-called education gap has emerged, with worldwide efforts to close it. Methods: I analyze the premises behind such efforts and demonstrate that they are founded upon fundamentally flawed ideas. Results: I show that in a society in which education is delivered equitably, education gaps emerge naturally as a consequence of differentiation due to talents, the tendency for matched mate selection, and the heritability of intellectual traits. Conclusion: I issue a call for a redirection of efforts away from the ill-founded idea of closing the education gap to the understanding of the magnitude of its unfair contributions, as well as to those social aspects that can modulate it in accordance with what a society deems fair according to its values. Full article

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are becoming increasingly popular because they offer a sustainable and cost-effective solution for generating electricity. PV panels are the most critical components of PV systems as they convert solar energy into electric energy. Therefore, analyzing their reliability, risk, safety, and degradation is crucial to ensuring continuous electricity generation based on its intended capacity. This paper develops a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) methodology to assess the reliability of and risk associated with polycrystalline PV panels. Generalized severity, occurrence, and detection rating criteria are developed that can be used to analyze various solar PV systems as they are or with few modifications. The analysis is based on various data sources, including field failures, literature reviews, testing, and expert evaluations. Generalized severity, occurrence, and detection rating tables are developed and applied to solar panels to estimate the risk priority number (RPN) and the overall risk value. The results show that the encapsulant, junction box, and failures due to external events are the most critical components from both the RPN and risk perspectives. Delamination and soiling are the panels’ most critical FMs, with RPN values of 224 and 140, respectively, contributing 16.2% to the total RPN. Further, moderately critical FMs are also identified which contribute 56.3% to the RPN. The encapsulant is the most critical component, with RPN and risk values of 940 (40.30%) and 145 (23.40%), respectively. This work crucially contributes to sustainable energy practices by enhancing the reliability of solar PV systems, thus reducing potential operational inefficiencies. Additionally, recommendations are provided to enhance system reliability and minimize the likelihood and severity of consequences. Full article

Despite the considerable advancements in automated identification methods of highway hidden distress with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) images, there still exist challenges in realizing automated identification of highway hidden distress owing to the quantity, variability, and reliability of the distress samples and diversity of classification models. Firstly, the dataset collected contains 31,640 samples categorized into four categories: interlayer debonding, interlayer loosening, interlayer water seepage, and structural loosening from 1500 km highway, for obtaining larger enough samples and covering the variable range of distress samples. Secondly, the distresses were labeled by experienced experts, and the labels were verified with drilled cores to ensure their reliability. Lastly, 18 exemplary convolutional neural network (CNN) models from 8 different architectures were evaluated using evaluation metrics such as precision, recall, and f1-score. Further, confusion matrix and Grad-CAM techniques were utilized to analyze these models. The experimental results show that VGG13 performed most prominently and stably, while the lightweight network SqueezeNet1_1 performed particularly well with a batch size of 64. Furthermore, this study indicates that models with fewer layers can achieve comparable or better performance than deeper models. Full article

Medical data have unique specificity and professionalism, requiring substantial domain expertise for their annotation. Precise data annotation is essential for anomaly-detection tasks, making the training process complex. Domain generalization (DG) is an important approach to enhancing medical image anomaly detection (AD). This paper introduces a novel multimodal anomaly-detection framework called MedicalCLIP. MedicalCLIP utilizes multimodal data in anomaly-detection tasks and establishes irregular constraints within modalities for images and text. The key to MedicalCLIP lies in learning intramodal detailed representations, which are combined with text semantic-guided cross-modal contrastive learning, allowing the model to focus on semantic information while capturing more detailed information, thus achieving more fine-grained anomaly detection. MedicalCLIP relies on GPT prompts to generate text, reducing the demand for professional descriptions of medical data. Text construction for medical data helps to improve the generalization ability of multimodal models for anomaly-detection tasks. Additionally, during the text–image contrast-enhancement process, the model’s ability to select and extract information from image data is improved. Through hierarchical contrastive loss, fine-grained representations are achieved in the image-representation process. MedicalCLIP has been validated on various medical datasets, showing commendable domain generalization performance in medical-data anomaly detection. Improvements were observed in both anomaly classification and segmentation metrics. In the anomaly classification (AC) task involving brain data, the method demonstrated a 2.81 enhancement in performance over the best existing approach. Full article

The characteristics of subgrains in a deformed state after the high-temperature deformation of aluminum alloys control the subsequent recrystallization process and corresponding mechanical properties. In this study, systematic 2D phase-field simulations have been conducted to determine the role of deformed state parameters such as subgrain size and disorientation distributions on subgrain growth in an individual grain representing a single crystallographic orientation. The initial subgrain size and disorientation distributions have been varied by ±50%. To have a statistically relevant number of subgrains, large-scale simulations have been conducted using an in-house-developed phase-field code that takes advantage of distributed computing. The results of these simulations indicate that the growth of subgrains reaches a self-similar regime regardless of the initial subgrain structure. A narrower initial subgrain size distribution leads to faster growth rates, but it is the initial disorientation distribution that has a larger impact on the growth of subgrains. The results are discussed in terms of the evolution of the average diameter of subgrains and the average disorientation in the microstructure. Full article

The diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is often entrusted to the pediatric rheumatologist specialist. Timely referral to a specialized center is crucial. This study aims to assess the consultation and investigation patterns of patients with joint complaints before rheumatology referral. This longitudinal cohort study included patients with joint complaints who were referred to the Pediatric Rheumatology Unit. The cohort included 301 patients (58% female), 50 of them (17%) diagnosed with JIA. Compared to patients with orthopedic conditions or functional diseases, JIA patients had seen more specialists (p < 0.01) and received a quicker diagnosis (p < 0.01). Patients with early JIA diagnosis (within 3 months from symptoms onset) were younger (8.46 vs. 11.5 years old; p = 0.04), more frequently female (78% vs. 47%, p = 0.03), and with higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) values (37 vs. 9 mm/h; p = 0.02) than those diagnosed later. Patients with a late diagnosis of JIA had a significantly longer median time between the first healthcare visit and the PR referral (25 vs. 101 days; p < 0.01). The main contributor to diagnostic delay in JIA was the time required for PR referral after the first healthcare consult. Younger age, female sex, and higher ESR values were associated with earlier diagnosis of JIA. Full article

Yellow pitahaya is a tropical fruit that has gained popularity in recent years. Natural elicitors are compounds that can stimulate the resistance and quality of fruits. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of natural elicitors, methyl salicylate (MeSa), methyl jasmonate (JaMe), salicylic acid (SA) and oxalic acid (OA) at concentrations of 0.1 mM (MeSa and JaMe) and 5 mM (SA and OA), applied to the yellow pitahaya fruits under greenhouse conditions. After full blossom, four applications were made with a frequency of 15 days. At the time of harvest and after storage, the following variables were evaluated: firmness (whole fruit), total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity (TA), phenolics and carotenoids (in the pulp), while phenolics, carotenoids, macronutrients and micronutrients were determined in the peel. The results showed MeSa advanced the fruit maturation, according to higher TSS, lower TA and firmness than MeJa-treated fruits, for which a delayed ripening process was shown. All treatments induced a higher polyphenolic concentration during storage. Regarding the alternative use of the peel as a by-product, the application of natural elicitors significantly increased the content of polyphenols, carotenoids, macronutrients and micronutrients in the peel, especially MeSa, which can be used as a bioactive compound in the food industry. In conclusion, the results indicate that natural elicitors can be an alternative to improve the quality and shelf life of yellow pitahaya fruits. Full article

The push for environmental sustainability has accelerated the acceptance of electric vehicles, as well as the exploration of electrified Non-Road Mobile Machinery. This study emphasizes the challenges of electrifying off-highway machinery, which include the many machinery layouts and the presence of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises in the market. Recognizing the barriers faced by these companies, this paper shows how modeling and simulation can be effective tools for system integration and control optimization, even when lacking extensive expertise in the topic. However, it emphasizes the need for user-friendly modeling tools and methods adaptable to the operational needs of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises. This study presents a case study of a retrofitted battery-electric hydraulic material handler. The machinery is simulated using Simscape, and the accuracy of the model is confirmed through experimental validation. By simulating a rational duty cycle, this study proposes two solutions for performance enhancement while maintaining the integrity of the hydraulic system. These solutions offer a balanced compromise between energy consumption and productivity and a novel control algorithm to minimize energy consumption. Most importantly, the two proposed solutions can be easily switched by the operator, which can decide to favor productivity over energy saving based on driving needs. Full article

Preclinical studies rarely test the efficacy of therapies in both sexes. The field of oncology is no exception in this regard. In a model of syngeneic, orthotopic, metastasized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma we evaluated the impact of sex on pathological features of this disease as well as on the efficacy and possible adverse side effects of a novel, small molecule-based therapy inhibiting KRAS:SOS1, MEK1/2 and PI3K signaling in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Male mice had less tumor infiltration of CD8-positive cells, developed bigger tumors, had more lung metastasis and a lower probability of survival compared to female mice. These more severe pathological features in male animals were accompanied by higher distress at the end of the experiment. The evaluated inhibitors BI-3406, trametinib and BKM120 showed synergistic effects in vitro. This combinatorial therapy reduced tumor weight more efficiently in male animals, although the drug concentrations were similar in the tumors of both sexes. These results underline the importance of sex-specific preclinical research and at the same time provide a solid basis for future studies with the tested compounds. Full article

(1) Background: Grapes and their associated by-products (such as grape pomace and GP) stand out for their polyphenol content, which makes them a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant capacity. The aim of this research was to determine if the inclusion of 50 g/kg of GP in the diet of hens could enrich eggs with antioxidants and to study its effect on internal and external egg quality parameters. (2) Methods: A trial was conducted with two genetic lines of hens, which were fed either a control diet or a diet containing 50 g/kg of GP. Performance, internal and external egg quality, and egg yolk content of vitamins E and A and gallic acid were determined. (3) Results: In eggs laid by hens fed a GP diet, Haugh units and yolk color scores were enhanced, and eggshells became thinner, but without affecting the breaking strength. No dietary effect was observed on the vitamin contents of the yolk. A higher gallic acid content was observed in the yolks of eggs laid by hens fed the GP diet, suggesting that some dietary phenolic compounds could be transferred to the eggs. Hen genetics influenced egg weight, albumen Haugh units, shell thickness, and α- and γ-tocopherol concentration in yolks. (4) Conclusions: Dietary inclusion of GP improved the internal quality of eggs, enriching yolks with a phenolic compound but reducing shell thickness. Full article

Grid-forming inverters (GFMs) have emerged as crucial components in modern power systems, facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources and enhancing grid stability. The significance of GFMs lies in their ability to autonomously establish grid voltage and frequency, enabling grids to form and improve system flexibility. Discussing control methods for grid-forming inverters is paramount due to their crucial role in shaping grid dynamics and ensuring reliable power delivery. This paper explores the fundamental and advanced control methods employed by GFMs, explaining their operational principles and performance characteristics. Basic control methods typically involve droop control, voltage and frequency regulation, and power-balancing techniques to maintain grid stability under varying operating conditions. Advanced control strategies encompass predictive control, model predictive control (MPC), and adaptive control, which influence advanced algorithms and real-time data for enhanced system responsiveness and efficiency. A detailed analysis and performance comparison of different control methods for GFM is presented, highlighting their strengths, limitations, and suitability for diverse grid environments. Through comprehensive studies, this research interprets the ability of various control strategies to mitigate grid disturbances, optimize power flow, and enhance overall system stability. Full article

The vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptors (VEGFRs) are key regulators of blood vessel formation, including in tumors, where their deregulated function can promote the production of aberrant, leaky blood vessels, supporting tumor development. Here we investigated the VEGFR1 ligand VEGF-B, which we demonstrate to be expressed in tumor cells and in tumor stroma and vasculature across a range of tumor types. We examined the anti-VEGF-B-specific monoclonal antibody 2H10 in preclinical xenograft models of breast and colorectal cancer, in comparison with the anti-VEGF-A antibody bevacizumab. Similar to bevacizumab, 2H10 therapy was associated with changes in tumor blood vessels and intra-tumoral diffusion consistent with normalization of the tumor vasculature. Accordingly, treatment resulted in partial inhibition of tumor growth, and significantly improved the response to chemotherapy. Our studies indicate the importance of VEGF-B in tumor growth, and the potential of specific anti-VEGF-B treatment to inhibit tumor development, alone or in combination with established chemotherapies. Full article

Wood, a natural material with versatile industrial applications, faces limitations such as low dimensional stability and decay resistance. To address these issues, there has been significant progress in wood modification research. Oil heat treatment has emerged as an effective method among environmentally friendly wood treatment options. Studies have indicated that treating wood with hot vegetable oils yields superior properties compared to traditional methods involving gaseous atmospheres, which is attributed to the synergistic effect of oils and heat. This comprehensive review investigates the physical, chemical, and mechanical modifications induced by the oil heat treatment of wood, along with its impact on biological durability against biotic agents. The review synthesizes recent research findings, elucidates underlying mechanisms, and discusses the implications for wood material science and engineering. Full article

This paper proposes a control strategy for grid-following inverter control and grid-forming inverter control developed for a Solar Photovoltaic (PV)–battery-integrated microgrid network. A grid-following (GFL) inverter with real and reactive power control in a solar PV-fed system is developed; it uses a Phase Lock Loop (PLL) to track the phase angle of the voltages at the PCC and adopts a vector control strategy to adjust the active and reactive currents that are injected into the power grid. The drawback of a GFL inverter is that it lacks the capability to operate independently when the utility grid is down due to outages or disturbances. The proposed grid-forming (GFM) inverter control with a virtual synchronous machine provides inertia to the grid, generates a stable grid-like voltage and frequency and enables the integration of the grid. The proposed system incorporates a battery energy storage system (BESS) which has inherent energy storage capability and is independent of geographical areas. The GFM control includes voltage and frequency control, enhanced islanding and black start capability and the maintenance of the stability of the grid-integrated system. The proposed model is validated under varying irradiance conditions, load switching, grid outages and temporary faults with fault ride-through (FRT) capability, and fast frequency response and stability are achieved. The proposed model is validated under varying irradiance conditions, load switching, grid outages and line faults incorporating fault ride-through capability in GFM-based control. The proposed controller was simulated in a 100 MW solar PV system and 60 MW BESS using the MATLAB/Simulink 2023 tool, and the experimental setup was validated in a 1 kW grid-connected system. The percentage improvement of the system frequency and voltage with FRT-capable GFM control is 69.3% and 70%, respectively, and the percentage improvement is only 3% for system frequency and 52% for grid voltage in the case of an FRT-capable GFL controller. The simulation and experimental results prove that GFM-based inverter control achieves fast frequency response, and grid stability is also ensured. Full article

A novel low-NO_x burner was proposed in this study to achieve the stable and clean combustion of low- and medium-calorific-value gas and promote energy sustainability, and the influence of the gas pipe structure on the burner’s characteristics was studied with coke oven gas as a fuel. A 40 kW burner test bench was established to conduct cold-state experiments to investigate the influences of the gas pipe structure on the aerodynamic characteristics of the burner. We performed numerical simulations on both a 40 kW burner and a 14 MW prototype burner to investigate the thermal performance of the burners and their impact on low NO_x emissions. The experimental results showed that increasing the deflection angle of the gas pipe nozzle direction relative to the circumferential tangent direction, the high-velocity zone and the high-concentration zone of the flow field move towards the central axis. Increasing the bending angle of gas pipe nozzle direction relative to the axis direction caused the high-velocity zone and the high-concentration zone to move upstream direction of the jet. The simulation reveals that the NO concentration at the exit cross-section of the combustion chamber of the 14 MW prototype burner is 17.00 mg/m³ (with 3.5% oxygen content). A recommended design structure of the burner was proposed, with a deflection angle of 0°and a bending angle of 0° for the No. 3 gas pipe, and a deflection angle of 15° and a bending angle of 30° for the No. 4 gas pipe. Full article

Electro-optic modulators (EOMs) are pivotal in bridging electrical and optical domains, essential for diverse applications including optical communication, microwave signal processing, sensing, and quantum technologies. However, achieving the trifecta of high-density integration, cost-effectiveness, and superior performance remains challenging within established integrated photonics platforms. Enter thin-film lithium niobate (LN), a recent standout with its inherent electro-optic (EO) efficiency, proven industrial performance, durability, and rapid fabrication advancements. This platform inherits material advantages from traditional bulk LN devices while offering a reduced footprint, wider bandwidths, and lower power requirements. Despite its recent introduction, commercial thin-film LN wafers already rival or surpass established alternatives like silicon and indium phosphide, benefitting from decades of research. In this review, we delve into the foundational principles and technical innovations driving state-of-the-art LN modulator demonstrations, exploring various methodologies, their strengths, and challenges. Furthermore, we outline pathways for further enhancing LN modulators and anticipate exciting prospects for larger-scale LN EO circuits beyond singular components. By elucidating the current landscape and future directions, we highlight the transformative potential of thin-film LN technology in advancing electro-optic modulation and integrated photonics. Full article

Hydraulic infrastructures are susceptible to deformation over time, necessitating reliable monitoring and prediction methods. In this study, we address this challenge by proposing a novel approach based on the combination of Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) methods for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) deformation monitoring and prediction modeling. The VMD method is utilized to decompose the complex deformation signals into intrinsic mode functions, which are then fed into a CNN method for feature extraction. The extracted features are input into an LSTM method to capture temporal dependencies and make predictions. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed VMD-CNN-LSTM method exhibits an improvement by about 75%. This research contributes to the advancement of deformation monitoring technologies in water conservancy engineering, offering a promising solution for proactive maintenance and risk mitigation strategies. Full article