Recent publications
Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is a rare, severe form of chronic kidney infection that mimics renal malignancies, often leading to diagnostic challenges. We present the case of a 36-year-old woman with a 2-month history of progressive lower back pain, fever, and weight loss. Imaging revealed left renal enlargement with multiple low-attenuation areas and large staghorn calculi, suggestive of XGP. Middle-aged women are primarily affected by recurrent urinary tract infections and renal calculi, leading to extensive renal destruction. Characteristic “bear paw” sign on computed tomography suggests XGP; however, histopathological confirmation is required. Early recognition and intervention are essential to prevent irreversible renal damage. Our case highlights the need for clinical awareness and prompt evaluation to minimize disease burden and improve patient outcomes.
The global shift toward sustainable energy and electric mobility addresses environmental concerns related to fossil fuels. While these alternatives are increasingly utilized in residential and commercial sectors, integrating renewable energy in building systems presents significant challenges. This is particularly evident in cold regions where unpredictable resource availability complicates energy reliability. The study emphasizes the need for innovative approaches to address these complexities and ensure consistent energy performance in dynamic conditions. This research explores the energy dynamics within a residential community located in a relatively cold climate region (Tabriz). The study begins by estimating the energy requirements of individual buildings, including the additional demand generated by electric vehicles. It then evaluates the potential for solar energy generation from photovoltaic systems. Finally, a machine learning-based approach (i.e., LSTM, Long Short-Term Memory) is employed to optimize the management of energy supply and demand across the community. This study demonstrates that heating demands in a cold climate are substantially higher than cooling needs, with solar energy providing sufficient (~ 32.1%) coverage during warmer months but requiring grid support in colder seasons. The prediction of EV charging patterns using LSTM models achieved over 93% accuracy, enabling improved energy demand forecasting and load management. These findings highlight the potential for optimizing renewable energy use, reducing grid dependency, and enhancing energy efficiency through effective production-demand management.
Food packaging has seen a technological revolution through nanotechnology that provides highly innovative solutions to the increase of preservation, quality, and shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Moreover, this review has an in‐depth examination of the most advanced nanotechnology packaging that realizes a significant increase in barrier properties, it is involved in including antimicrobial method, and is a pioneer in making use of intelligent packaging systems. Different nanomaterials, such as nano‐coatings, nano‐films, and nanofibers have proven their effectiveness in modulating oxygen and moisture permeability and repressing microbial contamination along with systems for real‐time environmental monitoring. Furthermore, the incorporation of biodegradable nanocomposite films into the market provides a bio‐based alternative to conventional packaging, which is a cheaper and environmentally friendly way of maintaining food safety and freshness. However, despite such developments, it can be seen that there are a number of challenges that still require a bit further probing. The future research should concern the most comprehensive analysis of nanoparticles that migrate from the packaging into the products and how they may affect people in the case of long‐term exposure. Moreover, incorporating regulations related to the usage of nanotechnologies should be standardized to ensure that the adoption of nanotechnology in the food packaging process is safe and responsible. Green technology made the innovations in bio‐based nanomaterials and eco‐friendly nano‐coatings become a reality, which further promoted the sustainability of the gains and still brought all the benefits intact. Additionally, integrating smart packaging systems with nanosensors will offer the possibility of food waste reduction and improvement of supply chain efficiency through real‐time food quality monitoring. Continued interdisciplinary collaboration between food scientists, material engineers, and regulatory authorities will be crucial to addressing these challenges and unlocking the full potential of nanotechnology in food packaging.
The problem arises from the fact that traditional fluids are not sufficient to enable productive heating and cooling of industrial processes. Trihybrid (TH) nanofluids (NFs), which are composed of three diverse classes of nanoparticles suspended in base fluids, are a new kind of heat transport media. This novel class of fluids is characterized by its wide range of possible uses in a variety of nanotechnology and heat transport apparatuses. The purpose of current research to examine the production of entropy variations in the movement of an electromagnetic ternary hybrid nanofluid (THNF) across a permeable extended surface. Molybdenum Disulfide (), Zirconium Dioxide (), and Graphene Oxide () nanocomposites have been dispersed in base fluid (Ethylene Glycol) to create the TH nanoliquid. In order to assess the permeability impact, the momentum equation involves the effects of Darcy‐Forchheimer. The resistance to the flow and measure of heat transfer have been analyzed subjected to some crucial effects like magnetic field, thermal radiation, and Entropy generation rate. Joule heating impacts are imposed. The nonlinear ordinary differential equations are extracted from the partial differential equations through the transformation. Moreover, the resultant system is solved using the shooting approach in the computational framework of MATLAB. The drag force, and heat transfer rate are all calculated numerically.
In industrial cases, robustness of the robots is mandatory and thus the development of fault diagnosis systems is essential. This study introduces a novel fault diagnosis method that merges two elements: Two methods shared here are the hierarchical hyper-Laplacian prior (HHLP) and singular spectrum analysis (SSA). The SSA technique decomposes the encoder signals into three components; residual, periodic oscillation and trend. In addition, the HHLP algorithm can identify harmonic interference, periodical impulses, and noise, with maximal posterior probabilities compared to the other algorithms. Compared to traditional Laplacian prior models, this approach provides higher accuracy, which verify the HHLP algorithm can effectively extract fault feature. Real-world applications and some computational studies provide additional light on the practicability of SSA-HHLP method. The research also compares the results with kurtosis-based weighted sparse prototypes, spectral kurtosis, and minimax concave regularization, and indicates that the proposed SSA-HHLP method outperforms other methods in both low outlier and high outlier contamination.
Herein, an ionically cross-linked chitosan-oxalate/Al2O3 (CHS-OXA/Al2O3) mesoporous nanocomposite was prepared by modifying the natural macromolecular biopolymer (chitosan, CHS) with a metal oxide nanomaterial (aluminum oxide, Al2O3 nanoparticles) and then using an ionic cross-linking method with oxalate (OXA). The physicochemical properties of CHS-OXA/Al2O3 have been comprehensively analyzed using methods like FTIR, XRD, BET, pHpzc, and FESEM-EDX. Box–Behnken design (BBD) was adopted to analyze the efficacy of CHS-OXA/Al2O3 in eliminating eosin y (EOY) dye from an aqueous solution. The study included many aspects that influence the adsorption process, including the quantity of CHS-OXA/Al2O3 (ranging from 0.01 to 0.07 g), the duration of the process (10–40 min), and the pH level (ranging from 4 to 10). The highest EOY decolorization (98.4%) was attained at a pH of 4, a dosage of 0.053 g CHS-OXA/Al2O3, and a removal time of 39.6 min. The equilibrium behavior of EOY on CHS-OXA/Al2O3 matched well with the Freundlich isotherm. The kinetics data of EOY adsorption by CHS-OXA/Al2O3 were well characterized using a pseudo-first-order model. The computed enthalpy ΔH° was endothermic (13.04 kJ/mol), the entropy ΔS° was positive (0.066 kJ/molK), and Gibb's free energy ΔG° was negative (6.83–8.85 kJ/mol) according to the thermodynamic studies, confirming that the adsorption process is spontaneous. The CHS-OXA/Al2O3 material possesses an adsorption ability of 378.6 mg/g. This work showcases the outstanding capacity of CHS-OXA/Al2O3 as a very effective adsorbent for eliminating synthetic dyes from wastewater.
A chitosan-based nanocomposite of ionically crosslinked chitosan-oxalate/Al2O3 nanoparticles was synthesized. The chitosan-based nanocomposite exhibited high efficiency in removing eosin Y dye from water. Adsorption mechanisms included electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and n-π interactions
Photovoltaic (PV) panel overheating conditions represent a crucial problem since temperature elevations above standard test conditions (STC) decrease productivity and operational lifespan. The research explores experimental methods to reduce PV panel working temperatures. A water spray cooling system operated on natural sawdust fibers, which were positioned behind the photovoltaic (PV) system surface. The cooling process achieves heat dispersion from PV surfaces through evaporation. Testing was done on three PV modules under standard conditions, including a bare PV system, a (PV/W) system cooled by dushing way, and a third (PV/SW) system covered by a novel sawdust rear layer. The surface temperature assessment revealed that the novel PV/SW system attained a reduction of 27% compared to the bare PV system and 16% relative to the PV/W system. The temperature reduction from the novel PV/SW system produced a 43% improvement in average electrical efficiency relative to the standard PV system and achieved improved efficiency by 12% above the (PV/W) system. Implementing sawdust layers on the PV panel surface produced prolonged wet conditions that boosted its cooling power. The authors examined the temperature uniformity of their cooling technique because uneven heat distribution could cause significant panel damage.
Hydropower systems face significant challenges in load control and fault detection due to their complex operational dynamics. This study presents an innovative framework combining Digital Twin technology with Deep Learning to enhance fault detection, optimize operations, and improve system resilience. We developed a hybrid approach integrating a Digital Twin model of the hydropower system with advanced Deep Learning algorithms for real-time monitoring and predictive analysis. The proposed framework was evaluated through extensive simulations in a MATLAB environment, where it demonstrated remarkable improvements in system performance. The integration of Digital Twins allowed for precise real-time modeling of system behavior, while Deep Learning algorithms effectively identified and predicted faults. Our results show that the proposed method achieved a 12.14% reduction in fault detection time compared to traditional methods. Furthermore, the optimization of operational parameters led to a 8.97% increase in overall system efficiency and a 5.49% decrease in maintenance costs. In terms of fault detection accuracy, the Deep Learning-enhanced Digital Twin system achieved an 72% accuracy rate, significantly higher than the 65% accuracy observed with conventional techniques. The improved model not only enhanced fault detection but also contributed to a 8.03% reduction in energy loss and a 14.07% increase in power generation reliability. Overall, this research demonstrates that the integration of Digital Twins and Deep Learning provides a powerful, data-driven approach to optimizing hydropower systems. The proposed method offers substantial benefits in terms of operational efficiency, fault detection accuracy, and cost savings, positioning it as a significant advancement in the field.
This study focuses on designing and evaluating new nanostructures that combine polystyrene (PS), silicon carbide (SiC) and platinum silicide (PtSi). These nanostructures possess qualities that make them suitable, for applications in optoelectronics. The research explores the optimization, structural characteristics and electronic properties of PS/SiC/PtSi nanostructures. The findings reveal improvements in both the structure and electronic features of polystyrene when incorporating SiC/PtSi nanostructures. This demonstrates the potential of PS/SiC/PtSi nanostructures for electronics and photonics applications. Additionally the presence of PtSi/SiC leads to reduce in the energy gap of PS from 5.004 eV to 2.979 eV highlighting the relevance of these nanostructures for electronic devices. The electronic parameters of PS also exhibit enhancements when doped with SiC/PtSi nanostructures. Overall these results affirm the importance and promise of PS/SiC/PtSi nanostructures, in the field of nanoelectronics and photonics.
Mycotoxin contamination poses severe risks to food safety and agricultural sustainability. Probiotic-based interventions offer a promising strategy for mitigating these toxic compounds through adsorption, biodegradation, and gut microbiota modulation. This review examines the mechanisms by which specific probiotic strains inhibit mycotoxin biosynthesis, degrade existing toxins, and enhance host detoxification pathways. Emphasis is placed on strain-specific interactions, genetic and metabolic adaptations, and advancements in formulation technologies that improve probiotic efficacy in food matrices. Also, the review explores smart delivery systems, such as encapsulation techniques and biofilm applications, to enhance probiotic stability and functionality. Issues related to regulatory approval, strain viability, and large-scale implementation are also discussed. By integrating molecular insights, applied case studies, and innovative probiotic-based solutions, this review provides a roadmap for advancing safe and sustainable strategies to combat mycotoxin contamination in food and agricultural systems.
The test results indicated that elevating the temperature to which the column was subjected had an adverse effect on both the characteristics of concrete and the properties of reinforcement bars, thereby leading to a reduction in the structural efficiency of the column. It took 45 min to burn the specimen at a temperature of 300 °C, while a specimen that burned at a temperature of 500 °C took a time of 2:30 h, and a specimen that burned at a temperature of 700 °C took a time of 6:15 h. The heat produced by a fire furnace has an apparent effect on all specimens, and this effect appears in a change of color of the concrete from a grey color to a light walnut color at 500 °C. At 700 °C, a light walnut color was appeared on all parts of the specimen, and sometimes a dark walnut color was appeared in specific locations of the specimen. Furthermore, the edges of the heated specimens become easily breakable by hand, whereas the unheated specimens can only be broken with a hammer. The test findings indicate that the load required to initiate the first crack lowers as temperature increases. Increased the concrete cover and changed the support type of unheated steel, fiber, and hybrid models from hinge-roller support to fixed-rolled supports, causing increased ultimate load capacity while increasing the slenderness ratio and the eccentricity ratio causing decreased ultimate load capacity. The ultimate load capacity rose by approximately 21.4%, 35.5%, and 38.2%, respectively, when the cover was increased to 30 mm, 40 mm, and 50 mm. The ultimate load capacity and first crack load were reduced by 77% and 88.5% compared to the same unheated fiber model under concentric load.
Edible coatings are a thin layer of substances that are put on the surface of food. This work was designed to investigate strawberry coating prepared of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), gelatin (G) enriched with lemon essential oil (LEO) in various concentrations (0.5%, 1.5%, 3%), on the antimicrobial characteristics, shelf life, physicochemical, and sensory properties of strawberries preserved for 16 days at 4°C ± 1°C and an RH of 85% ± 5%. It was found that adding LEO to the CMC + G coating inhibited yeast and mold growth as well as decreased weight loss. The total flavonoid (TF), total phenol content (TPC), ascorbic acid, and antioxidant activity (AOA) all decreased slowly. Furthermore, the CMC + G + LEO combination reduced fruit deterioration due to respiration‐related cell wall degradation and delayed titratable acidity (TA); pH changes, as well as losses of the fruit's total soluble solid (SS), were decreased. Likewise, the simultaneous use of CMC, G, and LEO in the sensory assessment (texture, flavor, appearance, and over all acceptance) improved aroma and appearance in the sensory assessment of the current research employing CMC + G + LEO 3%. It also proved to be efficient in reducing firmness loss, total flavonoids, ascorbic acid, TPC, and AOA in strawberry fruits compared with the uncoated.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common urological condition among elderly men. Because of modifiable metabolic risk factors, the prevalence of BPH is rising. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of ripasudil, a Rho kinase inhibitor, and also its combination with finasteride in attenuating testosterone-induced BPH in male Wistar rats. Rats were given testosterone propionate (3 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks to develop BPH and were treated with ripasudil (3 mg/kg/day), finasteride (5 mg/k/day), or a combination of both concomitant the testosterone injection throughout the course of the study. The results revealed a significant increase in prostate index, a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and characteristic histopathological changes indicative of BPH post-testosterone administration. Additionally, testosterone induced elevation in inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)), oxidative stress (increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and decrease in glutathione (GSH)), and elevation of Rho kinase1 (ROCK1). However, intervention with ripasudil or its combination with finasteride effectively mitigated these changes possibly via anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and ROCK inhibition properties. These findings highlight the potential of ripasudil as adjunctive therapies for BPH, offering an approach for targeting inflammation, oxidative stress, and ROCK pathways. Further research is needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms driving these therapeutic effects and validate these findings in clinical settings.
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are Gram-positive cocci or rods that do not produce spores or respire. Their primary function is to ferment carbohydrates and produce lactic acid. The two primary forms of LAB that are currently recognized are homofermentative and heterofermentative. This review discusses the evolutionary diversity and the biochemical and biophysical conditions required by LAB for their metabolism. Next, it concentrates on the applications of these bacteria in gut health, cancer prevention, and overall well-being and food systems. There are numerous uses for LAB, including the food and dairy sectors, as probiotics to improve human and animal gut-health, as anti-carcinogenic agents, and in food safety as biopreservatives, pathogen inhibitors, and reducers of anti-nutrients in foods. The group included many genera, including Aerococcus, Carnobacterium, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Streptococcus, Tetragenococcus, Vagococcus, and Weissella. Numerous species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera as well as other microbes have been suggested as probiotic strains, or live microorganisms added to meals to improve health. LAB can colonize the intestine and take part in the host’s physiological processes. This review briefly highlights the role of these bacteria in food safety and security as well as aspects of regulation and consumer acceptance. Finally, the recent innovations in LAB fermentations and the limitations and challenges of the applications of LAB in the food industry are discussed. Notwithstanding recent developments, the study of LAB and their functional components is still an emerging topic of study that has not yet realized its full potential.
In this research, an experimental study was conducted to investigate the behavior of hybrid reinforced concrete columns. This study consisted of adding slurry infiltrated fiber concrete (SIFCON) at the same time as casting the column. The program comprised eight specimens. All of them are identical in dimensions (100 × 100 × 970 mm), but different in reinforcement group A use ρ = 0.0113 and group B use ρ = 0.0226. The SIFCON layer was cast with different thickness of 50, 37.5, and 25 mm from dimensions of the column, six columns were cast as a hybrid concrete column (normal strength concrete and SIFCON), while two others were cast of normal strength concrete as control specimen. The hybrid column was cast horizontally, first by pouring the normal concrete and then adding SIFCON with 8% straight steel fiber. All specimens were tested under eccentric loading with 30 mm away from the column’s center. The test results showed that using the SIFCON enhances the general behavior of the specimens. In group A, the enhancement was around 103%, and in group B, it reached 62.9% compared to the control column.
This research explores the application of electrocatalytic oxidation in the reduction of CO2 for the synthesis of benzyl 3‐phenylpropiolate derivatives, involving phenylacetylene 1(a–e), carbon dioxide 2a, and benzyl chloride 3(a–j) under electro‐oxidation reaction conditions with sodium chloride (NaCl), utilizing highly efficient catalysts, specifically graphite rod and Cu‐modified Fe foam. NaCl serves as an inexpensive and readily available reagent in the roles of electrolyte, cocatalyst, and activator for copper metal. Phenylpropiolate derivatives are crucial in generating a wide range of products in agricultural chemicals, versatile industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other industries. The utilization of electrocatalysis represents an environmentally sustainable and eco‐friendly alternative to conventional methods, highlighting its potential impact on organic synthesis. The noteworthy efficiency exhibited by the graphite rod and Cu‐modified Fe foam catalysts emphasizes their crucial role in advancing the field of organic chemistry. This study not only offers a promising path towards the creation of efficient and environmentally friendly methods for synthesizing benzyl 3‐phenylpropiolate derivatives 5(a–j) using isopropyl alcohol (iPrOH) as a solvent, with a reaction time of 30 min, a counter current of 20 mA, all conducted at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, yielding high percentages (91%–95%), but also details the fabrication and confirmation of Cu‐modified Fe foam electrodes through SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, and CV analysis. Subsequent characterization of the synthesized derivatives involved CHN analysis, ¹H NMR, and melting point determination.
The current study looked at the biochemical variations that occurred in rats after they were given menthol flavoured candies and soft drinks. Seventy male Wistar albino rats in total were acquired, split up into ten treatments of seven rats each, and treated with the following regimen for forty-two days. Group 1 is the control. Groups 2, 3, and 4 received 8, 5, and 2.5 ml of La Casera/kg body weight. Groups 5, 6, and 7 received 0.34, 0.22, and 0.11 g of Tom-Tom/kg body weight. The dosages for groups 8, 9, and 10 were 8, 5, and 2.5 ml of La Casera/kg body weight, as well as 0.34, 0.22, and 0.11 g of Tom-Tom/kg body weight correspondingly. The results showed that the groups given Tom-Tom and La Casera had lower levels of total protein (TP) and albumin (Alb), and significantly (p < 0.05) higher serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (T-Chol), triacylglycerol (TAG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL–C). Furthermore, there was a substantial (p < 0.05) increase in the serum levels of TP, Alb, and ALT between groups 7 and 5. Prolonged use of Tom-Tom mixed with La Casera should be avoided due to the detrimental alterations in biochemical parameters and subsequent health repercussions.
Rationale
Coronary artery disease remains a leading cause of morbidity, requiring complex revascularization strategies, especially in patients with heavily calcified lesions. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a common treatment, but it carries risks such as coronary artery perforation and the rare Kokeshi phenomenon during rotational atherectomy (RA). This study aims to emphasize the challenges faced in treating heavily calcified coronary lesions, specifically focusing on the rare Kokeshi phenomenon and coronary artery perforation during RA.
Patient concerns
We report the case of a man in his 70s with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who presented with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.
Diagnoses
Coronary angiography showed the culprit lesion to be a heavily calcified right coronary artery disease.
Interventions
After an initial unsuccessful PCI attempt due to a balloon uncrossable lesion in the right coronary artery, the patient underwent a complex RA-PCI.
Outcomes
The procedure was complicated by the Kokeshi phenomenon, where the rota-burr became stuck in the calcified lesion, and coronary artery perforation occurred. Through innovative management, including the use of covered stents, both complications were successfully resolved, and the patient was discharged in stable condition.
Lessons
This case highlights the challenges and potential complications in treating heavily calcified coronary lesions with RA-PCI. Successful management requires prompt identification and innovative solutions to mitigate risks and improve outcomes. The patient’s condition was stabilized, and the procedure was successful, with full resolution of complications and normalization of cardiac function postprocedure.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the main causes of cancer-related deaths, especially pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and it’s characterized by a poor prognosis. The KRAS gene mutation is prevalent in about 85% of pancreatic cancer cases, which is a significant factor in the pathogenesis and development of pancreatic cancer, impacting cellular tumor growth, survival, and metastasis. The targeted disruption of mutant KRAS variants through the application of various CRISPR systems has led to a marked reduction in cell viability and proliferation in vitro, accompanied by significant inhibition of tumor growth in vivo.
This systematic study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and involved a comprehensive search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and PLOS One for original research articles published up to June 2024. Studies included those involving CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing targeting KRAS mutations in human or animal models of pancreatic cancer. Data collection and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers.
The review identified numerous studies demonstrating the efficacy of CRISPR-Cas9 in targeting KRAS mutations. Results showed significant reductions in KRAS transcript levels, decreased tumor progression, and improved survival rates in experimental models. However, challenges such as off-target effects and efficient delivery methods were noted.
CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing shows significant promise as a therapeutic strategy for targeting KRAS mutations in pancreatic cancer. While the technology has demonstrated potential in preclinical studies, further research is needed to address challenges related to specificity, delivery, and long-term effects to facilitate its clinical application.
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