Search Results (54,233)

Almond okara, a by-product of almond milk production, is rich in bioactive components, such as polyphenols, lipids, and alpha-tocopherol, making it a valuable functional food ingredient. This work aimed to investigate its composition while exploring two main aspects: (i) the impact of extraction time, solid-to-solvent ratio, ethanol concentration, and temperature on polyphenol recovery, and (ii) the quantification of okara’s triglycerides (TG) and alpha-tocopherol contents. The polyphenols’ optimal extraction conditions were 90 min, a 1:30 solid-to-solvent ratio (w/v), 50% ethanol, and 60 °C. These conditions achieved a total polyphenol yield of 523 mg GAE, tannin yield of 340 mg GAE, total flavonoid yield of 548 mg CE, and a total antioxidant capacity of 779 mg AAE per 100 g dry okara. The Peleg model effectively described the extraction kinetics. Additionally, TG levels, quantified by UHE/LPSFC-APCI-MS, in okara were comparable to those in almonds, and alpha-tocopherol levels, quantified by LC-UV, were 14,400 µg/100 g in almonds and 15,600 µg/100 g in okara. These findings highlight the potential of okara as a valuable resource, with a straightforward, scalable, and cost-effective solid-liquid extraction (SLE) method for polyphenols and a supercritical fluid extraction method for TG, for use in the functional food, nutraceutical, and cosmetic industries. Full article

Diagnostic imaging, particularly MRI, plays a key role in the evaluation of many spine pathologies. Recent progress in artificial intelligence and its subset, machine learning, has led to many applications within spine MRI, which we sought to examine in this review. A literature search of the major databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov) was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search yielded 1226 results, of which 50 studies were selected for inclusion. Key data from these studies were extracted. Studies were categorized thematically into the following: Image Acquisition and Processing, Segmentation, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning, and Patient Selection and Prognostication. Gaps in the literature and the proposed areas of future research are discussed. Current research demonstrates the ability of artificial intelligence to improve various aspects of this field, from image acquisition to analysis and clinical care. We also acknowledge the limitations of current technology. Future work will require collaborative efforts in order to fully exploit new technologies while addressing the practical challenges of generalizability and implementation. In particular, the use of foundation models and large-language models in spine MRI is a promising area, warranting further research. Studies assessing model performance in real-world clinical settings will also help uncover unintended consequences and maximize the benefits for patient care. Full article

Floating offshore wind (FOW) is rapidly gaining interest due to its large potential. In this regard, it is of special interest to determine the best locations for its installation. One of the main aspects when evaluating the feasibility of a project is the levelised cost of energy (LCOE), but there are many variables to consider when calculating it for FOW, and plenty of them are hard to find when the scope is all the suitable areas worldwide. This paper presents the calculation and analysis of the global LCOE with particular focus on the best countries and territories from an economic point of view, considering four types of platforms: semi-submersible, barge, spar, and tension leg platform (TLP). The model takes into account, on the one hand, wind data, average significant wave height, and distance to shore for an accurate calculation of delivered energy to the onshore substation and, on the other hand, bathymetry, distances, and existing data from projects to find appropriate functions for each cost with regression models (e.g., manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance (O&M), and decommissioning costs). Its results can be used to assess the potential areas around the world and identify the countries and territories with the greatest opportunities regarding FOW. The lowest LCOE values, i.e., the optimal results, correspond to areas where wind resources are more abundant and the main variables of the site affecting the costs (water depth, average significant wave height, distance to shore, and distance to port) are as low as possible. These areas include the border between Venezuela and Colombia, the Canary Islands, Peru, the border between Western Sahara and Mauritania, Egypt, and the southernmost part of Argentina, with LCOEs around 90 €/MWh. Moreover, there are many areas in the range of 100–130 €/MWh. Full article

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants that pose significant environmental and health risks. These compounds originate from both natural phenomena, such as volcanic activity and wildfires, and anthropogenic sources, including vehicular emissions, industrial processes, and fossil fuel combustion. Their classification as carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic substances link them to various cancers and health disorders. PAHs are categorized into low-molecular-weight (LMW) and high-molecular-weight (HMW) groups, with HMW PAHs exhibiting greater resistance to degradation and a tendency to accumulate in sediments and biological tissues. Soil serves as a primary reservoir for PAHs, particularly in areas of high emissions, creating substantial risks through ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation. Coastal and aquatic ecosystems are especially vulnerable due to concentrated human activities, with PAH persistence disrupting microbial communities, inhibiting plant growth, and altering ecosystem functions, potentially leading to biodiversity loss. In plants, PAH contamination manifests as a form of abiotic stress, inducing oxidative stress, cellular damage, and growth inhibition. Plants respond by activating antioxidant defenses and stress-related pathways. A notable aspect of plant defense mechanisms involves plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs), which are membrane-bound nanoparticles released by plant cells. These PDEVs play a crucial role in enhancing plant resistance to PAHs by facilitating intercellular communication and coordinating defense responses. The interaction between PAHs and PDEVs, while not fully elucidated, suggests a complex interplay of cellular defense mechanisms. PDEVs may contribute to PAH detoxification through pollutant sequestration or by delivering enzymes capable of PAH degradation. Studying PDEVs provides valuable insights into plant stress resilience mechanisms and offers potential new strategies for mitigating PAH-induced stress in plants and ecosystems. Full article

Solitary deaths, where individuals die alone and are isolated from the society, have emerged as a major social issue in South Korea. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics, perceptions, and living environments of socially vulnerable groups at risk of solitary deaths, focusing on comparing two neighborhood areas with different housing types to understand regional differences. In-depth interviews were conducted with 100 single-person households in the low-rise residential area of Sadang 4-dong and the public rental apartment area of the Gayang 5 apartment complex. The survey analysis revealed significant regional differences in factors that could influence the prevention of solitary deaths, including the connectivity between units within buildings, visual isolation, the control of appropriate indoor environments, and the frequency of social interactions. Although the Gayang 5 apartment complex, a public rental housing which is over 30 years old, offers advantages in residential safety and building maintenance compared to the low-rise residential area, this positively impacts aspects like housing satisfaction and increased social interactions. Single-person households living in multi-family and multi-household housing in low-rise residential areas generally experience poorer living environments, highlighting the need for more detailed services. These services should include enhanced support for heating and cooling costs, strengthened care services, and improved social networks. For preventing solitary deaths, region-specific strategies and screening tools are required to tailor interventions more effectively. Full article

Amidst the growing demand for efficient and sustainable energy storage solutions, Flywheel Energy Storage Systems (FESSs) have garnered attention for their potential to meet modern energy needs. This study uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to investigate and optimise the aerodynamic performance of FESSs. Key parameters such as radius ratio, aspect ratio, and rotational velocity were analysed to understand their impact on windage losses and heat transfer. This study reveals the critical role of Taylor–Couette flow on the aerodynamic performance of FESSs. The formation of Taylor vortices within the airgap was examined, demonstrating their effect on temperature distribution and overall system performance. Through a detailed examination of the skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number under different conditions, this study identified a nonlinear relationship between rotor temperature and rotational speed, highlighting the accelerated temperature rise at higher speeds. The findings indicate that optimising these parameters can significantly enhance the efficiency of FESSs, reducing windage losses and improving heat transfer. This research provides valuable insights into the aerodynamic and thermal optimisation of FESSs, offering pathways to improve their design and performance. The results contribute to advancing guidelines for the effective implementation of FESSs in the energy sector, promoting more sustainable energy storage solutions. Full article

Background: Spina bifida (SB) is a rare congenital disease characterized by not only physical but also neuropsychological disturbances. Among these neuropsychological impairments, memory deficits are a significant concern, as they substantially hinder aspects of crucial importance in the lives of individuals with SB such as medical needs or daily life activities. The main objective is to conduct a systematic review of the current evidence on the memory deficits in the SB population, including children, adolescents, and adults. Methods: Four databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ProQuest) were systematically screened for eligible studies. Results: The present review reveals cognitive difficulties in different memory types among individuals with SB. These deficits, identified in childhood, seem to persist into adulthood. Specifically, impairments are evident in short-term memory, working memory, and long-term memory. The neuropsychological instruments applied in the studies that were included in this systematic review vary, however, most reach the same conclusions. Conclusions: The present findings underscore the importance of incorporating cognitive assessments, particularly those focused on the memory domain, into routine childhood evaluations for individuals with SB. Early identification of these cognitive difficulties allows for the timely implementation of cognitive interventions that could leverage the inherent plasticity of the developing brain, and prevent or delay the onset of these deficits in later adulthood for people with SB, ultimately improving their functionality and quality of life. Full article

Most studies in the literature consider the value of the coefficient of dynamic friction to be constant. We studied the evolution of a dynamic system when the coefficient of friction results in different values depending on the contact surfaces. A system with four balls fixed on an aluminium plate was driven with constant velocity into motion on the coaxial races of two identical outer bearing rings. The assembly presents a motion with periodic variable amplitude between two extremes, a fact that suggests the presence of a periodical excitation. The test was repeated, but this time, new bodies were used, which were two identical bodies made of two balls rigidised via a short cylindrical rod. When the rings were driven into rotational motion, the two bodies performed different motions; if the bodies were inter-changed, the differences between the motions remained. The rings were analysed, and a small region on the race of one ring was observed, where the roughness was considerably greater than the rest of the surface. Then, a mathematical model for the dynamic system with different friction coefficients was proposed and solved. This model is capable of simulating different situations, such as oscillatory motion and circular motion, with or without separation of the contacting bodies. Here, we present a dynamic model with Hertzian contact points in the presence of dry friction, with the coefficient of friction changing suddenly on the contacting surfaces. Full article

Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies have the potential to reduce the carbon emissions in the economy and energy sector. The growing significance of solar energy sources in addressing climate change highlights the necessity for thorough assessments of their environmental impacts. This paper explores two different life-cycle impact assessment methods, ReCiPe and Product Environmental Footprint, using CSP plants with various receiver systems and heat-transfer fluids as a case study. In terms of the overall life-cycle impact, solar towers are shown to have advantages over parabolic troughs. Most of the life-cycle impacts of solar towers are lower than those of parabolic troughs, ranging from 8% to 112%, except for human toxicity and land use impacts. However, there is not much difference between the studied heat-transfer fluids, with the variance of most impacts being less than around 1%. The single-score results indicates that the ReCiPe method assigns significance to human health impacts, while the product environmental footprint method gives equal attention to all aspects. Meanwhile the comparison of components’ contributions quantified by the two methods shows the same results for more than half of the impact categories. Full article

Socio-technical systems (STSs) are systems of systems, synthesising human and IT components that jointly operate to achieve specific goals. Such systems are overly complex but, if designed optimally, they can significantly improve STS performance. Critical phases in STS design are defining the functional requirements for automated or software-supported human activities and addressing social and human interaction issues. To define automation support for human operations, STS designers need to ensure that specifications will satisfy not only the non-functional requirements (NFR) of the system but also of its human actors such as human reliability/workload. However, such human factors aspects are not addressed sufficiently with traditional STS design approaches, which could lead to STS failure or rejection. This paper proposes a new STS design method that addresses this problem and introduces a novel type of requirements, namely, Task Support Requirements (TSR) that assists in specifying the functionality that IT systems should have to support human agents in undertaking their tasks by addressing human limitations. The proposed method synthesises a requirements/software engineering approach to STS design with functional allocation and an HCI perspective, which facilitates the application of human factors knowledge in conceptual models and evaluation through VR simulation. A case study methodology is employed in this work that allows in-depth, multi-faceted explorations of the complex issues that characterise STSs. Two case studies are presented in this work; the first is a detailed illustration of how the method is applied during the design of an in-vehicle information system to enhance drivers’ situation awareness. The second is an empirical evaluation of the method using participants that apply it to design a mobile application to minimise the risk of pedestrian travellers conceiving a contagious disease while commuting in public space. The results from the empirical evaluation showed that the method positively contributes to STS design by addressing human factors issues effectively. Full article

Although linseed oil (LO) has been used in wood protection for centuries, research continues to develop new and more effective formulations and treatment approaches. In the future, growing interest in LO use could be expected due to its cost and environmental friendliness. This review summarizes recent research (from 2000 onwards) on the use of LO in wood protection, published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and included in the online publication databases Scopus or Web of Science. The studies cover surface and impregnation treatments of various wood substrates using different LO formulations, including chemically modified LO and the use of LO as a base for the development of biofinish and as a medium for thermal modification of wood, as well as research into the mechanisms behind the changes in wood properties due to treatment methods and interaction with LO formulations. Although the improvement of wood hydrophobicity and biodurability dominates, other aspects such as weathering and color stability, adhesion, and environmental safety are included in these studies. In general, almost all of the studies show a greater or lesser potency of the proposed approaches to provide benefits in wood protection; however, the level of innovation and practical feasibility varies. Full article

Previous studies have explored the factors influencing entrepreneurial intentions (EIs), primarily focusing on personality traits and various psychological aspects. This study, however, investigates external factors, such as entrepreneurship education programs (EEPs), cognitive motivational factors associated with the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the impact of business incubation centers (BICs), as moderators of EIs. The research involved 458 respondents from diverse higher education institutions in Asia. Our findings indicate that EEPs and BICs at universities positively and significantly affect students’ EIs. Additionally, the cognitive factors linked to TPB demonstrate a positive and significant direct effect on EIs while also acting as mediators between EEPs and EIs. These findings underscore the importance of adopting a multilevel perspective in designing and implementing EEPs and BICs to better comprehend the determinants of EIs. Our study provides valuable insights for university administrators, policymakers, and entrepreneurship instructors in developing countries to improve the university entrepreneurial ecosystem by creating cohesive programs and supportive institutions. Moreover, the results can serve as encouragement for individuals embarking on an entrepreneurial journey. Full article

A cross-correlation algorithm to obtain the sub-aperture shifts that occur is a crucial aspect of scene-based SHWS (Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensing). However, when the sub-image is partially absent within the atmosphere, the traditional cross-correlation algorithm can easily obtain the wrong shift results. To overcome this drawback, we propose an algorithm based on SURFs (speeded-up-robust features) matching. In addition, to meet the speed required by wavefront sensing, CUDA parallel optimization of SURF matching is carried out using a GPU thread execution model and a programming model. The results show that the shift error can be reduced by more than two times, and the parallel algorithm can achieve nearly ten times the acceleration ratio. Full article

With the booming of renewable clean energies towards reducing carbon emission, demands for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in applications to transportation vehicles and power stations are increasing exponentially. As a consequence, great pressures have been posed on the technological development and production of valuable elements key to LIBs, in addition to concerns about depletion of natural resources, environmental impacts, and management of waste batteries. In this paper, we compile recent information on lithium, nickel, and cobalt, the three most crucial elements utilized in LIBs, in terms of demands, current identified terrestrial resources, extraction technologies from primary natural resources and waste. Most nickel and cobalt are currently produced from high-grade sulfide ores via a pyrometallurgical approach. Increased demands have stimulated production of Ni and Co from low-grade laterites, which is commonly performed through the hydrometallurgical process. Most lithium exists in brines and is extracted via evaporation–precipitation in common industrial practice. It is noteworthy that at present, the pyrometallurgical process is energy-intensive and polluting in terms of gas emissions. Hydrometallurgical processes utilize large amounts of alkaline or acidic media in combination with reducing agents, generating hazardous waste streams. Traditional evaporation–precipitation consumes time, water, and land. Extraction of these elements from deep seas and recycling from waste are emerging as technologies. Advanced energy-saving and environmentally friendly processes are under extensive research and development and are crucial in the process of renewable clean energy implementation. Full article

High-altitude and cold climate regions such as São Joaquim, in Santa Catarina, Brazil, a recent wine-growing region, are characterized by wines with pronounced acidity, ideal for sparkling wine production. The cultivars with potential for producing sparkling wines in this region were unknown. This research evaluates quality sparkling wines from Ribolla Gialla, Riesling Renano, Solaris, Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. The study considered the phenological, productive, and qualitative performance of these varieties in the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons. Ribolla Gialla, Riesling Renano, and Sangiovese, with later bud break and better productive aspects, are the best viticultural adaptations for the region. Riesling Renano maintains higher acidity. Sparkling wines from Solaris, Chardonnay, and Ribolla Gialla showed the most balanced chemical parameters. Sangiovese produced sparkling wine with the highest aroma intensity and toasted notes. Considering phenological, productive, and qualitative parameters, Riesling Renano, Ribolla Gialla, and Sangiovese are the most promising varieties for sparkling wine production in São Joaquim. Quality sparkling wines can be produced in this region using varieties different from those traditionally used in Brazil, enhancing the diversity of Brazilian viticulture. Full article