Heliyon最新文献

The contact is the core component inside the vacuum switch arc extinguishing chamber. Studying the surface ablation phenomenon of the contact and evaluating the ablation area has an important impact on regulating the evolution of various physical fields in the vacuum arc extinguishing chamber, optimizing the performance of the vacuum arc extinguishing chamber, and extending its service life. This article proposes a method for evaluating the surface ablation area of vacuum switch contacts. This method is based on chromaticity theory and image processing technology. In the RGB, HSI, HSL, and HSV color systems, image feature analysis, pixel statistics, threshold cutting, edge enhancement, and area calculation methods are used to evaluate the ablation area of contact ablation images. Ten sets of test pieces are used for accuracy analysis. The experimental results show that area evaluation can be achieved in the RGB, HSI, HSL, and HSV color systems, and the evaluation accuracy is high in the HSV color system, with an evaluation error controlled within 3 %. This research method can provide evaluation methods and data support for extending the service life of vacuum switches, optimizing contact structures, and other related research.

Here, we analyze the viral landscape in blood and tissue from 4918 metastatic cancer patients across 38 solid cancer types from the Hartwig Medical Foundation (HMF) cohort, the largest pan-cancer study on metastatic cancer. Using a coverage-based filtering approach, we detected 25 unique viral genera across 32 different cancer types, with a total of 747 unique virus-positive tissue samples. We detected 336 virus-positive blood samples across 29 cancer types, dominated by Torque teno virus and Alphatorquevirus. The tissue samples were dominated by Alphapapillomavirus and Roseolovirus. Alphapapillomavirus was significantly enriched in genital, anal, and colorectal cancers and was associated with host mutational signatures and transcriptional programs related to immunity and DNA repair. Host genes with Alphapapillomavirus integration tended to be more highly expressed and samples with HPV integration had higher somatic mutation rates and higher number of extrachromosomal DNA elements. Alphapapillomavirus was also detected in a significant proportion of blood samples from cervix and anal cancers, suggesting a potential blood-based biomarker.

In view of improving the circularity and sustainability of crop production, sunflower by-products were extracted using twin-screw extrusion (TSE) to produce sunflower extract, a plant biostimulant that alleviates plant shoot development under salt stress conditions. The TSE process is a thermo-mechano-chemical pre-treatment method for the separation of liquid fraction from the biofiber. To improve the cost-efficiency of extraction, we determined the key procedure of TSE extraction within the production chain for biostimulants derived from sunflower bark and heads. This study scrutinizes sample preparation and extraction methods optimizing the sunflower by-product biorefinery, reducing energy input and maximal recovery of biostimulant activity. Optimal extraction conditions were obtained with starting material ground to a coarse size of 6 mm on average in alkaline aqueous solvent (pH 10) at a liquid-to-solid ratio of 5.5 injected at two different points using a 3 D length of reversed screw elements at the rotation speed of 200 rpm. These TSE settings provide a reproducible protocol for the biostimulant extraction from sunflower by-products. The optimized method contributes to improving the profitability of sunflower production and contributes to a more robust biostimulant extraction procedure.

Crinum jagus, a medicinal plant from the Amaryllidaceae family, possesses potent antiviral properties attributed to alkaloids such as cherylline and lycorine. This study evaluated various extraction methods--including continuous shaking, hot solvent, microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, and liquid-liquid extraction using methanol, followed by ethyl acetate and subsequent acid-base to optimize the yield of bioactive compounds. The extraction method significantly influenced phenolic acid and alkaloid precursor content, with liquid-liquid extraction yielding the highest amounts. LC-MS/MS analyses confirmed the presence of major alkaloids in the extracts, notably cherylline and lycorine. The cytotoxic and antiviral properties of C. jagus extracts were assessed using a reporter-encoding dengue virus (DENV) vector and the β-coronavirus HCoV-OC43. LLE_E (liquid-liquid extract extract), enriched in phenolic compounds, was the most cytotoxic extract at concentrations above 0.6 μg/mL. Acid-base fractions, enriched in alkaloids, exhibited higher cytotoxicity than the methanol extracts counterparts, with significant cell death at concentrations above 2.5 μg/mL Additionally, the acid-base and LLE_E extracts were also the most efficient in inhibiting the replication of both HCoV-OC43 and DENV, with EC₅₀ values ranging from 1 to 2.5 μg/mL. The synergistic antiviral effect of cherylline with other C. jagus alkaloids was also evaluated, revealing that a combination of cherylline with gigantellinine strikingly reduced the flavivirus replication. These findings underscore the potential of C. jagus as a source of bioactive compounds with antiviral properties and highlight the importance of optimizing extraction methods to enhance specific applications.

Menstrual disorders (MDs), including premenstrual syndrome, amenorrhea, and dysmenorrhea, affect women globally. Dioscorea alata L., a traditional yam species, has been used medicinally, but its potential in treating MDs remains understudied. This study employs a network pharmacology approach to examine the effects of D. alata's secondary metabolites on MDs via multi-target mechanisms. Compounds were identified from literature and PubChem, while disease-related targets were gathered from GeneCards, DisGeNET, and CTD databases. Swiss target prediction was used to link compounds to targets. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using STRING, and Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analyses were conducted to predict functional pathways. Eighteen bioactive compounds and 120 therapeutic targets specific to MDs were identified. KEGG analysis revealed 20 significant pathways related to menstrual disturbances. Among the 120 targets, TNF α, PPARG, ESR1, and AKT1 were highlighted as key therapeutic targets. Molecular docking showed strong interactions between Daidzein and ESR1, Diosgenin and TNF α, Alatanin and AKT1, and PPARG. The findings suggest that D. alata's bioactive compounds, such as Diosgenin, Daidzein, Genistin, Cycloartane, and Alatanin, could modulate pathways involved in ovarian follicle formation, hormone regulation, estrogen receptor signaling, and the stress-activated MAP kinase pathway. This study provides new insights into the multi-target potential of D. alata for treating menstrual disorders, supporting further investigation and therapeutic development.

Introduction: Large number of Palestinian refugees reside in Jordan; most of whom enjoy Jordanian citizenship, and most of whom reside outside camps. Poverty, unemployment, and a poor health profile are more prevalent among camp-residing refugees and non-citizen refugees. This study aims to assess differences in health-related social needs and quality of life among different Palestinian refugee communities in Jordan, based on their nationality status and camp residency.

Methods: A descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional design was used to measure health-related social needs (using the Accountable Health Communities Health-related Social Needs (AHCHRSN) screening tool) and quality of life (using the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF)) among a sample of 236 adult Palestinian refugees in three contexts; (off-camp, in-camp citizens, and in-camp non-citizens) in Jordan.

Results: All participants had needs in the mental health domain, and 179 (75.8 %) suffered from food insecurity. Living in Gaza and Husn camps correlated with increased odds of safety needs (OR = 4.27, 95%CI: 1.541 to 11.76 and OR = 2.936, 95%CI: 1.942 to 9.147) and financial needs (OR = 6.135, 95%CI: 2.062 to 18.181 and OR = 3.932, 95%CI: 1.765 to 8.210) compared to living outside camps. Gaza and Husn camps were associated with higher odds of employment needs (OR = 2.349, 95%CI: 1.877 to 6.291 and OR = 2.406, 95%CI: 1.050 to 5.514) compared to living outside camps. Quality of life scores did not vary significantly between participants in the three settings.

Conclusion: Health-related quality of life scores are generally low across all Palestinian refugee communities. A Palestinian refugee who lives in Gaza camp is four times more likely to have safety needs, six times more likely to have financial needs, and over twice more likely to have employment needs than a refugee outside camps. Despite having citizenship, a Palestinian refugee who lives in Husn camp is three times more likely to have safety needs, four times more likely to have financial needs, and over twice more likely to have employment needs than a refugee outside camps. International states and organizations should help meet these needs by funding the United Nations' Relief and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Jordanian government. Further research is needed to understand the lived experience of Palestinian refugees, and the impact of lacking citizenship and residing in camps on their lives and livelihoods, especially after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The increasing global demand for tropical fresh cut products is driven by their convenience, quality, and health benefits, highlighting the need for effective preservation methods. Pineapple slices were treated with antioxidant solution, osmodehydrated (OD) and edible sodium alginate coating was applied in different methods to investigate the effect of edible coating on osmotic dehydration, convection drying phenomena, and quality parameters of dried pineapple slices. The findings showed that edible coatings influenced drying kinetics and physicochemical properties of pineapple slices. The optimal drying temperature was identified as 60 °C, while color degradation occurred at 65 °C. Pineapple slices treated with sodium alginate after OD required the highest activation energy (65.93 kJ/mol) for moisture diffusion. Coatings enhanced ash content and moisture retention while reducing shrinkage and improving the rehydration ratio, vitamin C, and total phenolic content (TPC). Sensory assessment indicated improvements in color, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability for all coated samples. Notably, samples coated with sodium alginate after OD exhibited the most favorable physicochemical properties at 60 °C and the highest overall acceptability up to the 15th day of post-processing storage. These results underscore the potential of edible coatings to enhance the preservation and quality of pineapple slices, suggesting scopes for future research in pre-treatment technologies for drying.

The mangroves on the Red Sea coast, home to the most economically valuable plants, are currently experiencing significant spatio-temporal changes. A few previous studies used satellite data to monitor the mangroves in Saudi Arabia. As an extension of these studies, we aim to detect the differences in the density and coverage of the mangroves that grow between Allith and Alqahma on the Red Sea coast, produce a digital map for the region, and determine the natural and anthropogenic factors that affect mangrove growth. We used multi-spectral satellite images from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) Aqua, Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat-8 operational land imager (OLI), and modern-era retrospective analysis for research and applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) captured during 1990-2022. The data were processed and analysed using the optimised soil-adjusted vegetation index, classification method, overlay, and change detection to develop a digital map of the spatio-temporal changes in the mangroves from 1990 to 2022. The results indicated a decrease in mangrove density in the study area. Furthermore, the mangroves did not experience any significant increase in coverage from 1990 to 2022, with the highest rate of increase being 0.27 %. The highest coverage rate (0.29 %) was recorded in 1990, and the lowest (0.24 %) was recorded in 2013. This study concludes that optimal temperature, rain, wind, waves, salinity, nutrient concentration, and bay characteristics are the important favourable factors for mangrove growth. In contrast, anthropogenic activities (particularly those that lead to pollutant release), overgrazing, and diseases are harmful factors that lead to mangrove deterioration. Our study highlights the need to support and develop mangrove rehabilitation projects while minimising the influence of anthropogenic activities on the ecosystem.

This study explores the strategic integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Reality (VR) within the built environment, addressing the growing complexities of urban development. Through a detailed examination of BIM applications, the research highlights a 37 % reduction in design conflicts and iterations, thereby enhancing design precision and efficiency in urban construction projects. Simultaneously, VR technology is demonstrated to increase stakeholder engagement by 62 % and improve spatial awareness by 48 %, fostering greater community participation and inclusivity in the development process. The combined use of BIM and VR optimizes not only construction workflows but also considerably enhances environmental and socio-economic outcomes, such as a remarkable 20 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It will, therefore, support advanced urban infrastructure development and provide a replicable model for sustainable and resilient urban planning. This research underlines the crucial contribution of integrating BIM and VR technologies to the development of sustainability and resilience of the built environment.