Search Results (255)

Hydrogen production is essential in the transition to sustainable energy. This study examines two hydrogen production routes, steam methane reforming (SMR) and chemical looping reforming (CLR), both using raw natural gas as feedstock. SMR, the most commonly used industrial process, involves reacting methane with steam to produce hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. In contrast, CLR uses a metal oxide as an oxygen carrier to facilitate hydrogen production without generating additional carbon dioxide. Simulations conducted using Aspen HYSYS analyzed each method’s performance and energy consumption. The results show that SMR achieved 99.98% hydrogen purity, whereas CLR produced 99.97% purity. An energy analysis revealed that CLR requires 31% less energy than SMR, likely due to the absence of low- and high-temperature water–gas shift units. Overall, the findings suggest that CLR offers substantial advantages over SMR, including lower energy consumption and the production of cleaner hydrogen, free from carbon dioxide generated during the water–gas shift process. Full article

After an earthquake, rapid assessment of building damage is crucial for emergency response, reconstruction planning, and public safety. This study evaluates the performance of various Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) models in analyzing post-earthquake images to classify structural damage according to the EMS-98 scale, ranging from minor damage to total destruction. Correct classification rates for masonry buildings varied from 28.6% to 64.3%, with mean damage grade errors between 0.50 and 0.79, while for reinforced concrete buildings, rates ranged from 37.5% to 75.0%, with errors between 0.50 and 0.88. Fine-tuning these models could substantially improve accuracy. The practical implications are significant: integrating accurate GAI models into disaster response protocols can drastically reduce the time and resources required for damage assessment compared to traditional methods. This acceleration enables emergency services to make faster, data-driven decisions, optimize resource allocation, and potentially save lives. Furthermore, the widespread adoption of GAI models can enhance resilience planning by providing valuable data for future infrastructure improvements. The results of this work demonstrate the promise of GAI models for rapid, automated, and precise damage evaluation, underscoring their potential as invaluable tools for engineers, policymakers, and emergency responders in post-earthquake scenarios. Full article

A carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas sensor based on non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) technology has been developed and is suitable for use in portable devices for high-precision CO₂ detection. The NDIR gas sensor comprises a MEMS infrared emitter, a MEMS thermopile detector with an integrated optical filter, and a compact gas cell with high optical coupling efficiency. A dual-ellipsoid mirror optical system was designed, and based on optical simulation analysis, the structure of the dual-ellipsoid reflective gas chamber was designed and optimized, achieving a coupling efficiency of up to 54%. Optical and thermal simulations were conducted to design the sensor structure, considering thermal management and light analysis. By optimizing the gas cell structure and conditioning circuit, we effectively reduced the sensor’s baseline noise, enhancing the overall reliability and stability of the system. The sensor’s dimensions were 20 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm (L × W × H), only 15% of the size of traditional NDIR gas sensors with equivalent detection resolution. The developed sensor offers high sensitivity and low noise, with a sensitivity of 15 μV/ppm, a detection limit of 90 ppm, and a resolution of 30 ppm. The total power consumption of the whole sensor system is 6.5 mW, with a maximum power consumption of only 90 mW. Full article

Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) is a powerful system for generating electrical energy for various applications. However, there are several limitations that hinder the commercialization of DMFCs, such as the expense of platinum (Pt) at market price, sluggish methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) due to carbon monoxide (CO) formation, and slow electrooxidation kinetics. This work introduces carbon nanocages (CNCs) that were obtained through the pyrolysis of polypyrrole (Ppy) as the carbon source. The CNCs were characterized using BET, XRD, HRTEM, TEM, SEM, and FTIR techniques. The CNCs derived from the Ppy source, pyrolyzed at 750 °C, exhibited the best morphologies with a high specific surface area of 416 m²g⁻¹, allowing for good metal dispersion. Subsequently, PtRu catalyst was doped onto the CNC-Ppy750 support using chemical reduction and microwave-assisted methods. In electrochemical tests, the PtRu/CNC-Ppy750 electrocatalyst demonstrated improved CO tolerance and higher performance in MOR compared to PtRu-supported commercial carbon black (CB), with values of 427 mA mg⁻¹ and 248 mA mg⁻¹, respectively. The superior MOR performance of PtRu/CNC-Ppy750 was attributed to its high surface area of CNC support, uniform dispersion of PtRu catalyst, and small PtRu nanoparticles on the CNC. In DMFC single-cell tests, the PtRu/CNC-Ppy750 exhibited higher performance, approximately 1.7 times higher than PtRu/CB. In conclusion, the PtRu/CNC-PPy750 represents a promising electrocatalyst candidate for MOR and anodic DMFC applications. Full article

We here report the purification of a novel member of the galectin family, the β-galactoside-binding lectin hRTL, from the marine sponge Chondrilla australiensis. The hRTL lectin is a tetrameric proto-type galectin with a subunit molecular weight of 15.5 kDa, consisting of 141 amino acids and sharing 92% primary sequence identity with the galectin CCL from the congeneric species C. caribensis. Transcriptome analysis allowed for the identification of additional sequences belonging to the same family, bringing the total number of hRTLs to six. Unlike most other galectins, hRTLs display a 23 amino acid-long signal peptide that, according to Erdman degradation, is post-translationally cleaved, leaving an N-terminal end devoid of acetylated modifications, unlike most other galectins. Moreover, two hRTLs display an internal insertion, which determines the presence of an unusual loop region that may have important functional implications. The characterization of the glycan-binding properties of hRTL revealed that it had high affinity towards TF-antigen, sialyl TF, and type-1 N-acetyl lactosamine with a Galβ1-3 structure. When administered to DLD-1 cells, a colorectal carcinoma cell line expressing mucin-associated TF-antigen, hRTL could induce glycan-dependent cytotoxicity. Full article

As renewable energies need to be extended massively, new concepts are necessary to prevent land conflicts with other uses. Such concepts should have a high generality to offer a swift expansion of renewables anywhere. Within the project, the Photovoltaic Road Roofing Concept (PV-SÜD), a concept for the roofing of roadways with solar panels, was investigated. Its effects on the road infrastructure were analyzed, and a demonstrator was built. The technical boundary conditions and requirements resulting from the specific application type were determined regarding the photovoltaic technology, the possible energy generation, and the supporting structure. The study was completed for a technical solution of 10 m length, 17 m width, and 6.8 m height, with the option of a pent roof (highways running east–west) or gable roofs (highways running north–south). The main target aim was to investigate the potential for widespread use at any site, in contrast to previous studies which mainly aimed at a singular site or demonstrator project. The final solution can support a 38.5 kWp photovoltaic system with a specific annual yield of between 37.5 MWh and 44.0 MWh. The yield variation in sites in Austria and Germany was 14.7% and 17.9%, respectively. One demonstrator roofing was realized as a steel-frame construction with active glass–glass photovoltaic technology at a highway in Hegau (GE). Full article

Sentiment analysis (SA) is an effective method for determining public opinion. Social media posts have been the subject of much research, due to the platforms’ enormous and diversified user bases that regularly share thoughts on nearly any subject. However, on posts composed by a text–image pair, the written description may or may not convey the same sentiment as the image. The present study uses machine learning models for the automatic sentiment evaluation of pairs of text and image(s). The sentiments derived from the image and text are evaluated independently and merged (or not) to form the overall sentiment, returning the sentiment of the post and the discrepancy between the sentiments represented by the text–image pair. The image sentiment classification is divided into four categories—“indoor” (IND), “man-made outdoors” (OMM), “non-man-made outdoors” (ONMM), and “indoor/outdoor with persons in the background” (IOwPB)—and then ensembled into an image sentiment classification model (ISC), that can be compared with a holistic image sentiment classifier (HISC), showing that the ISC achieves better results than the HISC. For the Flickr sub-data set, the sentiment classification of images achieved an accuracy of 68.50% for IND, 83.20% for OMM, 84.50% for ONMM, 84.80% for IOwPB, and 76.45% for ISC, compared to 65.97% for the HISC. For the text sentiment classification, in a sub-data set of B-T4SA, an accuracy of 92.10% was achieved. Finally, the text–image combination, in the authors’ private data set, achieved an accuracy of 78.84%. Full article

Lung cancer, the second most common type of cancer worldwide, presents significant health challenges. Detecting this disease early is essential for improving patient outcomes and simplifying treatment. In this study, we propose a hybrid framework that combines deep learning (DL) with quantum computing to enhance the accuracy of lung cancer detection using chest radiographs (CXR) and computerized tomography (CT) images. Our system utilizes pre-trained models for feature extraction and quantum circuits for classification, achieving state-of-the-art performance in various metrics. Not only does our system achieve an overall accuracy of 92.12%, it also excels in other crucial performance measures, such as sensitivity (94%), specificity (90%), F1-score (93%), and precision (92%). These results demonstrate that our hybrid approach can more accurately identify lung cancer signatures compared to traditional methods. Moreover, the incorporation of quantum computing enhances processing speed and scalability, making our system a promising tool for early lung cancer screening and diagnosis. By leveraging the strengths of quantum computing, our approach surpasses traditional methods in terms of speed, accuracy, and efficiency. This study highlights the potential of hybrid computational technologies to transform early cancer detection, paving the way for wider clinical applications and improved patient care outcomes. Full article

The Vps13a gene encodes a lipid transfer protein called VPS13A, or chorein, associated with mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes (MAMs), mitochondria–endosomes, and lipid droplets. This protein plays a crucial role in inter-organelle communication and lipid transport. Mutations in the VPS13A gene are implicated in the pathogenesis of chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc), a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by chorea, orofacial dyskinesias, hyperkinetic movements, seizures, cognitive impairment, and acanthocytosis. Previous mouse models of ChAc have shown variable disease phenotypes depending on the genetic background. In this study, we report the generation of a Vps13a flox allele in a pure C57BL/6N mouse background and the subsequent creation of Vps13a knockout (KO) mice via Cre-recombination. Our Vps13a KO mice exhibited increased reticulocytes but not acanthocytes in peripheral blood smears. Additionally, there were no significant differences in the GFAP- and Iba1-positive cells in the striatum, the basal ganglia of the central nervous system. Interestingly, we observed abnormal spermatogenesis leading to male infertility. These findings indicate that Vps13a KO mice are valuable models for studying male infertility and some hematological aspects of ChAc. Full article

Background/Objectives: FVIII reagent activity varies across different assays, as well as activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) reagents. The hemostatic ability of various FVIII reagents was examined via clot waveform analysis (CWA). Methods: APTT was measured using 12 APTT reagents, a small amount of tissue factor-induced FIX activation (sTF/FIXa) and a small amount of thrombin time (sTT) in order to examine 10 FVIII reagents and reference plasma (RP) using CWA. FVIII activity was measured using CWA-APTT, a chromogenic assay, or CWA-sTT. Results: Although the peak time (PT) and peak height (PH) of the CWA-APTT were markedly different in different FVIII reagents using several APTT reagents, the PTs of CWA-APTT were generally normal or shortened and the PHs of CWA-APTT were generally lower than those of RP. The FVIII activity varied, as evaluated using APTT, and was higher when using the CWA-sTT method than the APTT or chromogenic methods. CWA-sTT showed an elevated second peak of first DPH in all FVIII reagents, and both CWA-sTF/FIXa and CWA-sTT were enhanced using APTT reagents. Conclusions: Our evaluation of the hemostatic ability of FVIII reagents varied among APTT reagents. CWA-sTT can be used to further evaluate the hemostatic ability of an FVIII concentrate based on thrombin burst. Full article

Water scarcity poses significant challenges in arid regions like the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) due to constant population growth, considering the effects of climate change and water management aspects. The desalination technologies face problems like high energy consumption, high investment costs, and significant environmental impacts by brine discharge. This paper researches the relationships among water scarcity, energy-intensive desalination, and the development of renewable energy in MENA, with a particular focus on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. It examines innovations in solar-powered desalination, considering both solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal technologies, in combination with traditional thermal desalination methods such as multi-effect distillation (MED) and multi-stage flash (MSF). The environmental impacts associated with desalination by brine discharge are also discussed, analyzing innovative technological solutions and avoidance strategies. Utilizing bibliometrics, this report provides a comprehensive analysis of scientific literature for the assessment of the research landscape in order to recognize trends in desalination technologies in the MENA region, providing valuable insights into emerging technologies and research priorities. Despite challenges such as high initial investment costs, technical complexities, and limited funding for research and development, the convergence of water scarcity and renewable energy presents significant opportunities for integrated desalination systems in GCC countries. Summarizing, this paper emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and international collaboration by addressing the complex challenges of water scarcity and energy sustainability in the MENA region. By leveraging renewable energy sources and advancing desalination technologies, the region can achieve water security while mitigating environmental impacts and promoting economic development. Full article

This article shows an all-dielectric metasurface consisting of “H”-shaped silicon disks with tilted splitting gaps, which can detect the temperature and refractive index (RI). By introducing asymmetry parameters that excite the quasi-BIC, there are three distinct Fano resonances with nearly 100% modulation depth, and the maximal quality factor (Q-factor) is over 10⁴. The predominant roles of different electromagnetic excitations in three distinct modes are demonstrated through near-field analysis and multipole decomposition. A numerical analysis of resonance response based on different refractive indices reveals a RI sensitivity of 262 nm/RIU and figure of merit (FOM) of 2183 RIU⁻¹. This sensor can detect temperature fluctuations with a temperature sensitivity of 59.5 pm/k. The proposed metasurface provides a novel method to induce powerful TD resonances and offers possibilities for the design of high-performance sensors. Full article

Life cycle inventories (LCIs) and life cycle assessments (LCAs) of photovoltaic (PV) modules and their components focus on the operations of PV factories, but the factories and industrial site product and construction stages are either not or only partially tackled. This work contributes through the bottom-up, model-based generation of LCIs and LCAs for setting up a vertically integrated 5 GWp/a PV industrial site, including the manufacturing of silicon ingots, wafers, solar cells, and PV modules, on a 50 ha greenfield location. Two comparative LCAs are performed. The first compares the annualized environmental impacts of the developed LCI sets with four existing inventories in the Ecoinvent v3.8 database. The second comparative LCA explores the environmental impact differences concerning the industrial site when using different building systems for the factories. Here, the reference system with a steel structure is compared with two alternative building systems: precast concrete and structural timber. The results show that the wafer, cell, and module factories’ annualized environmental impacts with the Ecoinvent LCIs are strongly overestimated. For the ingot factory, the opposite result is identified. The impacts of all four factories show reductions of between 11.7% and 94.3% for 14 of the 15 impact categories. High mean environmental impact shares of 79.0%, 78.2% and 79.2% for the steel, precast concrete and timber structural building systems, respectively, are generated at the product stage. The process and facilities equipment generates 54.2%, 54.4% and 58.2% of the total product and construction stages’ mean environmental impact shares. The proposed alternative timber building system reduces the environmental impacts in 14 of the 15 evaluated categories, with reductions ranging from 1.1% to 12.4%. Full article

Digital transformation and “artificial intelligence (AI)”—which can more adequately be called “data-based systems (DS)”—comprise ethical opportunities and risks. Therefore, it is necessary to identify precisely ethical opportunities and risks in order to be able to benefit sustainably from the opportunities and to master the risks. The UN General Assembly has recently adopted a resolution aiming for ‘safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems’. It is now urgent to implement and build on the UN General Assembly Resolution. Allowing humans and the planet to flourish sustainably in peace and guaranteeing globally that human dignity is respected not only offline but also online, in the digital sphere, and in the domain of DS, requires two policy measures: (1) human rights-based data-based systems (HRBDS): HRBDS means that human rights serve as the basis of digital transformation and DS. (2) International Data-Based Systems Agency (IDA): IDA should be established at the UN as a platform for cooperation in the field of digital transformation and DS, fostering human rights, security, and peaceful uses of DS, as well as a global supervisory institution and regulatory authority in digital transformation and DS. The establishment of IDA is realistic because humanity has already shown in its past that we are able to not always “blindly” pursue the technically possible but also to limit ourselves to what is technically feasible when humanity and the planet are at stake. For instance, humans researched the field of nuclear technology, developed the atomic bomb, and detonated it several times. Nonetheless, the same humans limited research and development in the field of nuclear technology to prevent even worse consequences by establishing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the UN. Full article