Journals
2025 EN
McKechnie Tyler · Ricci Alessandro · Brennan Kelly
+7 more
ABSTRACT Background Locally advanced rectal cancer is often treated with multimodal therapy. Patients may receive care at a single institution or across multiple institutions. We designed this population‐level retrospective cohort to determine the association between fragmented care and timeliness of treatment and long‐term oncologic outcomes. Methods Patients with stage II/III rectal cancer who received at least two treatment modalities between 2010 and 2019 in Ontario, Canada were included. Fragmented care was defined as receiving at least one treatment modality at two or more institutions, while nonfragmented care was defined as receiving all treatments at a single institution. The primary outcome was timeliness of treatment as defined by Cancer Care Ontario Recommendations. Secondary outcomes included overall survival (OS). Results Overall, 3381 patients received fragmented care and 2026 patients received nonfragmented care. Patients receiving nonfragmented care were more likely to undergo timely initiation of treatment (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.50–1.97, p < 0.0001). This was driven by timely initiation of chemotherapy (OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.16–1.49, p < 0.0001). There was little to no difference in OS (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.95–1.30, p = 0.19). Conclusion Patients with stage II/III rectal cancer receiving multimodal therapy may experience less timely initiation of treatment if their cancer care is fragmented. This did not translate into differences in long‐term oncologic outcomes.
Journals
2025 EN
Annamalai S. · Anand Ronald B. · Mohamed Ameer Batcha S.
Abstract Slurry erosion is the prominent failure mechanism in the components exposed to particle entrained slurries. The slurry erosion wear behaviour of powder metallurgically processed Al2124 composite is investigated under slurry conditions with parameters like the impingement angle, impact velocity, slurry concentration, and stand‐off distance. Aluminium oxide of 690 μm size is chosen as the erodent and the slurry jet erosion tester is used. The L 16 orthogonal array is used for the experimental design and the most influencing parameters were identified using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) results. Among the parameters studied, slurry concentration and impact velocity are observed to be the most influencing parameters on the erosion rate and surface roughness. Further, the experimental results are compared with those predicted by the regression and artificial neural network (ANN) models. The wear profile analysis of eroded samples shows U and W shape profiles for oblique and normal impact angle conditions respectively. Al2124 composite exhibits ductile erosion behaviour. The material removal mechanisms are analysed by scanning electron microscopy.
Journals
2025 EN
Nasreen Sadaf · Munir Taj · Ullah Saif
+3 more
This research investigates 2D benchmark flow around a circular cylinder, utilizing the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations alongside the continuity and energy equations. The numerical solution is achieved through finite element discretization for space variable, combined with a second‐order Crank–Nicolson scheme for time integration. The computational results are derived using the FEATFLOW finite element based library package. Our study focuses on the dimensionless form of the flow equations and examines three key dimensionless parameters: drag, lift, and pressure drop. Upon applying finite element method (FEM) discretization, the system is converted into a set of linear or nonlinear ordinary differential equations or algebraic equations for steady‐state scenarios. We then apply the Newton–Raphson method as the outer nonlinear solver, and the multigrid method for efficiently resolving the linear subproblems. To ensure numerical accuracy, we evaluated theL 2$$ {L}_2 $$ andH 1$$ {H}&amp;#x0005E;1 $$ errors, confirming that the experimental order of convergence matches the theoretical predictions. Flow profiles were both graphically represented and tabulated, offering a detailed understanding of the simulation results.
Journals
2025 EN
Hussain Syed Makhdoom · Ali Shafaqat · Yilmaz Ebru
+5 more
ABSTRACT Microencapsulation is a methodology utilized across different areas to upgrade the viability, steadiness, and conveyance of bioactive compounds. Microencapsulation improves stability, controlled release, and sensory properties in pharmaceuticals, food products, agriculture, skincare products, and aquaculture by enclosing molecules within protective coatings. Spray drying, emulsification, and coacervation are techniques employed to tailor the release profiles and safeguard encapsulated compounds. The microencapsulation technique improves the shelf life and effectiveness of bioactive compounds, addressing challenges related to solubility, bioavailability, and targeted delivery. Despite its advantages, microencapsulation faces challenges concerning cost, scalability, and regulatory compliance. Ongoing research aims to enhance these techniques and materials, increasing cost‐effectiveness and facilitating applications in biotechnology, environmental science, and additional domains. This study explores the critical role of the microencapsulation approach in improving the stability and effectiveness of bioactive compounds across various applications, while also considering current challenges and future developments in improving the efficiency of encapsulation methods and materials.
Journals
2025 EN
Nazar Ajwa · Hussain Syed Makhdoom · Ali Shafaqat
+7 more
ABSTRACT Fish waste is becoming increasingly popular as an alternate origin of raw materials used for the production of sustainable bioplastics, with major economic and environmental benefits in various application areas, including food packaging and medicine. The problems with fish waste and the possibility of recycling these by‐products utilizing a circular economy approach have been fully explained. The latest innovations in the production of bioplastics from fish waste are discussed in this comprehensive review. The bioplastic industry encourages eco‐friendly ways to reduce pollution, plastic waste, and the use of fossil fuels. This review article summarizes that waste recycling has led to the evaluation of innovative products by chemical or biological techniques rather than releasing these waste products into the environment. As a result, recycling waste makes it more cost‐effective, environmentally beneficial, and healthful. Also, it uses bioplastics rather than plastic, lowering the use of petroleum‐derived products.
Journals
2025 EN
Khan Ameer Hamza · Cao Xinwei · Li Shuai
ABSTRACT This paper presents a novel Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) controller for redundancy resolution and orientation control of the Stewart platform. The Stewart platform features six prismatic actuators, making it a six‐degrees‐of‐freedom (6‐DOF) system. When imposing three‐dimensional orientation control, the platform retains a redundancy of 3‐DOF, which can be utilized to achieve secondary goals. The key novelty of this study lies in the formulation of a Jacobian‐free, gradient‐free control strategy that directly solves a constrained nonlinear optimization problem at the angular level, thereby significantly improving computational efficiency and robustness compared with conventional controllers. Specifically, we propose the Beetle Antennae Olfactory Recurrent Neural Network (BAORNN) algorithm, a biologically inspired metaheuristic framework that bypasses the computationally intensive Jacobian inversion typically required in redundancy resolution. The orientation control problem is formulated as a constrained optimization task, incorporating an energy‐efficient actuator usage objective and mechanical constraints modeled as inequalities. Theoretical stability and convergence guarantees are established for the proposed BAORNN framework, ensuring reliable operation across a wide range of configurations. To validate the approach, we developed a high‐fidelity simulation environment using the Simscape Multibody library in Simulink and conducted extensive experiments across multiple time‐varying reference trajectories. Quantitative performance comparisons against a state‐of‐the‐art inverse kinematics controller demonstrate the superior accuracy, convergence speed, and constraint‐handling capabilities of our method. Furthermore, we showcase a realistic application scenario by integrating the controller with a chair‐mounted Stewart platform for immersive driving and flight simulations, demonstrating the potential for real‐world deployment in motion simulation and training systems. In summary, this paper introduces a computationally lightweight, robust, and highly accurate RNN‐based controller tailored for redundant Stewart platforms, with proven advantages over traditional Jacobian–based methods.
Journals
2025 EN
Lahcen Abdellatif Ait · Sher Mazhar · Ameer Sikander
+1 more
Abstract Here we present a simple and efficient method for fabricating laser‐induced graphene (LIG) electrodes for the electrochemical detection of acetaminophen (AAP), a crucial analgesic and antipyretic that can become toxic at elevated concentrations. Unlike conventional sensors that require intricate chemical modifications, the fabricated LIG‐based sensor eliminates the need for functionalization, offering a streamlined sensing solution. The LIG electrodes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed the formation of a highly porous graphene network with excellent purity and conductivity. Cyclic voltammetry analysis with a ferricyanide redox probe revealed a large electroactive surface area of 1.21 cm 2 , indicating enhanced charge transfer efficiency. For AAP detection, square wave voltammetry was employed at an optimized frequency of 10 Hz and amplitude of 70 mV, achieving the widest linear detection range of 10–150 µM ( R 2 = 0.997) and a low detection limit of 1.58 µM. The sensor demonstrated exceptional repeatability over 10 consecutive scans and robust selectivity against common interfering substances, including ascorbic acid and dopamine. The LIG‐based sensor was successfully tested in synthetic urine enriched with serum and commercial pharmaceutical tablet samples, demonstrating reliable and accurate AAP quantification for next‐generation biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.
Journals
2025 EN
Awashra Mohammad · Jokinen Ville
Abstract Control of cell adhesion is essential for biomedical devices, biosensors, and anti‐fouling coatings. Here, adhesion of A549 epithelial cells is systematically evaluated on silicon substrates with tunable wettability (superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic) and topography (smooth, nanostructured, and micropillared). Superhydrophobic surfaces stabilize a trapped air plastron that minimizes solid–liquid contact, enabling plastron‐mediated physical repellency of cells . The most cell‐repellent surface, composed of 5 µm micropillars with a 7.4% solid–liquid contact fraction, reduced cell density by ≈83% versus a smooth hydrophobic control and ≈95% versus a hydrophilic control at 4 h, and by ≈90% and ≈93%, respectively, after 24 h of incubation, corresponding to an approximate tenfold decrease in cell adhesion. Micropillar arrays outperform nanostructures in resisting cell attachment, owing to large air‐filled gaps exceeding 10 µm that physically prevent cell adhesion. A trade‐off is observed: lower solid‐fraction micropillars provide greater short‐term repellency but lose the plastron over time, enabling delayed fouling, whereas higher‐fraction structures preserve the air layer beyond 72 h but are initially less cell‐repellent due to higher effective cell contact area and smaller air gaps. These results establish that optimized microscale superhydrophobic textures achieve superior and time‐dependent bio‐repellency and introduce a rational design strategy for non‐fouling materials.
Journals
2025 EN
Sallam Ahmed · Mahmoud Salwa M. · Amro Ahmed
+2 more
Abstract Faba bean ( Vicia faba L.) is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. It is the third most important feed grain legume globally, after soybean and lupin. It is an autogamous plant with a partial outcrossing rate ranging from 20% to 80%. The objective of most faba bean improvement programs is to enhance yield; however, yield is a complex trait influenced by many other traits. Therefore, in this study, we focused on seed traits that are related to faba bean yield. A set of 110 faba bean genotypes was tested across two different locations (Germany and Egypt) to investigate the effect of genotype–environment interactions and identify single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) related to seed characteristics. This study revealed that there is high genetic variation among genotypes in all traits in each location, and the genotype × location interactions were significant. There was a strong positive correlation among the seed characteristics within each location, but the correlations between the two locations were weak or not significant. FB‐231 and FB‐227 performed very well in both countries based on the selection index (SI) values, whereas FB‐193 and FB‐185 had the lowest SI values in both countries. All genotypes were genotyped via single primer enrichment technology, which resulted in 33,165 SNP markers. The association mapping revealed 162 and 31 significant SNPs in seed traits scored in Germany and Egypt, respectively. A set of seven SNPs was associated with more than one seed trait in Germany, whereas only one SNP was associated with two traits in Egypt. No shared markers were found between the two locations for any of the seed traits. These markers represent potential targets for future breeding programs to enhance seed size and understanding of its genetic control in the faba bean.
Journals
2025 EN
Sciara Giuseppe · Bozzoli Matteo · Fiorani Fabio
+5 more
Abstract Root system architecture (RSA), shoot architecture, and shoot‐to‐root biomass allocation are critical for optimizing crop water and nutrient capture and ultimately grain yield. Nevertheless, only a few studies adequately dissected the genetic basis of RSA and its relationship to shoot development. Herein, we dissected at a high level of details the RSA–shoot QTLome in a panel of 194 elite durum wheat ( Triticum turgidum ssp. durum Desf.) varieties from worldwide adopting high‐throughput phenotyping platform (HTPP) and genome‐wide association study (GWAS). Plants were grown in controlled conditions up to the seventh leaf appearance (late tillering) in the GROWSCREEN‐Rhizo, a rhizobox platform integrated with automated monochrome camera for root imaging, which allowed us to phenotype the panel for 35 shoot and root architectural traits, including seminal, nodal, and lateral root traits, width and depth, leaf area, leaf, and tiller number on a time‐course base. GWAS identified 180 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) (−log p ‐value ≥ 4) grouped in 39 QTL clusters. Among those, 10, 11, and 10 QTL clusters were found for seminal, nodal, and lateral root systems. Deep rooting, a key trait for adaptation to water limiting conditions, was controlled by three major QTLs on chromosomes 2A, 6A, and 7A. Haplotype distribution revealed contrasting selection patterns between the ICARDA rainfed and CIMMYT irrigated breeding programs, respectively. These results provide valuable insights toward a better understanding of the RSA QTLome and a more effective deployment of beneficial root haplotypes to enhance durum wheat yield in different environmental conditions.