Artiles
Open Access
Article
10 June 2026Mullite-Corundum-Al2TiO5 Foamed Ceramics with Extremely Low Thermal Conductivity Induced by Multiple Thermal Resistance
In the context of the global implementation of the dual carbon strategy, enhancing the thermal insulation performance of kiln insulation layers to reduce energy consumption is a highly effective route to achieving energy conservation and emission reduction. In this work, mullite foamed ceramics were fabricated via a direct-foaming method using industrial alumina and white clay as raw materials, and the thermal conductivity was decreased by introducing a secondary phase and increasing the interfacial thermal resistance. The influence of the TiO2 addition on the phase composition, pore characteristics, and properties was systematically investigated by means of XRD, SEM, and EDS. The results indicate that the foamed ceramics are mainly composed of mullite, with minor phases including corundum and aluminum titanate. It has been demonstrated that increasing the TiO2 addition decreased the ceramic’s thermal conductivity, due to the formation of low-thermal-conductivity Al2TiO5 phases and the elevation of the interfacial thermal resistance. The specimen exhibiting the optimal properties is characterized by a porosity of 77.8%, a strength of 1.86 MPa, and a thermal conductivity of 0.216 W/(m·K) (1000 °C), achieved with a TiO2 addition of 6 wt%.
Open Access
Review
10 June 2026Long-Term Impact of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) Inhibitors on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
The introduction of proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PSCK9) inhibitors has transformed the approach to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This paper aims to determine the longer-term impact of these interventions on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality. A systematic search of major databases was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials comparing PCSK9 inhibitors with a placebo. Studies were included if they reported cardiovascular events with a follow-up duration greater than 12 months. Frequentist, Bayesian meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis were utilised to assess the efficacy of PCSK9 inhibitors in reducing MACE. Amongst 11 studies encompassing 52,372 patients, statistically significant reductions were observed in rates of myocardial infarction (risk ratio (RR) 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68 to 0.89, p < 0.01, I2 = 20%), coronary revascularisation (RR 0.83; 95% CI 0.75 to 0.91, p < 0.01, I2 = 9.1%) and ischemic stroke (RR 0.76; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.87, p < 0.01, I2 = 0%) amongst patients on PCSK9 inhibitors compared to placebo based on random-effects meta-analysis. Trial sequential analysis and Bayesian analysis supported these results, with posterior probabilities that PCSK9 inhibitors improve outcomes for myocardial infarction, coronary revascularisation, and ischemic stroke of 83.8%, 82.9%, and 69.4%, respectively. No statistically significant effect was observed for the other outcomes. This meta-analysis demonstrates significant reductions in the rate of myocardial infarction, coronary revascularisation, and ischemic stroke. Further benefits may emerge with longer-term follow-up and alternate methods of targeting PCSK9.
Open Access
Review
10 June 2026Central Metabolism-Responsive Biosensors for Monitoring, Screening, and Engineering in Microbial Production
Central metabolism includes essential pathways such as glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Beyond the canonical pathways, it also involves byproduct formation, amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and cofactor homeostasis, forming the metabolic backbone that supports cellular growth and biosynthesis. Conventional analytical methods often fail to provide real-time information in living cells, limiting their utility for guiding metabolic engineering. In this context, biosensor-assisted approaches have emerged as powerful tools for the real-time, non-destructive detection of intracellular metabolites and metabolic fluxes, while also enabling dynamic regulation of metabolic networks. In this review, we summarize recent advances in biosensors targeting key metabolites, cofactors, and regulatory nodes across central metabolism, with an emphasis on their design principles and applications in metabolic monitoring, high-throughput screening, and dynamic regulation for improved bioproduction. We also discuss current challenges related to sensor performance and implementation, and highlight the possibilities of integrating biosensors with omics, metabolic modules, and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide insights into future opportunities for biosensor development.
Open Access
Review
09 June 2026Smart Manufacturing for Production Flexibility in Industry 4.0–5.0: A Systematic Review, Gap Analysis, and Framework
Smart manufacturing has emerged as a key enabler of industrial digital transformation, fostering intelligent, interconnected, and adaptive production systems. At the same time, production flexibility has become a strategic imperative for managing demand volatility, supply chain disruptions, and mass customization requirements. Despite substantial advances in Industry 4.0 and the transition toward Industry 5.0, the literature remains conceptually fragmented and largely technology-driven, with limited integration of organizational, human-centric, and sustainability perspectives. This study presents a systematic literature review of smart manufacturing for production flexibility, synthesizing existing research across major enabling technologies and industrial application domains. The review identifies three critical gaps in the current body of knowledge: (i) the lack of a unified and multidimensional conceptualization of production flexibility, (ii) insufficient integration between cyber–physical infrastructures and socio-technical systems, and (iii) the limited incorporation of human-centricity and sustainability as core design principles. The findings demonstrate that production flexibility should be viewed not as a direct technological outcome, but as an emergent system-level capability arising from the dynamic interaction of digital technologies, organizational structures, and human intelligence. To address these gaps, the study proposes a seven-stage Smart Manufacturing–Production Flexibility (SM–PF) transformation framework encompassing digital connectivity, system integration, intelligent analytics, adaptive automation, autonomous systems, human–AI collaboration, and ecosystem integration. The framework conceptualizes the evolution of flexibility from conventional operational adaptability toward anticipatory, reconfigurable, cognitive, and ecosystem-level capabilities. This study contributes an integrated theoretical foundation and a structured roadmap for future research and industrial transformation in smart manufacturing.
Open Access
Review
09 June 2026Statistical and Machine Learning Approaches to Production Optimization in the Brewery Industry
Production collapse in brewery operations is a major industrial challenge marked by sustained declines in output, efficiency, and capacity utilization due to interacting technical, operational, managerial, and external constraints. This systematic review synthesizes existing literature on the root causes of production decline in the brewery and beverage industry, with emphasis on developing economies. Guided by the PRISMA framework and drawing from major scientific databases, the study examines empirical evidence on critical production bottlenecks. The review compares traditional mathematical models with advanced Machine Learning (ML) techniques for root cause identification, highlighting their complementary strengths in interpretability and predictive accuracy. It further evaluates optimization and what-if scenario analysis as decision-support tools for translating predictive insights into practical production improvements. Evidence shows that scenario-based optimization can enhance output, reduce downtime, and improve resource allocation in brewery systems. Despite progress, gaps remain, particularly the absence of integrated root-cause, ML, and optimization frameworks and limited validation rigor. By consolidating fragmented findings and outlining future research directions, this review provides a structured foundation for developing robust, data-driven productivity recovery strategies and strengthening sustainable performance in brewery operations.
Open Access
Article
09 June 2026Leaching Characteristics of Spent Carbon Anode in Alkaline System: Thermodynamics, Kinetics, Ion Forms, and Phase Transformation
With the rapid development of the aluminium electrolysis industry, large amounts of lithium-containing electrolyte residue are generated, posing environmental risks and wasting lithium resources. This study proposes an efficient lithium leaching method from spent carbon anode (SCA) electrolytic aluminium carbon slag using NaOH. The leaching rate of lithium reaches 89.46% at a NaOH concentration of 10 mol/L, a leaching temperature of 90 °C, and a leaching time of 2 h. Thermodynamic calculations concluded that during alkaline leaching, most phases in SCA can react spontaneously with NaOH to release soluble ions. The kinetic results suggested that the leaching behavior of Li+ follows the ‘unreacted shrinkage nucleus model’, controlled by both mixing and diffusion. NaOH concentration and leaching temperature are the key factors governing the effectiveness of Li+ leaching. Medusa simulations showed that the dissociated Al3+ in alkaline leach solution would first form an Al(OH)3 complex and continue to react with OH− to form Al(OH)4−, while lithium exists in the form of Li+ and LiOH. Mechanistic analysis via SEM-EDS and XRD indicates that NaOH breaks Na–Al–F bonds, releasing Li+ and forming NaF. This approach offers an eco-friendly pathway for resource recovery from SCA, supporting cryolite regeneration and minimizing the environmental impacts of hazardous waste.
Open Access
Article
09 June 2026Unsustainable River Management Will Prevent the Achievement of the SDGs
River ecosystems sustain socio-economic development via the provision of essential ecosystem services, which are of direct relevance to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A paradigm shift in river management over the last 30 years, away from engineered channels that predominantly increase drainage efficiency, towards more restorative and holistic approaches that integrate hydrological, geomorphological, and ecological systems, makes this an ideal time to reflect on both the successes and future trajectories in river ecosystem management. Therefore, we synthesize published research on river ecosystems within the SDG framework using a suite of knowledge visualization tools. Co-occurrence analysis reveals that research in river ecosystem science can be broadly split into three themes: water quality, water flow, and aquatic organisms, and that most published work spans more than one of these themes. Co-word network evolution reveals a significant increase over the past decade in research on climate change, emerging pollutants, and the dynamics of riparian communities. Regions with different levels of socio-economic development exhibit markedly different research priorities. Correlation analysis between article keywords and the SDGs reveals synergies and trade-offs between river ecosystems and the achievement of 130 of the targets. Under the SDGs framework, these findings highlight frontier research priorities and provide a knowledge base to support the sustainable management of river ecosystems in the face of future challenges.
Open Access
Perspective
08 June 2026Acoustic Resonance Weapons for Drone Interdiction
Acoustic waves can affect two important components of multi-rotor drones, more formally called multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The first is located in the electronic board, the so-called IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), which can be influenced by intense sound waves at resonant frequency. The second is the motor-propeller unit of drones. Multi-rotor drones generate low-frequency acoustic emissions during flight; if external acoustic waves achieve resonance with these blade-induced vibrations, they can cause structural fatigue or mechanical failure in the motor-propeller unit. The paper addresses the following issues: first, the influence of resonant frequency sound waves on these two design elements and their performance evaluation; second, the feasibility of an integrated counter-UAV system comprising acoustic Direction of Arrival (DoA) estimation and Blade Passage Frequency (BPF) detection; and third, a new solution for a long-range directional sound effector. This proposed solution includes determining the operating frequency as the 3rd to 5th harmonics of the BPF. Furthermore, it introduces a new concept that, instead of using a standard array of sound drivers, utilizes a limited quantity of powerful drivers arranged skeletally according to a Vicsek fractal topology. This configuration generates a powerful, needle-like acoustic beam capable of delivering effective mechanical disruption multi-rotor drones at long ranges.
Open Access
Review
08 June 2026Beyond Barrier Function: Tight Junctions as Dynamic Signaling Hubs Orchestrating Tumor Plasticity, Microenvironment Remodeling, and Metastatic Evolution
Tight junctions (TJs), once viewed as static paracellular seals, are now recognized as dynamic master regulators of tumor plasticity, microenvironment remodeling, and metastasis. This comprehensive review synthesizes emerging knowledge redefining TJs as versatile signaling and mechanobiological hubs. Beyond simply facilitating EMT through barrier dissolution, TJs coordinate every stage of the metastatic cascade. The review highlights how critical proteins like ZO-1 form liquid-liquid phase-separated (LLPS) condensates to nucleate junctional assembly, which is a well-characterized biophysical event, while also evaluating the proposed, yet less empirically validated, roles of these condensates in broader mechanosensing and signaling cascades. The review also evaluates classic transmembrane-to-nuclear relays, such as the ZO-1-ZONAB axis, and discusses the emerging concept of TJ-NR cross-talk, in which claudin-mediated adhesion has been proposed to modulate SFK activity and subsequent nuclear receptor phosphorylation in specific oncogenic contexts, linking cell adhesion to transcriptional plasticity. Furthermore, TJs orchestrate organotropic colonization, support the survival of circulating tumor cell clusters by resisting hemodynamic stress, and engage in mechanical cross-talk to remodel the stiffened tumor extracellular matrix. This shifting concept transforms TJs into promising clinical targets for precise network-level interference and overcoming therapeutic resistance in advanced malignancies.
Open Access
Review
08 June 2026Zoonotic Microsporidia: Host Regulation and Pathogenesis
Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungal pathogens with extremely wide host ranges. Among these, zoonotic microsporidia such as Encephalitozoon hellem, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi can infect humans as well as other animals, causing recurrent diarrhea, hepatitis, and even death in immune-compromised individuals. The abilities of zoonotic microsporidia to regulate their hosts are essential to their survival and thriving within hosts. The manipulations of zoonotic microsporidia on hosts are employed in multiple ways, including metabolic modulation, immune suppression, signaling pathway regulations, and epigenetic modification. This review focuses on pathogen-host interactions between zoonotic microsporidia and their hosts, and compares their regulatory characteristics with those of typical fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans. In summary, unraveling the regulatory strategies of zoonotic microsporidia not only deepens our understanding of microsporidia pathogenesis but also provides potential targets for therapeutic intervention against these emerging pathogens. Comparative studies with typical fungal pathogens further highlight the unique and sophisticated host-manipulating mechanisms evolved by microsporidia from the fungal kingdom.
