Search Results (359)

The surface topography and chemistry of titanium–aluminum–vanadium (Ti6Al4V) implants play critical roles in the osteoblast differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) and the creation of an osteogenic microenvironment. To assess the effects of a microscale/nanoscale (MN) topography, this study compared the effects of MN-modified, anodized, and smooth Ti6Al4V surfaces on MSC response, and for the first time, directly contrasted MN-induced osteoblast differentiation with culture on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) in osteogenic medium (OM). Surface characterization revealed distinct differences in microroughness, composition, and topography among the Ti6Al4V substrates. MSCs on MN surfaces exhibited enhanced osteoblastic differentiation, evidenced by increased expression of RUNX2, SP7, BGLAP, BMP2, and BMPR1A (fold increases: 3.2, 1.8, 1.4, 1.3, and 1.2). The MN surface also induced a pro-healing inflammasome with upregulation of anti-inflammatory mediators (170–200% increase) and downregulation of pro-inflammatory factors (40–82% reduction). Integrin expression shifted towards osteoblast-associated integrins on MN surfaces. RNA-seq analysis revealed distinct gene expression profiles between MSCs on MN surfaces and those in OM, with only 199 shared genes out of over 1000 differentially expressed genes. Pathway analysis showed that MN surfaces promoted bone formation, maturation, and remodeling through non-canonical Wnt signaling, while OM stimulated endochondral bone development and mineralization via canonical Wnt3a signaling. These findings highlight the importance of Ti6Al4V surface properties in directing MSC differentiation and indicate that MN-modified surfaces act via signaling pathways that differ from OM culture methods, more accurately mimicking peri-implant osteogenesis in vivo. Full article

Friction-stir-welded dissimilar AA2024/AA7075 joints have an apparent influence on grain and texture development at the weld interface due to differences in physical and chemical properties between the two aluminum alloys. In this work, the effect of tool shoulder profile on grain structure and texture evolution in the center interface zone (CIZ) and bottom interface zone (BIZ) of dissimilar AA2024/AA7075 joints were quantitatively studied by electron back-scattering diffraction (EBSD). The results indicate that abundant fine and coarse equiaxial grains are produced in the CIZ and BIZ of the joints produced with a concentric circle shoulder (CCS) and three-helix shoulder (THS), and the average grain size of the BIZ is lower than that of the CIZ for the same CCS or THS joint. A higher degree of recrystallization occurs in the CIZ of the joint with a CCS than that of the joint with a THS, while a similar degree of recrystallization is presented in the BIZ of the two joints. For the distribution of local misorientation angle between the two sides of the interface in the same CCS or THS joint, the CIZ manifests relatively uniform behavior, while the BIZ presents the characteristics of uneven distribution. Tool shoulder profile has a significant impact on the texture components at the weld interface, which results in different types of shear textures generated in the CIZ and BIZ of the two joints. It is beneficial to make out the microstructural evolution mechanism at the weld interface in dissimilar FSW joints for engineering applications in this study. Full article

Gelled fuels are rheologically complex, non-Newtonian fluids. They combine the benefits of both liquid and solid states, reducing risks of leakage, spilling, and sloshing during storage while maintaining the ability to be sprayed inside a combustion chamber. Additionally, suspending energetic particles, such as metal powders of aluminum and boron, can significantly enhance their energy density compared to conventional liquid fuels. In this study, several kerosene-based and ethanol-based formulations were experimentally investigated, using both organic and inorganic gelling agents. The compositions were optimized in terms of the gellant amount and manufacturing process. Some of the most promising gellants for kerosene include fatty acids, such as Thixcin^® R or THIXATROL^® ST, and metallic soaps, such as aluminum stearate and zinc stearate. The effects of various co-solvents were assessed, including ketones (methyl isoamyl ketone, methyl ethyl ketone, and acetone) and alcohols (ethanol and octadecanol). Sugar polymers like hydroxypropyl cellulose were tested as gelling agents for ethanol. A preliminary rheological analysis was conducted to characterize their behavior at rest and under shear stress. Finally, a novel approach was introduced to study the stability of the gels under vibration, which was derived from a realistic mission profile of a ramjet. Finally, the ideal gravimetric specific impulse was evaluated through ideal thermochemical computations. The results showed that promising formulations can be found in both kerosene-based and ethanol-based gels. Such compositions are of interest in practical airbreathing applications as they have demonstrated excellent stability under vibration, ideal combustion properties, and pronounced shear-thinning behavior. Full article

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of dye obtained from Buddleja coriacea and metallic mordants on the chromatic properties, textile characteristics, spectral profiles, and color stability in alpaca fibers. The dye extraction technique involved boiling in an aqueous solution, followed by filtration. Subsequently, alpaca yarns were dyed using the resulting extract following a standard protocol. The applied mordants included sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄), aluminum sulfate and potassium dodecahydrate (KAl(SO₄)₂·12H₂O), and oxalic acid (C₂H₂O₄). Spectroscopy UV-Vis and FTIR spectrophotometry methods were used for the characterization of the dyed samples and analysis of the dye during the dyeing process. The findings revealed the formation of four distinct color tones. Additionally, it was determined that the mordants influenced the chromatic properties of the fibers dyed with Buddleja coriacea extract without modifying their textile characteristics. The identified spectral bands corresponded to keratin, the structural protein of the fibers. Changes in the intensity of these spectral bands were observed in the dyed samples, attributable to the presence of different mordants. Wet rub fastness was found to be inferior to dry rub fastness, which has implications for textile maintenance. In conclusion, Buddleja coriacea flowers provide an effective yellow dye, and when combined with various mordants, they allow for a variety of shades and hues in alpaca fiber yarns. Full article

Aluminum (Al) can cause endocrine disruption in aquatic animals, but assessments of animal social behavior in neotropical teleost fish species with importance for Brazilian aquaculture have still not been addressed so far, which can further complete this ecotoxicological knowledge. In order to evaluate the social behavior and plasma cortisol concentration of fish exposed to Al, we performed a 1 h acute exposure with Astyanax lacustris couples in three different experimental groups: control in neutral pH (CTL/n group), acid pH (pH/ac group), and aluminum in acid pH (Al/ac group; 2.0 mg L⁻¹). An ethogram of social interactions between males and females and swimming activities were performed. Furthermore, the cortisol plasma concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent, and the gonadal maturation stage of the animals was evaluated by histology. Adult and mature females in the CTL/n and pH/ac groups were more aggressive and active than mature males, including several attacks on the male. Moreover, males did not present attack behavior in these groups at any time, but did show submission behavior and constant avoidance of female attacks. In the Al/ac, females did not attack males, couple decreased swimming activity, a repetitive movement toward the aquarium surface, and high mucus production were observed, making the water cloudy. Regarding cortisol plasma concentration, males had higher cortisol plasma concentrations than females in the CTL/n and pH/ac groups, which was not observed in the Al/ac group. Therefore, Al in addition to being described in the literature as an endocrine disruptor, it can be considered as behavioral disrupter in A. lacustris in this important freshwater species cultivated in South America. Full article

Background: Inflammation is a natural body’s defense mechanism against harmful stimuli such as pathogens, chemicals, or irradiation. But when the inflammatory response becomes permanent, it can lead to serious health problems. In the present study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potentials of the Eriosema montanum methanolic extract (EMME), as well as its isolated fractions (FA-FJ) and compounds (1–7), were evaluated by using in vitro and cellular models. Methods: The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined using, respectively, Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods, while 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhy-drazyl (DPPH), and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were used to determine the antioxidant activity. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and column chromatography (CC) were used to isolate and purify the compounds and their elucidation using their NMR spectroscopic data. Results: EMME had moderate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, while fraction FF showed much higher efficacy with IC₅₀ values of 34.64, 30.60, 16.43, and 77.29 μg/mL against DPPH, ABTS, NO, and 15-LOX inhibitory activities, respectively. The EMME fraction was found to be very rich in flavonoids and phenolic compounds, with 82.11 mgQE/g and 86.77 mgGAE/g of dry extract, respectively. Its LC-MS profiling allowed us to identify genistin (5) as the most concentrated constituent in this plant species, which was further isolated together with six other known compounds, namely, n-hexadecane (1), heptacosanoic acid (2), tricosan-1-ol (3), lupinalbin A (4), d-pinitol (6), and stigmasterol glucoside (7). Given these compounds, genistin (5) showed moderate activity against reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells compared to EMME, which suggested a synergy of (5) with other compounds. To the best of our knowledge, compounds (1), (2), and (3) were isolated for the first time from this plant species. Full article

Monitoring groundwater pollution is an important issue in terms of analyzing threats to protected, environmentally valuable areas. The topographical and environmental characteristics of a given area are often mentioned among the factors affecting the dynamics and chemistry of groundwater. In this study, the random forest regression (RFR) model was used to determine the spatial distribution of selected metals, such as aluminum, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, and zinc. In the role of indicators describing terrain variability, derivatives of the digital elevation model (DEM) were employed, with a spatial resolution of 5 m, describing the topography of the terrain on a local scale, such as, among others, slopes, the aspect and curvatures of slopes, the topographic position index, and the SAGA wetness index, as well as generalized values determined for each sampling point of the areas contributing their runoff. In addition, environmental parameters were taken into consideration: forest habitat types, the structure of soil cover, and the seasons when samples were collected. This study used samples collected from 15 wells located in forested areas of the Wielkopolska National Park on seven dates. The results obtained show that random forest can be used with very good results to model the spatial variability of the concentrations of aluminum, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and sodium in groundwater. However, in the case of calcium and zinc, no correlations were found between the adopted indicators describing the spatial variability of the area and their concentrations in groundwater. In addition, the degree of importance of each predictor was determined in order to rank their importance in modeling the concentration of each of the metals in groundwater. The summary ranking of predictors indicates that the strongest influence on the predicted concentration of metals in groundwater is exhibited by profile curvatures, planar curvatures, multiscale TPI, and then the habitat type of the forest. On the other hand, curvature classifications, soil composition, and seasonality exhibit the smallest generalized impact on the results of modeling. Full article

Aluminum oxide clusters (AlOCs) possess high surface areas and customizable pore structures, making them applicable in the field of environmental remediation. However, their practical use is hindered by stability issues, aggregation tendencies, and recycling challenges. This study presents an in -situ synthesis of AlOCs on cellulose using a solvent thermal method. The resulting adsorbent’s structural and property profiles were thoroughly characterized using multiple analytical techniques. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to assess the adsorbent’s capacity and kinetics in removing selected dyes from aqueous solutions. Additionally, both real-environment simulation and regeneration experiments have been conducted to thoroughly assess the adsorbent’s reliability, stability, and practical applicability. The aim was to engineer an effective and recyclable adsorbent specifically tailored for dye-contaminated wastewater treatment. Full article

A novel experimental technique, quasi-equilibrated temperature-programmed desorption and adsorption (QE-TPDA), was used to study the water sorption properties and hydrothermal stability of aluminum trimesate MIL-96 and aluminum isophthalate CAU-10, which have been selected due to their remarkable sorption properties. The QE-TPDA profiles of water observed for MIL-96 and CAU-10 confirmed the hydrophilic nature of these materials. Complex QE-TPDA profiles indicate that water sorption in MIL-96 follows a three-step pore filling mechanism. The shape of single desorption peaks in the QE-TPDA profiles for CAU-10 confirms that water sorption involves a reversible phase transition. Based on the QE-TPDA profiles, the water adsorption heat was determined: 45–46 kJ/mol for CAU-10 and 43–56 kJ/mol for MIL-96, in the latter case depending on the adsorption extent. Hydrothermal stability tests revealed that MIL-96 retained its stable porosity-related sorption capacity for water after hydrothermal treatment up to 290 °C. Gradual changes in the QE-TPDA profiles due to the hydrothermal treatment above 290 °C, with decreasing the high-temperature desorption peak and increasing the low-temperature one, indicate minor structural changes occurring in this material. Only after 410 °C treatment was fast degradation of MIL-96 observed. CAU-10 exhibited high and unchanged hydrothermal stability up to 400 °C. Full article

To enhance the sustainability of construction and meet the sector’s environmental agenda, it is essential to comprehensively scrutinize the environmental, social, and economic impacts of construction projects from the project’s design stage. Such assessment is of utmost importance to minimize the impacts of both new construction and rehabilitation projects and is particularly critical during the selection of building materials and construction solutions. This work reports improvements in functionality and user-friendliness of an eco-design tool (UAveiroGreenBuilding) targeting the construction/rehabilitation sector and previously developed within our research group. The optimized version of the eco-design tool underwent validation through the assessment of competitive window frame materials (e.g., wood, PVC, and aluminum) for potential implementation in a rehabilitation project. Windows with PVC frames were identified as the preferred window configuration due to their superior environmental performance and favorable economic profile. Additionally, a digital communication interface was developed to connect the eco-design tool with building information modeling (BIM) projects, achieved through a routine integrated using a Dynamo application. Such successful integration not only streamlined and expedited the data transfer process by obviating the need for manual input but it also enabled the storage of environmental data throughout the life cycle of the project using a simple and reliable data storage protocol. Full article

Gleeble thermomechanical simulators are widely utilized tools for the investigation of high-temperature deformation behavior in materials. However, temperature gradients that develop within the specimen during Gleeble compression tests have the potential to result in non-uniform deformation, which may subsequently impact the accuracy of the measured mechanical properties. This study presents an experimental and numerical investigation of the temperature fields in 2017-T4 aluminum alloy specimens prior to Gleeble compression tests at temperatures ranging from $300 °\mathrm{C} \mathrm{to} 500 °\mathrm{C}$ utilizing uniform temperature distribution (ISO-T) tungsten carbide anvils. The use of multiple thermocouples, welded to both the specimen and anvils, offers valuable insights into the temperature gradients and their evolutions. A coupled thermal–electrical finite-element model was developed in Abaqus for the purpose of simulating the resistive heating process. A user amplitude subroutine (UAMP) is implemented to regulate the heating based on a proportional–integral–derivative (PID) algorithm that modulates the current density to follow the specified temperature profile. The numerical results demonstrate that the temperature gradients within the specimen at the end of the heating process, reaching a temperature of $400 °\mathrm{C}$, are minimal, with values below $1.9 °\mathrm{C}$. This is in accordance with the experimental observations. The addition of graphite foils between the specimen and anvils has been shown to effectively reduce the gradients. The use of the measured anvil temperature as a boundary condition, rather than a constant value of $20 °\mathrm{C}$, has been demonstrated to improve the agreement between the simulated and experimental cooling curves. The modeling approach provides a framework for quantifying temperature gradients in Gleeble compression specimens and for assessing their impact on the measured constitutive response of materials at elevated temperatures. Full article

The present study examines the tribological behavior of an EN AW-4006 aluminum alloy subjected to two innovative hard anodizing processes involving the sealing of anodic oxide pores with Ag⁺ ions and tested in lubricated conditions. Four plant-based lubricants with different concentrations of fatty acids were considered. Wear tests were conducted using a ball-on-disk tribometer, employing a constant frequency oscillatory motion at 2 Hz and a maximum linear speed of 0.1 m/s. The investigation explores the influence of applied loads (5 N, 10 N, and 15 N) on the resulting coefficient of friction. Through a Design of Experiments methodology, the most influential factors affecting the coefficient of friction are identified. The results indicate that hard anodizing processes and applied load affect the coefficient of friction during wear testing as the main factor of influence. High values of the Unsaturation Number led to a high coefficient of friction at 5 N. Wavy-shaped profile tracks were detected at 10 and 15 N, leading to high specific wear rate values and the failure of the anodized layer. Full article

Pharmaceutical packaging is one of the most used packaging types which contains aluminum and plastics. Due to increasing amounts of waste and rising environmental concerns, recycling approaches are being investigated. Since blisters usually contain a balanced amount of plastics and metals, most of the approaches focus on recycling only one material. Therefore, more sustainable recycling approaches which recover both plastic and aluminum fractions are needed. This study investigates the thermal behavior and degradation mechanisms of plastic-rich and aluminum-rich pharmaceutical blisters using various analytical techniques. Structural characterization revealed that plastic-rich blisters have a thicker profile with plastic and aluminum layers, while aluminum-rich blisters consist of plastic layers between aluminum sheets. Thermal degradation analysis showed two main stages for both types: plastic-rich blisters (polyvinyl chloride) exhibited significant weight loss and long-chain hydrocarbon formation between 210 and 285 °C, and aluminum-rich blisters (polyamide/nylon) degraded from 240 to 270 °C. Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analyses confirmed the endothermic behavior of such a transformation. The gas emissions analysis indicated an increased formation of gasses from the thermal treatment of plastic-rich blisters, with the presence of oxygen leading to the formation of carbon dioxide, water, and carbon monoxide. Thermal treatment with 5% O₂ in the carrier gas benefited plastic-rich blister treatment, reducing organic waste by up to 80% and minimizing burning risk, leveraging pyrolytic carbon for protection. This method is unsuitable for aluminum-rich blisters, requiring reduced oxygen or temperature to prevent pyrolytic carbon combustion and aluminum oxidation. Full article

This paper focuses on the non-destructive evaluation of adhesive joints used in vehicles designed for transporting food products. The research and analysis were limited to the joints used in connecting elements of the cargo space. Two non-destructive methods were employed in the study: ultrasonic and thermographic techniques. Both methods confirmed the feasibility of evaluating adhesive joints in the construction of food transport vehicles, with the thermographic method proving to be much faster in identifying large areas of deadhesion in the plating. The ultrasonic method, on the other hand, allows for the inspection of sheathing and aluminum profiles. The predefined decibel drop in the height of the first two pulses on the ultrasonic defectoscope screen for areas with high-quality joints was less than 3.5 dB. In contrast, for areas with adhesion-related damage, the decibel drop in the first two pulses exceeded 4.5 dB. Full article

Sulla coronaria is indigenous to the Mediterranean region. It is grown as fodder in southern Italy because it contains various secondary metabolites with beneficial activities on animals. Recently, its potential use in cosmeceutical treatments for skin problems was reported. In this scenario, to contribute to a possible cosmeceutical application, we characterized the phytochemical profile of Sulla coronaria flowers’ hydroalcoholic extract by HPLC-DAD, Folin-Ciocalteu, Aluminum Chloride methods, DPPH assay, and, for the first time, we evaluated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities on dermal fibroblasts. The phytochemical analysis confirmed the significant content of phenolic compounds (TPC 69.8 ± 0.6 mg GAE/g extract, TFC 15.07 mg CE/g extract) and the remarkable presence of rutin, quercetin, and isorhamnetin derivatives that give to the phytocomplex a good antioxidant activity as highlighted by the DPPH assay (IC₅₀ of 8.04 ± 0.5 µg/mL). Through the reduction in NO• and ROS levels in human dermal fibroblasts, the biological tests demonstrated both the safety of the extract and its ability to counteract the inflammatory state generated by Interleukin-1β exposure. Our findings indicate that the antioxidant activities of the phytocomplex are strictly related to the anti-inflammatory action of the Sulla coronaria flowers extract, confirming that this plant could be a valuable source of bioactive molecules for cosmeceutical and nutraceutical applications. Full article