Chloe Scholten, Elyssa M. McMaster, Adam M. Saunders
et al.
In cases of prevalent diseases and disorders, such as Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE), multi-site data collection allows for increased study samples. However, multi-site studies introduce additional variability through heterogeneous collection materials, such as scanner and acquisition protocols, which confound with biologically relevant signals. Neuroscientists often utilize statistical methods on image-derived metrics, such as volume of regions of interest, after all image processing to minimize site-related variance. HACA3, a deep learning harmonization method, offers an opportunity to harmonize image signals prior to metric quantification; however, HACA3 has not yet been validated in a pediatric cohort. In this work, we investigate HACA3's ability to remove site-related variance and preserve biologically relevant signal compared to a statistical method, neuroCombat, and pair HACA3 processing with neuroCombat to evaluate the efficacy of multiple harmonization methods in a pediatric (age 7 to 21) population across three unique scanners with controls and cases of PAE with downstream MaCRUISE volume metrics. We find that HACA3 qualitatively improves inter-site contrast variations, but statistical methods reduce greater site-related variance within the MaCRUISE volume metrics following an ANCOVA test, and HACA3 relies on follow-up statistical methods to approach maximal biological preservation in this context.
Akhil Gupta Chigullapally, Sharvan Vittala, Razin Farhan Hussian
et al.
The fast pace of modern AI is rapidly transforming traditional industrial systems into vast, intelligent and potentially unmanned autonomous operational environments driven by AI-based solutions. These solutions leverage various forms of machine learning, reinforcement learning, and generative AI. The introduction of such smart capabilities has pushed the envelope in multiple industrial domains, enabling predictive maintenance, optimized performance, and streamlined workflows. These solutions are often deployed across the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and supported by the Edge-Fog-Cloud computing continuum to enable urgent (i.e., real-time or near real-time) decision-making. Despite the current trend of aggressively adopting these smart industrial solutions to increase profit, quality, and efficiency, large-scale integration and deployment also bring serious hazards that if ignored can undermine the benefits of smart industries. These hazards include unforeseen interoperability side-effects and heightened vulnerability to cyber threats, particularly in environments operating with a plethora of heterogeneous IIoT systems. The goal of this study is to shed light on the potential consequences of industrial smartness, with a particular focus on security implications, including vulnerabilities, side effects, and cyber threats. We distinguish software-level downsides stemming from both traditional AI solutions and generative AI from those originating in the infrastructure layer, namely IIoT and the Edge-Cloud continuum. At each level, we investigate potential vulnerabilities, cyber threats, and unintended side effects. As industries continue to become smarter, understanding and addressing these downsides will be crucial to ensure secure and sustainable development of smart industrial systems.
José Eduardo Malfeito-Ferreira, Manuel Malfeito-Ferreira
The effect of alcohol on health is a controversial topic when it comes to the moderate or conscious consumption of fermented beverages. The recent claim by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Heart Network (EHN) that the safe level of alcohol consumption is zero has compromised the efforts of the fermentation scientific community in developing healthier and more sustainable beverages. Therefore, the objective of this review was to assess the scientific background for such a claim that appears to be the result of recent scientific evidence. Using the meta-analytic data supporting WHO and EHN guidelines, it was possible to demonstrate that fermented beverages (e.g., wine and beer) have lower effects compared to spirits, that some population ethnicities have higher sensitivity to alcohol, and that drinking patterns influence the outcomes. Moreover, higher relative risks associated with younger individuals are mostly related to injuries (e.g., car accidents, self-inflicted injuries) and not with diseases. Sequential WHO studies produced significantly higher limits and emphasized that preventive policies should be tailored to populations at higher risk. In conclusion, the statement that “all alcohol is hazardous” has no scientific background and should be understood under the perspective that “one drink is too many and one thousand is never enough” used in alcoholism prevention. Fermentation researchers should continue their efforts on the promotion of healthier lifestyles, sustainable development and on the preservation of cultural heritage under the responsible drinking perspective.
Kristina Habschied, Blanka Bilić Rajs, Lorena Dozan
et al.
Mead is described as a traditional alcoholic drink produced by fermentation from a solution of honey and water. It has been produced as a refreshing drink. However, in the past, it was more expensive than wine, which led to a decrease in demand. Due to the simple method of production, the mead industry is growing again. The quality and physicochemical properties of mead depend on the type of honey used. The goal of this study is to produce mead from two kinds of honey of different floral origins, chestnut and sunflower, in order to determine the differences using sensory and physicochemical analyses. The fermentation process was monitored until the extract values were consecutively the same. The results obtained in this research indicate that chestnut honey mead took a longer time to ferment, 2 months, while sunflower honey mead took 1.5 months to ferment. The alcohol content in chestnut honey mead was 7.2% v/v, and sunflower honey mead contained 8.6% v/v. Sensory-wise, the chestnut mead was more acceptable to consumers due to a more pronounced color and thus received a one-point higher score (15) than sunflower honey mead (14).
E. Gutierrez, Marianela Noriega, C. Fernández
et al.
This paper presents an improved methodology for optimizing the fed-batch fermentation process of xylitol production, aiming to maximize the final concentration in a bioreactor co-fed with xylose and glucose. Xylitol is a valuable sugar alcohol widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries, and its microbial production requires precise control over substrate feeding strategies. The proposed technique employs Legendre polynomials to parameterize two control actions (the feeding rates of glucose and xylose), and it uses a hybrid optimization algorithm combining Monte Carlo sampling with genetic algorithms for coefficient selection. Unlike traditional optimization approaches based on piecewise parameterization, which produce discontinuous control profiles and require post-processing, this method generates smooth profiles directly applicable to real systems. Additionally, it significantly reduces mathematical complexity compared to strategies that combine Fourier series with orthonormal polynomials while maintaining similar optimization results. The methodology achieves good results in xylitol production using only eight parameters, compared to at least twenty in other approaches. This dimensionality reduction improves the robustness of the optimization by decreasing the likelihood of convergence to local optima while also reducing the computational cost and enhancing feasibility for implementation. The results highlight the potential of this strategy as a practical and efficient tool for optimizing nonlinear multivariable bioprocesses.
Balinese Arak, which is one of the traditional alcoholic beverages of intangible cultural heritage in the Karangasem area, is a fermented product made from coconut palm wine, rice, glutinous rice and other ingredients. Balinese Arak itself, besides being called an alcoholic beverage, is also very important in the implementation of religious ceremonies. The research on Balinese Arak itself aims to see its existence in the socio-cultural life of the Balinese people and tourism as a traditional alcohol. The method used in this study is a qualitative research method with a data collection method using observation, interview, literature study and documentation techniques. The informant determination technique uses the Accidental Sampling technique, informants will be taken at the research location, and the data obtained is analyzed using qualitative descriptive data analysis. The results of the analysis explain that Arak Bali is an alcoholic beverage produced from fermentation produced by the community in Karangasem, the existence of Arak Bali also has positive and negative impacts on body health, in addition Arak Bali is one of the means in religious ceremonies, providing economic income in the community environment, providing development of community knowledge, and becoming one of the products that are developing in the tourism industry, Arak Bali becomes a packaged drink, used as a welcome drink and processed into a mixed drink that is mixed from several types of drinks by bartenders which is one of the beverage products that has a distinctive taste.
Kombucha is a sweetened tea infusion fermented using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). Recently, kombucha has gained popularity due to its potential health benefits, attributed to its high antioxidant and probiotic properties. The aim of this research was to formulate a novel antioxidant-rich beverage with symbiotic benefits by utilizing ingredients such as Laminaria digitata (brown seaweed), cinnamon, and lavender adjuncts, alongside alternative substrates like acacia honey and conventionally used ingredients such as ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe). This study comprehensively evaluated parameters including pH levels, acidity, alcohol content, color, and antioxidant potential of the beverages. All kombucha beverages exhibited significantly high antioxidant potential levels, particularly in Honey Kombucha (HK) samples, which ranged between 164.44 and 164.78% 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition, and 155.44–155.29 µg Trolox Equivalent (TE)/mL for the Ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay on days 3 and 7. Sugar Kombucha Seaweed (SKS) and Sugar Kombucha Cinnamon (SKC) samples received the highest acceptability for flavor from the sensory panel, with scores of 87.5% and 70%, respectively. However, Honey Kombucha Ginger (HKG) received the lowest acceptability with only 12.5%. The added adjuncts and substrates significantly influenced the antioxidant potential compared to plain unfermented tea (PT). This research paper outlines well-characterized fermentation process for formulating health-promoting beverages utilizing locally sourced ingredients.
C. Godínez-Hernández, Teresa de Jesús Rodríguez-Cardona, J. A. Rendón-Huerta
et al.
Beer is a fermented beverage part of socio-cultural traditions, and recently, craft beer (small and industrial manufacturers) has been covering interest in many regions, such as México. The objective of this work was to analyze physicochemical kinetics and determine the ethyl and methyl content in our own-manufactured (OM) craft beer and compare it with commercial craft beer. The experiment was divided into two sections: (1) three types of Ale craft beer (Blonde, American Pale, and Stout) were manufactured, and during the fermentation process, physicochemical kinetics (pH, specific gravity, lactic acid, ethanol, and sugars) were analyzed, and (2) both the OM and six commercial craft beers were studied to analyze the content of methyl and ethyl alcohols via HPLC. Statistical analysis: (1) A completely randomized design with repeated measurements and a Pearson’s correlation test (p < 0.05) were conducted. (2) A complete block randomized design to compare alcohol production in OM and commercial beers was conducted. Results: (1) The pH, specific gravity, and maltose tended to decrease during the first 24–48 h of fermentation; however, no changes were observed during the remaining 120 h. In contrast, lactic acid production started after 48 h in Blond and American Pale beers and after 72 h in Stout. Maltose, glucose, and fructose were consumed immediately during ethanol production. (2) The HPLC analysis showed a retention time of 25.9 min for ethanol, with the lowest levels for Blond (6.2%) and the highest for Pale (7.5%) in OM, while commercial beers ranged from 4.5% to 6.8%. No methanol was detected in any beer analyzed; on the other hand, lactic acid was observed in all beers analyzed. In conclusion, physicochemical changes were observed immediately at the beginning of the fermentation process. Commercial and OM beers comply with the provisions of the Official Mexican Standards.
<i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i> is a food-grade yeast known for its diverse beneficial traits, making it an attractive candidate for both food and biotechnology applications. This study explores the potential of <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i> as a promising alternative protein source for single-cell protein (SCP) production. Various <i>Kluyveromyces</i> strains were isolated and screened from traditional fermented dairy products, with <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i> NS127 identified as the most promising strain due to its superior growth characteristics, high SCP yield, and environmental tolerance. Notably, <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i> NS127 demonstrated significant substrate conversion capacity with a biomass yield of 0.63 g biomass/g molasses, achieving a dry biomass concentration of 66.64 g/L and a protein yield of 28.37 g/L. The protein extracted from the dry biomass exhibited excellent solubility (62.55%) and emulsification properties (13.15 m<sup>2</sup>/g) under neutral conditions, alongside high foaming stability (93.70–99.20%) across a broad pH range (3–11). These results underscore the potential of <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i> NS127 as a viable alternative protein source and provide a solid theoretical foundation for its industrial application.
Greta Naydenova, Lili Dobreva, Svetla Danova
et al.
In recent years, great attention has been paid to second-generation (from agricultural and industrial wastes) lactic acid (LA) production. In the present study, the possibility of two <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> strains, namely 53 and 2HS, to produce LA from waste materials was investigated. Distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), spent coffee grounds (SCG), wood chips, and cheese whey were used as substrates after pretreatment, and the results were compared with those with lactose as a carbon source. Both strains were capable of assimilating sugars from all waste materials. Nearly 20 g/L LA from 23 g/L reducing sugars (RS) obtained from DDGS, 22 g/L LA from 21 g/L RS from SCG, and 22 g/L LA from 21 g/L whey lactose were produced compared to 22 g/L LA obtained from 22 g/L lactose monohydrate in the fermentation broth. The wood chip hydrolysate (WH) contains only 10 g/L RS, and its fermentation resulted in the production of 5 g/L LA. This amount is twice as low as that produced from 11 g/L lactose monohydrate. A mathematical model was constructed based on the Compertz and Luedeking–Piret equations.
Ioana Buțerchi, Lucia Cintia Colibaba, Camelia Elena Luchian
et al.
The biochemistry and physiology of raw material, the metabolism of microorganisms, and the methods used for processing and storage can affect the stability of wines. Due to the antimicrobial action of sulfur dioxide and dimethyl dicarbonate, the aim of this study is to determine the optimal treatment protocol to maintain the physico–chemical and microbiological stability of white wines with high residual sugar. Thus, the present research focuses on analyzing the influence of both treatments, combined or separate, on 45 wine samples obtained from a blend of Muscat Ottonel and Fetească Regală grape varieties, where different doses of 6% aqueous SO<sub>2</sub> solution (40, 80, and 160 mg/L) and dimethyl bicarbonate (0, 100, and 200 mg/L) were used. In order to assess the ability of dimethyl dicarbonate to suppress microorganisms, varying concentrations of <i>Brettanomyces bruxellensis</i> and <i>Schizosaccharomyces pombe</i> yeasts were inoculated (0, 30, 100 CFU/mL wine). The results indicate that, while sulfur dioxide cannot be entirely substituted in wines, both treatments can effectively lower or inhibit the activity of spoilage microorganisms. For the wines’ physico–chemical and microbiological stability, the treatment that used the synergistic force of sulfur dioxide (160 mg/L) and dimethyl dicarbonate (200 mg/L wine) performed the best.
Marina Belyshkina, Tamara Kobozeva, Mikhail Zagoruiko
et al.
The main disadvantages of using soybean oil extraction waste as a raw feed material are its high contents of fiber, fat, and anti-nutritional factors. Therefore, several processing methods such as extrusion and hydrolysis are used to overcome these disadvantages and increase the availability of high-quality proteins to animals from this by-product. This study is concerned with the hydrolysis of extruded soybean meal in the presence of bacterial alkaline proteases. The effects of various process parameters were investigated to determine the optimal process parameters for hydrolysis in terms of the total free amino acid and amine nitrogen contents. The experiment included two sets of parameters that were selected for comparison: the temperature and pH in ranges of t 45–50 °C, pH 8–11, compared to the temperature and pH ranges of t = 40–45 °C and pH 7–9, using three enzyme/substrate ratios (1:10, 1:20, and 1:30). The protein hydrolysate was stored for three months after it was treated with two different preservatives (sorbic acid and thymol). Based on the results, it was found that the total free amino acid content was higher when the temperature range was 45–50 °C, the pH range was 8–11, and sorbic acid was used as a preservative.
This study investigates the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption on job loss rates using the Global AI Content Impact Dataset (2020--2025). The panel comprises 200 industry-country-year observations across Australia, China, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom in ten industries. A three-stage ordinary least squares (OLS) framework is applied. First, a full-sample regression finds no significant linear association between AI adoption rate and job loss rate ($β\approx -0.0026$, $p = 0.949$). Second, industry-specific regressions identify the marketing and retail sectors as closest to significance. Third, interaction-term models quantify marginal effects in those two sectors, revealing a significant retail interaction effect ($-0.138$, $p < 0.05$), showing that higher AI adoption is linked to lower job loss in retail. These findings extend empirical evidence on AI's labor market impact, emphasize AI's productivity-enhancing role in retail, and support targeted policy measures such as intelligent replenishment systems and cashierless checkout implementations.
The evolution of agentic systems represents a significant milestone in artificial intelligence and modern software systems, driven by the demand for vertical intelligence tailored to diverse industries. These systems enhance business outcomes through adaptability, learning, and interaction with dynamic environments. At the forefront of this revolution are Large Language Model (LLM) agents, which serve as the cognitive backbone of these intelligent systems. In response to the need for consistency and scalability, this work attempts to define a level of standardization for Vertical AI agent design patterns by identifying core building blocks and proposing a \textbf{Cognitive Skills } Module, which incorporates domain-specific, purpose-built inference capabilities. Building on these foundational concepts, this paper offers a comprehensive introduction to agentic systems, detailing their core components, operational patterns, and implementation strategies. It further explores practical use cases and examples across various industries, highlighting the transformative potential of LLM agents in driving industry-specific applications.
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) is a promising antibiotic-free strategy for broad-spectrum infection control in chronic wounds, minimising bacterial resistance risks. However, rapid photosensitiser diffusion, tissue staining, side toxicity, and short-lived antimicrobial effects present significant clinical limitations for integrating APDT into wound dressings. To address these challenges, we present the design of a bespoke polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) derivative conjugated with both phenothiazine and methacrylate functionalities, enabling staining-free antibacterial photodynamic effects, cellular tolerability and processability into various wound dressing formats, including films, textile fibres and nanoscale coatings. Tosylation of PVA is leveraged for the covalent coupling of toluidine blue, as confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy and the minimal release of TB in vitro. UV-induced network formation is exploited to accomplish cast films and nanoscale integrated wound dressing coatings. UV curing is also successfully coupled with an in-house wet spinning process to realise individual, water-insoluble fibres as the building blocks of fibrous wound dressings. A fluorometric assay supports the generation of reactive oxygen species when the UV-cured samples are exposed to work, but not UV, light, yielding a mean log10 reduction of up to 2.13 in S. aureus, and the complete eradication of P. aeruginosa. Direct and extract cytotoxicity tests with UV-cured films and fibres demonstrate the viability of L929 fibroblasts following 60-min light irradiation and 72-hour cell culture. The bespoke molecular architecture, broad processability and cellular tolerability of this PVA derivative are highly attractive aiming to integrate durable staining-free photodynamic capability in a wide range of healthcare technologies, from chronic wound dressings up to minimally invasive localised therapy.
This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional requirements of <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> to improve low ethanol production in some fruit wines. The growth kinetics, ethanol production and nutrient requirements of <i>S. cerevisiae</i> were analyzed in chemically defined media. The results revealed that Ca<sup>2</sup><sup>+</sup>, Fe<sup>2</sup><sup>+</sup>, Co<sup>2</sup><sup>+</sup>, Mo<sup>2</sup><sup>+</sup>, Cu<sup>2</sup><sup>+</sup> and BO<sub>3</sub><sup>3−</sup> were predominantly utilized during the late lag phase, whereas free amino acids, nicotinic acid, calcium pantothenate, Na<sup>+</sup> and Mg<sup>2</sup><sup>+</sup> were mainly consumed during the logarithmic phase. Compared with the control medium, supplementation with threonine, inositol, calcium pantothenate, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, biotin, MgSO<sub>4</sub> or KH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> significantly increased the ethanol content by 1.10-fold (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Furthermore, adding key nutrients to noni-, guava- and mango juice significantly shortened the fermentation time and increased the final alcohol content of the fruit wines (<i>p</i> < 0.05). This study provides scientific insights and effective methods for shortening fermentation time and increasing alcohol content with <i>S. cerevisiae</i> in some fruit wines.
Tatiana Agudelo-Patiño, Mariana Ortiz-Sánchez, Carlos Ariel Cardona Alzate
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a widely applied technology for renewable energy generation using biogas as energy vector. The existing microbial consortium in this technology allows for the use of several types of biomass as substrates. A promising alternative for the production of high-value products (e.g., mixed volatile fatty acids–VFAs, hydrogen) is the use of modified AD. There are several techniques to achieve this objective by modifying the operating conditions of the process. The literature has described the best AD routes for generating renewable energy or high-value products based on specific substrate types and operating conditions. Few studies have reported the integral fraction valorization of the AD process applying the biorefinery concept. This article provides an analysis of the different routes that favor the production of energy carriers and high-value products involving key issues related to operating conditions and substrates. Moreover, AD is addressed through the biorefinery concept. Finally, a case study is presented where renewable energy and mixed VFAs are generated by applying the biorefinery concept in a number of proposed scenarios using organic kitchen food waste (OKFW) as feedstock. The case study involves an experimental and simulation stage. Then, the economic feasibility of the proposed scenarios is evaluated. In conclusion, AD is a promising and economically feasible technology to produce valuable products from several types of waste materials.
<i>Penicillium</i> is a kind of common filamentous fungi yielding high levels of secondary metabolites with diverse structures and attractive activities. Among these fungi, <i>Penicillium janthinellum</i> is a potential producer of secondary metabolites whose natural products have been noticed due to their various chemical structures and biological activities. This review summarizes the sources, distribution, bioactivities and structural characteristics of compounds isolated from <i>P. janthinellum</i> from 1980 to 2023. A total of 153 natural products have been isolated from <i>P. janthinellum</i>, of which 65 were new compounds. The compounds separated from <i>P. janthinellum</i> exhibit diverse skeletal chemical structures, concentrated in the categories of polyketides (40%), alkaloids (31%) and terpenoids (14%). <i>P. janthinellum</i>-derived compounds display attractive biological activities, such as cytotoxic, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities. These results indicate that <i>P. janthinellum</i> is a potential fungus for producing bioactive secondary metabolites which can be used as precursors for new drugs.