Freshwater scarcity is a global crisis due to limited accessible freshwater resources and rising demand. Seawater desalination is a key solution but is energy-intensive and reliant on fossil fuels, leading to high costs and environmental impacts. This study aims to investigate the use of solar thermal energy from an evacuated tube collector for freshwater production via evaporation and condensation. The focus is on analyzing system efficiency by comparing freshwater yield with energy input. The findings may contribute to the development of sustainable desalination technologies suitable for freshwater-scarce regions.
ปัจจุบันโลกปกคลุมด้วยน้ำถึง 70% ของพื้นที่ทั้งหมด แต่มีทรัพยากรน้ำที่เป็นน้ำจืด (fresh water) ที่สามารถใช้อุปโภค บริโภคได้เพียง 3% ประกอบกับจำนวนประชากรที่เพิ่มสูงขึ้นอย่างต่อเนื่อง จึงเกิดวิกฤตการขาดแคลนน้ำ การแยกเกลือออกจากน้ำทะเลเป็นแนวทางสำคัญในการแก้ไขปัญหานี้ โดยงานวิจัยของเรามุ่งพัฒนาเทคโนโลยีแยกเกลือออกจากน้ำทะเลโดยใช้พลังงานแสงอาทิตย์ ผ่านระบบท่อสุญญากาศ (ETSC) เพื่อลดต้นทุน พึ่งพาพลังงานสะอาด และเพิ่มประสิทธิภาพการผลิตน้ำจืด โดยเฉพาะในพื้นที่แห้งแล้งที่ขาดแคลนน้ำ
คณะแพทยศาสตร์
Background: The RGL3 gene plays a role in key signal transduction pathways and has been implicated in hypertension risk through the identification of a copy number variant deletion in exon 6. Genome-wide association studies have highlighted RGL3 as associated with hypertension, providing insights into the genetic underpinnings of the condition and its protective effects on cardiovascular health. Despite these findings, there is a lack of data that confirms the precise role of RGL3 in hypertension. Additionally, the functional impact of certain variants, particularly those classified as variants of uncertain significance, remains poorly understood. Objectives: This study aims to analyze alterations in the RGL3 protein structure caused by mutations and validate the location of the ligand binding sites. Methods: Clinical variants of the RGL3 gene were obtained from NCBI ClinVar. Variants of uncertain significance and likely benign were analyzed. Multiple sequence alignment was conducted using BioEdit v7.7.1. AlphaFold 2 predicted the wild-type and mutant 3D structures, followed by quality assessment via PROCHECK. Functional domain analysis of RasGEF, RASGEF_NTER, and RA domains was performed, and BIOVIA Discovery Studio Visualizer 2024 was used to evaluate structural and physicochemical changes. Results: The analysis of 81 RGL3 variants identified 5 likely benign and 76 variants of uncertain significance (VUS), all of which were missense mutations. Structural modeling using AlphaFold 2 revealed three key domains: RasGEF_NTER, RasGEF, and RA, where mutations induced conformational changes. Ramachandran plot validation confirmed 79.7% of residues in favored regions, indicating an overall reliable structure. Moreover, mutations within RasGEF and RA domains altered polarity, charge, and stability, suggesting potential functional disruptions. These findings provide insight into the structural consequences of RGL3 mutations, contributing to further functional assessments. Discussion & Conclusion: The identified RGL3 mutations induced physicochemical alterations in key domains, affecting charge, polarity, hydrophobicity, and flexibility. These changes likely disrupt interactions with Ras-like GTPases, impairing GDP-GTP exchange and cellular signaling. Structural analysis highlighted mutations in RasGEF and RA domains that may interfere with activation states, potentially affecting protein function and stability. These findings suggest that mutations in RGL3 could have functional consequences, emphasizing the need for further molecular and functional studies to explore their pathogenic potential.
คณะวิทยาศาสตร์
Bacteriocins are microbial peptides that demonstrate potency against pathogens. This study evaluated the inhibitory effects on pathogens and characterized the bacteriogenomic profile of strain TKP1-5, isolated from the feces of Anas platyrhynchos domesticus. Strain TKP1-5 was characterized using phenotypic traits, 16S rRNA sequencing, and Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS). It exhibited growth in the presence of 2-6% NaCl, temperatures of 25-45°C, and pH levels ranging from 3 to 9. Based on ANIb, ANIm, and dDDH values, strain TKP1-5 was identified as Lactococcus lactis. Whole genome analysis revealed that strain TKP1-5 harbors the Nisin Z peptide gene cluster with a bit-score of 114.775. The antimicrobial spectrum of bacteriocin TKP1-5 showed inhibitory effects against pathogenic bacteria including Pediococcus pentosaceus JCM5885, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115, Enterococcus faecalis JCM 5803T, Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 13311ᵀ, Aeromonas hydrophila B1 AhB1, Streptococcus agalactiae 1611 and Streptococcus cowan I. Genomic analysis confirmed L. lactis TKP1-5 as a non-human pathogen without antibiotic resistance genes or plasmids. Furthermore, L. lactis TKP1-5 contains potential genes associated with various probiotic properties and health benefits. This suggests that L. lactis TKP1-5, with its antibacterial activity and probiotic potential, could be a promising candidate for further research and application in the food industry.
คณะเทคโนโลยีการเกษตร
This study investigated the effects of seed priming with Chaetomorpha sp. seaweed extract on seed germination and seedling growth of chili pepper. The objective was to examine the influence of seaweed extract concentrations on seed germination and seedling development. Seeds were primed in different concentrations of Chaetomorpha sp. extract, compared with a control treatment. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with four replications. Results showed that seed priming with seaweed extract enhanced seed germination characteristics. Primed seeds exhibited improved germination percentage, germination index, and germination rate compared to the control. Additionally, seedlings from primed seeds showed enhanced root and shoot development. This study demonstrates the potential of Chaetomorpha sp. extract as a promising seed priming agent for improving chili pepper seed quality, which can be applied in the production of high-quality chili pepper seedlings.