Search Results (265)

Rapid urbanization within ecologically fragile mountainous regions exacerbates tensions between development needs and land use sustainability, yet few studies have systematically quantified long-term land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics in large-scale mountainous urban agglomerations. Focusing on the Chengdu–Chongqing Urban Agglomeration (CCUA) in Southwest China—an archetypal mountainous megaregion undergoing accelerated development—this study analyzed LULC evolution from 1985 to 2019 using multi-period data, identified dominant driving factors through logistic regression, and projected future LULC patterns under various scenarios via the Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS) model. The outcomes indicate that (1) over the past decades, construction land expanded by over 4000 km², an increase of about 318%, while cultivated land decreased by nearly 8600 km², a reduction of 6.86%; (2) the dominant transformation type was the conversion of cultivated land to forest, followed by its conversion to construction land; (3) elevation, slope, and average annual temperature emerged as significant predictors of LULC change, highlighting the critical influence of topographical and climatic conditions; and (4) natural development scenarios (NDS) and ecology and cultivated protection scenarios (ECPS) represent suitable development pathways. These findings contribute to evidence-based spatial governance and provide policy guidance for ecological protection in the CCUA and other similarly vulnerable areas. Full article

To study the adsorption of lanthanide (Ln) atoms on graphene containing a Stone–Wales defect, we used a cluster model (SWG) and performed calculations at the PBE-D2/DNP level of the density functional theory. Our previous study, where the above combination was complemented with the ECP pseudopotentials, was only partially successful due to the impossibility of calculating terbium-containing systems and a serious error found for the SWG complex with dysprosium. In the present study we employed the DSPP pseudopotentials and completely eliminated the latter two failures. We analyzed the optimized geometries of the full series of fifteen SWG + Ln complexes, along with their formation energies and electronic parameters, such as frontier orbital energies, atomic charges, and spins. In many regards, the two series of calculations show qualitatively similar features, such as roughly M-shaped curves of the adsorption energies and trends in the changes in charge and spin of the adsorbed Ln atoms, as well as the spin density plots. However, the quantitative results can differ significantly. For most characteristics we found no evident correlation with the lanthanide contraction. The only dataset where this phenomenon apparently manifests itself (albeit to a limited and irregular degree) is the changes in the closest Ln^…C approaches. Full article

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate whether faecal concentrations of eosinophil cationic protein (fECP) and human β-defensins (HBD2s) are significantly elevated in children with cow’s milk-protein-induced allergic colitis (MPIAP) and whether a monthly milk-free diet reduces these markers. Materials and methods: This was a single-centre, prospective, observational cohort study involving 70 infants with MPIAP, aged 1–3 months, and 30 healthy controls of the same age. The concentrations of fECP and HBD2 were measured using the ELISA method (IDK^® Eosinophil Cationic Protein and β-Defensins ELISA Kit, Immunodiagnostik AG, Germany). Diagnosis of MPIAP was confirmed with an open milk challenge test. Results: The concentrations of fECP and HBD2 proved useful in evaluating MPIAP treatment with a milk-free diet, where the resolution of allergy symptoms and a significant (p = 0.0000) decrease in the concentrations of both biomarkers were observed after 4 weeks of following the diet. The concentrations of fECP and HBD2 were still higher than those in the control group. High concentrations of fECP can be helpful in diagnosing MPIAP (100% sensitivity), but the low specificity of the assay means that there is a risk of diagnosing MPIAP in one in six children who do not have the disease. The concentrations of HBD2 have low sensitivity, so one in four children with MPIAP will not be confirmed to have the disease using this indicator. Conclusions: fECP and HBD2 can be used to monitor the resolution of colitis in infants with MPIAP treated with a milk diet, indicating a slower resolution of allergic inflammation than the resolution of allergic symptoms. Therefore, neither of the parameters are useful for the diagnosis of MPIAP. Full article

Background/Objectives: Severe asthma remains difficult to treat, even with the range of biologics we now have that target type 2 inflammation. Some patients do not respond well enough to the first biologic they try, which raises the question of whether switching to another option can help. In this study, we looked at how patients who had unsatisfactory therapeutic outcomes on other biologics responded—both clinically and at the biomarker level—after switching to dupilumab. Methods: We reviewed data from the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit of Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli-IRCCS, Rome, Italy, between January and June 2025. The study included fifteen adults with uncontrolled severe asthma who had previously been treated for at least six months with benralizumab, omalizumab, or mepolizumab before switching to dupilumab. We evaluated demographic, clinical and laboratory data. Lung function (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s (FEV₁)), blood eosinophils, total and specific IgE to staphylococcal enterotoxins, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), free light chains (FLC), and FeNO were assessed at the time of the switch and again after 12 months. Comparisons were made using paired tests, and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: After a year on dupilumab, we saw clear improvements: mean FEV₁ went up by about 10.8% predicted (p = 0.002), FeNO dropped by an average of 22 ppb (p = 0.005), blood eosinophils fell by roughly 400 cells/µL (p = 0.003), and ECP levels decreased by 13 µg/L (p = 0.009). Kappa FLCs also showed a significant drop (p = 0.04). Clinically, 40% of patients met criteria for a meaningful response, and 20% achieved complete remission. Dependence on oral corticosteroids was notably reduced. Baseline levels of eosinophils, ECP, IgE, and FLCs correlated with response to treatment. Conclusions: Our study, despite the small sample size, highlights that in patients with severe asthma who do not show a good response to their first biologic, switching to dupilumab can lead to significant improvements. Markers of type 2 inflammation at baseline might help predict who benefits most. Larger, multi-center, prospective studies are needed to confirm these results. Full article

Klebsiella oxytoca originating from shellfish Scapharca subcrenata contains a number of virulence-related genes. In this study, we investigated its pathogenicity using a murine intestinal infection model and predicted its antibacterial compounds and targets via molecular docking analysis. The results revealed that the intake of K. oxytoca 8-2-11 strain (10⁹ CFU/day) via oral gavage for 7 days reduced the average body weight of the mice. The bacterium was present in fecal samples but absent from blood, lung, and liver samples from the mice. The intake of K. oxytoca 8-2-11 significantly altered colon bacteriota, with reduced abundance of Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillaceae, Lactobacillus, and Lactobacillus murinus, and increased in Bacteroidota, Muribaculaceae, and Alistipes (p < 0.05). Forty-four bioactive compounds in Scutellaria baicalensis and Forsythia suspensa were screened for docking with 117 potential virulence factors (VFs) in K. oxytoca 8-2-11. The compound baicalin displayed higher binding affinity toward these VFs, with the lowest mean binding energy (−8.4 kcal/mol). Baicalin was able to bind to key VFs in biofilm formation and adherence/motility (e.g., Mrks and EcpA) via forming stable hydrogen bonds, π-stacking, and π-cation interaction. In vitro, baicalin inhibited the bacterial growth and biofilm formation. This study establishes the first murine infection model using aquatic animal-derived K. oxytoca, and it provides candidate antibacterial compounds and targets for control of K. oxytoca infections. Full article

The rapid development of intelligent high-speed railways (HSRs) has significantly improved the transportation efficiency of modern transit systems, while also imposing higher bandwidth demands on mobile communication systems. Free-space optical (FSO) communication technology, as a promising solution, can effectively meet the high-speed data transmission requirements in intelligent HSR scenarios. In this paper, we consider an intelligent HSR system based on beamwidth-adaptive FSO communication and investigate the coverage performance of the system. Different from the circular cells used in traditional radio frequency wireless communication systems, this paper focuses on the coverage problem of narrow-strip-shaped cells in HSR systems based on FSO communication. When the transmitter emits a wide beam, the channel gain includes geometric loss, atmospheric attenuation, and atmospheric turbulence. When the transmitter emits a narrow beam, the channel gain includes pointing error, atmospheric attenuation, and atmospheric turbulence. To adapt the width of the transmitter’s beam, we propose a beamwidth-adaptive HSR system and a beamwidth-adaptive method. Furthermore, we derive closed-form expressions of the edge coverage probability (ECP) and the percentage of cell coverage area (CCA), where the ECP is the probability that the received signal-to-noise ratio at the cell edge is greater than or equal to a given threshold, and the percentage of CCA dictates the percentage of locations within a cell that are not in outage. The accuracy of the derived theoretical expressions is validated through Monte-Carlo simulations. The average relative error of the ECP between theoretical and simulation results is only 0.035%, and the corresponding error of the percentage of CCA is 0.087%. In addition, the impacts of factors such as cell diameter, transmission power, signal-to-noise ratio threshold, and weather visibility on coverage performance are also discussed. Full article

Concentration polarization (CP) is one of the inherent problems that lowers the operating performance of forward osmosis (FO) membranes. Therefore, a quantitative evaluation of CP is vital to understand its impact on the FO process. This study systematically investigated the influences of different CPs on the osmotic pressure drop across the membrane under different conditions by using the water transmission coefficient, η_WT, defined as the ratio of the measured water flux to the theoretical water flux. The results showed that η_WT decreased with an increase in the concentration gradient between the draw solution (DS) and the feed solution (FS) under different conditions. The proportions of osmotic pressure drop caused by dilutive internal concentration polarization (ICP) increased, while those caused by concentrative external concentration polarization (ECP) decreased, in different types of DSs in FO mode. Both ECP and ICP were found to be capable of reducing osmotic pressure. However, the internal CP had the dominant influence. To better understand the adverse effects of CP, using an organic FS provided greater insight than using deionized (DI) water as the FS. As the FS concentration increased, the water flux reduced, and the adverse effects of CP worsened. CaCl₂ led to a greater reduction in water transfer efficiency than NaCl when used as the DS. In comparison to FO mode, pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) mode led to greater pure water flux and flux decline. In FO mode, both the proportion of dilutive ICP and the η_WT decreased, while the proportion of concentrative ECP increased over time. However, in PRO mode, the proportions of dilutive ECP and concentrative ICP increased, and η_WT gradually decreased. Dilutive ICP had a significant negative effect on osmotic pressure in the former, while dilutive ECP was dominant in the latter. Full article

Sternal bursitis is an underexplored lesion in poultry, often overlooked in microbiological diagnostics. In this study, we characterized 36 Escherichia coli isolates recovered from sternal bursitis in broiler chickens, combining phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing, PCR-based screening, and whole genome sequencing (WGS). The genetic analysis revealed a diverse population spanning 15 sequence types, including ST155, ST201, and ST58. Resistance to tetracycline and ciprofloxacin was common, and several isolates carried genes encoding β-lactamases, including blaTEM-1B. Chromosomal mutations associated with quinolone and fosfomycin resistance (e.g., gyrA p.S83L, glpT_E448K) were also identified. WGS revealed a high number of virulence-associated genes per isolate (58–96), notably those linked to adhesion (fim, ecp clusters), secretion systems (T6SS), and iron acquisition (ent, fep, fes), suggesting strong pathogenic potential. Many isolates harbored virulence markers typical of ExPEC/APEC, such as iss, ompT, and traT, even in the absence of multidrug resistance. Our findings suggest that E. coli from sternal bursitis may act as reservoirs of resistance and virulence traits relevant to animal and public health. This highlights the need for including such lesions in genomic surveillance programs and reinforces the importance of integrated One Health approaches. Full article

The modeling of the corrosion rate of Alloy 600 in primary water stress corrosion cracking conditions (PWSCC) is a challenging task for existing as well as new structures due to the wide deviation of its composition across the worldwide PWSCC environment. The major parameters influencing the rate are temperature, stress intensity factor, pH, conductivity, ECP, Yield strength, B₃(OH)₃, and LiOH. The individual effects of these parameters on corrosion are known to some extent; however, the combined effect of these parameters together is complex, nonlinear, and unpredictable. Herein, we developed an Artificial Neural Network to predict the corrosion crack growth rate for any combination of the above five parameters and to better understand the effects of these parameters jointly on corrosion behavior. Three-dimensional mappings clearly reveal the complex interrelationship between the temperature and stress intensity factor at different variables, and the effect of the variables rather than a single variable on the corrosion rate of Inconel alloy 600 in PWSCC conditions. Moreover, the index of relative importance for these variables has also been presented providing deep insights for anti-corrosion coating designs in PWSCC environments. Full article

Sustainable architectural heritage conservation focuses on preserving historical buildings while promoting environmental sustainability. It involves using eco-friendly materials and methods to ensure that the cultural value of these structures is maintained while minimizing their ecological impact. In this paper, the use of the hydroxyapatite (HAp) in various combinations on masonry samples is presented, with the aim of identifying the ideal solution to be applied to an entire historical building in Banloc monument. The new solution has various advantages: compatibility with historical lime mortars (chemical and physical), increased durability under aggressive environmental conditions, non-invasive and reversible, aligning with conservation ethics, bioinspired material that avoids harmful synthetic additives, preservation of esthetics—minimal visual change to treated surfaces, and nanostructural (determined via SEM and AFM) reinforcement to improve cohesion without altering the porosity. An innovative approach involving hydroxiapatite addition to commercial mortars is developed and presented within this paper. Physico-chemical, mechanical studies, and architectural and economic trends will be addressed in this paper. Some specific tests (reduced water absorption, increased adhesion, high mechanical strength, unchanged chromatic aspect, high contact angle, not dangerous freeze–thaw test, reduced carbonation test), will be presented to evidence the capability of hydroxyapatite to be incorporated into green renovation efforts, strengthen the consolidation layer, and focus on its potential uses as an eco-material in building construction and renovation. The methodology employed in evaluating the comparative performance of hydroxyapatite (HAp)-modified mortar versus standard Baumit MPI25 mortar includes a standard error (SE) analysis computed column-wise across performance indicators. To further substantiate the claim of “optimal performance” at 20% HAp addition, independent samples t-tests were performed. The results of the independent samples t-tests were applied to three performance and cost indicators: Application Cost, Annualized Cost, and Efficiency-Cost-Performance (ECP) Index. This validates the claim that HAp-modified mortar offers superior overall performance when considering efficiency, cost, and durability combined. Full article

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive condition that is associated with severe complications. Diagnosis of late CP is easy due to characteristic clinical presentation and pathognomonic imaging findings, such as pancreatic calcifications. Early changes, such as lobularity and a dilated main pancreatic duct, are very subtle and challenging to detect with ultrasonography (US) or even computed tomography (CT). Data were accumulating on the usefulness of EUS in the early diagnosis of CP. The sensitivity values for detecting early CP (ECP) by US, MRI, and EUS were 67–69%, 77–78%, and 81–84%, respectively. The specificity values for detecting ECP by US, MRI, and EUS were 90–98%, 83–96%, and 90–100%, respectively. Pancreatic cancer (PDAC) is one of the leading cancers worldwide, with increasing morbidity. Due to its poor prognosis and survival, early diagnosis is crucial. For this indication, EUS also shows better outcomes compared to other imaging methods, especially in tumors < 2 cm. The sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing PDAC with MRI and EUS were 52.3–93%, 77.1–89%, 72–100%, and 90%, respectively. In addition, EUS can detect precancerous conditions that are associated with a higher risk of PDAC. EUS-assisted new techniques, like elastography and contrast enhancement, facilitate the diagnosis of pancreatic lesions and make it even more accurate. Early PDAC changes, such as main pancreatic duct dilatation or irregular margins of pancreatic solid masses, may be detected with EUS. This review describes the efficacy of different imaging techniques in the early detection of CP and PDAC. In addition, we describe the useful interventions made possible by early diagnosis of PDAC and CP. Full article

As one of the most widely used packaging materials, epoxy composite (EP) offers excellent insulation properties; however, its intrinsic low thermal conductivity (TC) limits its application in high-frequency and high-power devices. To enhance the TC of EP, six highly thermally conductive inorganic fillers, namely, Al₂O₃, MgO, ZnO, Si₃N₄, h-BN, and AlN, were incorporated into the EP matrix at varying contents (60–90 wt.%). The resulting epoxy molding compounds (EMCs) demonstrated significant improvement in thermal conductivity coefficient (λ) at high filler contents (90 wt.%), ranging from 0.67 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ to 1.19 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹, compared to the pristine epoxy composite preform (ECP, 0.36 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹). However, it was found that the interfacial thermal resistance (ITR) between EP and filler materials is a major hindrance restricting TC improvement. In order to address this challenge, graphene nanosheets (GNSs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were introduced as additives to reduce the ITR. The experimental results indicated that CNTs were effective in enhancing the TC, with the optimized EMC achieving a λ value of 1.14 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ using 60 wt.% Si₃N₄ + 2 wt.% CNTs. Through the introduction of a small amount of CNT (2 wt.%), the inorganic filler content was significantly reduced from 90 wt.% to 60 wt.% while still maintaining high thermal conductivity (1.14 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹). We propose that the addition of CNTs helps in the construction of a partial heat conduction network within the EP matrix, thereby facilitating interfacial heat transfer. Full article

The main goal of the present study was to verify in detail whether the use of a cluster model for Stone–Wales (SW) defect-containing graphene (SWG) to study the adsorption of Ln atoms yields results similar to those previously obtained by employing a periodic model. We addressed this question by analyzing the optimized geometries of SWG + Ln complexes, their formation energies, and selected electronic parameters (in particular, the frontier orbital energies and atomic charges and spins). Within the frame of density functional theory, we used the computational methodology of the PBE-D2/DNP theoretical level using ECP pseudopotentials. The most important conclusion is that the use of a cluster model gives qualitatively similar results to those of the periodic model. While the corresponding plots of the dihedral angles θ versus the Ln atoms differ considerably, the two models have many common features in the trends of the bonding strength despite the use of two very different theoretical tools, namely periodic (plane waves) versus cluster calculations (localized basis sets). In comparing the results for SW defect-free and SW defect-containing cluster models, it is evident that SW defects serve as much more preferential adsorption sites compared to the conditions in the defect-free graphene model. Full article

Litter serves as a crucial source of soil nutrients in sandy land ecosystems. Soil enzyme activities and their stoichiometric ratios act as essential “bridges” linking microbial metabolism with nutrient cycling, thereby reflecting the availability of soil nutrients and the sensitivity to microbial substrate limitations. To investigate the effects of litter quality changes on soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and stoichiometric ratios in sandy land, leaf litter and surface soil were collected from four sand-fixing forests in the Mu Us Sandy Land, including YC (Corethrodendron fruticosum), NT (Caragana korshinskii), ZSH (Amorpha fruticose), and SL (Salix cheilophila). These samples were then used for indoor cultivation. Experiments with these four leaf litter types were carried out; one treatment with no litter added served as the control. Our aim was to systematically study the changing characteristics of enzyme activities related to soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus with different litter inputs. The results indicate the following: (1) Compared to the control treatment with no litter added (CK), the addition of all four types of litter significantly increased soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and alkaline nitrogen contents. The addition of NT and YC litter significantly increased dissolved organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). (2) The addition of the four types of litter had different effects on the soil enzyme activity, showing increasing trends overall. A chemical analysis of the enzyme activity revealed that the soil was limited in nitrogen and phosphorus. After the addition of the ZSH, NT, and YC litter, the enzymatic C/P acquisition ratio (E_C/P) and enzymatic N/P acquisition ratio (E_N/P) decreased significantly, alleviating the limitation of phosphorus. After the addition of the NT litter, the enzymatic C/N acquisition ratio (E_C/N) increased significantly, alleviating the limitation of soil nitrogen. (3) A correlation analysis showed that the soil nutrients had varying degrees of correlation with enzyme activity and their stoichiometric ratio. The redundancy analysis results show that MBN, TN, MBC/MBN, organic carbon, and available nitrogen were key factors influencing soil enzyme activity and stoichiometric ratios. These results provide a reference for nutrient cycling during sandy soil restoration, and they provide essential data support for the development of fragile ecosystem models in the context of global change. Full article

Combining energy storage with base-load power sources offers an effective way to cover the fluctuation of renewable energy. This study proposes a nuclear–solar hybrid energy system (NSHES), which integrates a small modular thorium molten salt reactor (smTMSR), concentrating solar power (CSP), and thermal energy storage (TES). Two operation modes are designed and analyzed: constant nuclear power (mode 1) and adjusted nuclear power (mode 2). The nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) is applied to minimize both the deficiency of power supply probability (DPSP) and the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). The decision variables used are the solar multiple (SM) of CSP and the theoretical storage duration (TSD) of TES. The criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation (CRITIC) method and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) are utilized to derive the optimal compromise solution. The electricity curtailment probability (ECP) is calculated, and the results show that mode 2 has a lower ECP compared with mode 1. Furthermore, the configuration with an installed capacity of nuclear and CSP (100:100) has the lowest LCOE and ECP when the DPSP is satisfied with certain conditions. Optimizing the NSHES offers an effective approach to mitigating the mismatch between energy supply and demand. Full article