Search Results (7,001)

Identifying the multi-scale drivers of ecosystem service (ES) trade-off intensity is essential for promoting regional sustainability. However, the existing multi-scale ES studies typically rely on predefined administrative units or fixed grid sizes due to the absence of scientifically sound scale-partitioning approaches, which limits the identification of characteristic scales and obscures scale-dependent interactions. This study broke new ground by combining continuous wavelet transform (CWT) and optimal parameter geographic detector (OPGD) to automatically identify the characteristic scales of trade-offs between ecosystem services, thus opening up a new avenue in multi-scale studies. Taking China’s plain–mountain transition zone as a case study, we evaluate trade-off intensity among four key ecosystem services—water yield (WY), habitat quality (HQ), soil conservation (SC), and carbon storage (CS). The results show that the following: (1) The identification of 36 characteristic scales (ranging from 5 km to 55 km) indicates that ecosystem service trade-offs operate across a wide range of spatial extents, implying that a single management scale cannot effectively address all ES interactions. (2) From 2000 to 2020, CS-HQ, SC-HQ, and WY-HQ trade-off intensities were jointly driven by both natural conditions and human activities, whereas CS-SC was predominantly influenced by natural and climatic factors. The trade-off intensities between CS-WY and WY-SC were mainly controlled by climatic forces. (3) The explanatory power (q value) of each factor varied distinctly with spatial scale, and the interaction effects between multiple factors were substantially stronger than their individual effects. This indicates that ecosystem service trade-offs are primarily governed by coupled processes rather than isolated drivers. Consequently, management strategies targeting single drivers are unlikely to be effective. Instead, ecosystem management should be designed around combinations of drivers that operate at specific spatial scales and provide a concrete pathway for translating trade-off analyses into spatially differentiated management actions. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the individual and synergistic antimicrobial efficacy of Juniperus excelsa berry essential oil (JEO) and the cell-free supernatant (CFS) from Streptococcus thermophilus against Escherichia coli (ATCC 43888), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), and multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis S2 isolated from chicken meat. In vitro antimicrobial effects were assessed using the agar well diffusion and microdilution methods (MIC and MBC assays). The in vivo antimicrobial effect of these natural bioactive substances in controlling microbial growth in chicken meat stored at 4 °C for 48 h was also evaluated. Bioactive components of JEO were determined via GC–MS, identifying alpha-pinene (84.56%) as the primary compound. In vitro assays revealed that JEO showed high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive S. aureus with a zone diameter of 35.50 mm (p < 0.05). JEOCFS treatment, which is the combination of CFS and JEO, demonstrated a significant synergistic interaction against S. aureus, resulting in an MIC value of 25 mg/mL. CFS alone exerted a measurable inhibitory effect on S. aureus, with an MIC of 50 mg/mL, indicating its potential antimicrobial capability. Further evaluation of the in vivo antimicrobial efficacy using chicken meat stored at 4 °C revealed that the JEOCFS treatment significantly inhibited microbial growth (p < 0.05). After 48 h of storage under refrigerated conditions, the number of psychrophilic bacteria in the control group reached 8.40 log cfu/g, while it remained significantly lower at 6.44, 5.37, and 6.74 log cfu/g in the JEO, JEOCFS, and CFS treatments, respectively. These results indicate that the synergistic application of JEO and CFS effectively suppresses foodborne pathogens, particularly S. aureus, and extends the microbiological shelf life of refrigerated chicken meat. Full article

Water contamination with pharmaceuticals is a global challenge that affects both aquatic and human life. The presence of these pharmaceuticals has increased in recent years due to their high demand. In this study, varying compositions of Cu-NiO nanocomposites were synthesized using Sutherlandia frutescens plant extracts. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV–vis, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDS and TGA. The photocatalytic activity of these materials was tested on SMX and CIP antibiotics. Furthermore, their antibacterial efficiency against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains was investigated. XRD, through phase identification and SEM/EDS, confirmed the formation of nanocomposites with elements of Cu, O and Ni. The 15% CuNiO nanocomposite demonstrated the highest thermal stability with a minimal weight loss of 3%. The 15% CuNiO had the highest degradation efficiencies of 92% and 85% for SMX and CIP, respectively. The catalyst could be reusable for up to three trials with a 65% efficiency against CIP, while the photogenerated electrons (e⁻) were the most reactive species for the degradation of pharmaceuticals. Lastly, these materials were noted to have antibacterial efficiency against both Gram-negative and -positive strains, with the highest zone of inhibition against E. coli. This study has shown that novel green nanocomposites from S. frutescence can be used for targeting multiple pollutants simultaneously by degrading antibiotics efficiently and removing various bacterial strains. Full article

Genetics strongly impacts the course of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), with the I148M Patatin like phospholipase domain containing 3 (PNPLA3) variant representing the main modifier. Fat accumulation in the hepatic lobule, strongly enhanced by this SNP, may be influenced by the liver’s zonation. Therefore, we applied spatial transcriptomics to investigate the metabolic processes across portal (PZ)-central (CZ) zones in I148M PNPLA3 carriers. Visium CytAssist technology was applied to liver biopsies from MASLD patients sharing similar disease severity, who were wild-type (WT) or homozygous for the I148M variant (Discovery cohort, n = 4). The distribution of steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis was assessed in the liver biopsies of MASLD patients, stratified according to the I148M variant (validation cohort, n = 100). At the Visium-LOUPE browser, we spatially mapped PZ and CZ hepatocytes (HEPs), revealing higher lipid turnover, glucose signaling, and lower mitochondrial activity in I148M-PZ-HEPs compared to 148M-CZ-HEPs. Thus, the I148M variant could unbalance the physiological hepatic zonation boosting steatosis development in PZ, consequently inducing mitochondrial dysfunction. The unsupervised analysis confirmed the altered metabolic pattern among CZ and PZ in patients carrying the variant. Interestingly, PNPLA3 expression was higher in I148M-PZ, which also showed an enrichment of non-parenchymal cells, thus possibly explaining the more severe injury in this area. Finally, in the validation cohort, we observed a pronounced PZ distribution of steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in I148M PNPLA3 subjects compared to WT, confirming the spatial data. The I148M variant contributes to the metabolic switching across different hepatic zones and represents a new clinical perspective by defining a specific histological pattern of MASLD. Full article

Groundwater contamination in chemical industrial parks (CIPs) is a significant threat to global water security due to spills, leaks, and discharges, as well as the complexity of concealing a diverse range of industrial pollutants. In this article, we collected 30 groundwater samples from zones of presumed influence across a CIP, including upstream background, within-park, periphery, and downstream, located in Luxian County, Sichuan, China. We employed excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) coupled with comprehensive hydrochemical analysis to deconvolve the dissolved organic matter (DOM) signature and statistically link its fluorescent components to specific hydrogeochemical processes and anthropogenic sources. Results revealed that industrial activities have transformed the groundwater to Ca-HCO₃·Cl and Ca·Na-HCO₃·Cl types from the hydrochemical facies comprising Ca-HCO₃ and Ca·Mg-HCO₃ types. Hydrogeology and groundwater chemistry depend primarily on weathering and atmospheric precipitation, but industrial effluents and evaporation concentration also significantly affect them. EEM-PARAFAC identified three dominant fluorescent components: fulvic-like (C1), humic-like (C2), and tryptophan-like (C3), with the latter serving as a sensitive indicator of recent anthropogenic inputs. The spatial distribution of these components, particularly the enrichment of C3, is primarily governed by anthropogenic inputs (e.g., sewage leakage), modulated by local hydrological conditions. This work demonstrates the integration of optical spectroscopy with conventional hydrochemistry for source apportionment in complex industrial settings. It provides a mechanistic understanding of pollution propagation and a practical, rapid diagnostic tool for targeted groundwater protection in CIPs. Full article

Aeolian sand hazards severely constrain highway safety and operation in arid regions. To support targeted mitigation along Highway S315 in the Gobi Desert of northern China, this study integrates meteorological observations with sand removal records to quantify wind regimes and classify sand hazard intensity. Event thresholds were objectively identified using change points in semi-logarithmic distributions of daily sand removal volumes, and spatial hazard severity was graded based on annual sand removal per unit road length. The results showed that (1) the study area was subject to intense aeolian activity, with a mean annual sand-driving wind frequency of 23.98%, an annual drift potential of 344.91 vector units (VU), and a resultant sand transport direction of 129.88° (east–southeast). (2) Based on inflection point characteristics, sand hazard events were classified into three intensity levels, namely, slight (<800 m³), moderate (800–3000 m³), and severe (>3000 m³), accounting for 13.0%, 76.1%, and 10.9% of all events along Highway S315, respectively. (3) Spatial grading criteria for sand hazard severity were defined as slight (<3 × 10³ m³ km⁻¹ yr⁻¹), moderate (3 × 10³–1.0 × 10⁴ m³ km⁻¹ yr⁻¹), and severe (>1.0 × 10⁴ m³ km⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Application of these criteria to a representative road section (K9+000–K30+600; 21.6 km) indicated that severe, moderate, and slight sand hazard segments extend over 6.0 km, 9.1 km, and 6.5 km, respectively, thereby delineating priority zones for targeted mitigation measures. This study proposes a quantitative framework that couples regional wind-driven sand dynamics with highway hazard severity, enabling targeted mitigation and offering a transferable reference for sand risk management in arid and desert regions. Full article

This study systematically evaluated the response mechanisms of water and sediment processes in the Kuye River Basin to climate change and human activities from 2023 to 2053 by integrating multi-source climate scenarios (CMIP5 models), land-use change projections (based on the Markov chain model), and a distributed hydrological model (SWAT model). The results indicate that under the RCP8.5 high-emission scenario, annual precipitation in the basin shows a non-significant increasing trend but with intensified interannual variability. Spatially, precipitation exhibits a pattern of increasing from northwest to southeast, with a marked decadal transition occurring around 2043. Land-use structure undergoes significant transformation, with construction land projected to account for 30.54% of the total basin area by 2050, while grassland and cropland continue to decline. Water and sediment processes display distinct phased characteristics: a fluctuating adjustment phase (2023–2033), a relatively stable phase (2034–2043), and a sharp growth phase (2044–2053). Parameter sensitivity analysis identifies the curve number (CN2) and soil bulk density (SOL_BD) as key regulatory parameters, revealing the synergistic mechanism by which land-use changes amplify climatic effects through alterations in surface properties. Based on the findings, an adaptive watershed management framework is proposed, encompassing dynamic water resource regulation, spatial zoning, targeted erosion control, and iterative scientific management. Particular emphasis is placed on addressing hydrological transition risks around 2043 and promoting low-impact development practices in high-erosion areas. This study provides a scientific basis for the integrated management of water and soil resources in the context of ecological conservation and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin. The methodology developed herein offers a valuable reference for predicting water and sediment processes and implementing adaptive management in similar semi-arid basins. Full article

Titanium-based implants are widely used in orthopedic and trauma surgery; however, postoperative infections remain a major cause of implant failure due to early bacterial adhesion. Localized antibiotic delivery from surface coatings offers a promising strategy to prevent initial colonization during the critical postoperative period. In this study, a self-organized TiO₂ nanotubular oxide layer was fabricated on Ti-407 by electrochemical anodization in a glycerol/NH₄F electrolyte at 40–60 V. SEM revealed vertically aligned single-walled nanotubes with diameters and lengths of ~80 nm and ~10 µm respectively. XPS analysis verified TiO₂ formation with Al–O, V–O, and fluorine incorporation. Ceftriaxone was successfully loaded into the nanotubular structure, as identified by FT-IR. UV–Vis measurements showed a biphasic release profile consisting of an initial burst followed by sustained release determined by nanotube geometry. In vitro antibacterial activity was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli using optical density, CFU quantification, and an agar diffusion assay. Unloaded surfaces showed no inhibition, whereas ceftriaxone-loaded nanotubes significantly reduced bacterial growth up to ~6% and generated clear inhibition zones. These findings demonstrate, for the first time, that TiO₂ nanotubular coatings derived from Ti-407 support drug loading and demonstrate effective in vitro antibacterial activity, highlighting their potential for infection-resistant orthopedic implants. Full article

Background/Objectives: Oral infections are caused by a wide spectrum of bacterial and fungal species and remain clinically challenging, particularly against the background of increasing antimicrobial resistance and efforts to reduce antibiotic use in dentistry. Platelet concentrates are widely applied in periodontal and oral surgery due to their regenerative and immunomodulatory properties, and accumulating evidence suggests additional antimicrobial effects. This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), and injectable PRF (i-PRF) against clinically relevant oral microorganisms. Methods: PRP, PRF, and i-PRF were prepared from venous blood of five healthy donors and evaluated using diffusion-dependent, qualitative-semiquantitative agar diffusion assays against Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus mitis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans, with inhibition zones assessed after species-specific incubation times. Chlorhexidine (2%) and amoxicillin served as positive controls and NaCl (0.9%) as negative control. Inhibition zones were digitally quantified and analyzed using non-parametric statistics (Kruskal–Wallis, Friedmann) due to skewed distributions and frequent zero values. Results: All platelet concentrates demonstrated microorganism-dependent inhibition zones in vitro. Overall, i-PRF demonstrated the strongest inhibitory effect across all pathogens (p < 0.001). Significant differences were detected for E. faecalis and C. albicans, where i-PRF produced markedly larger inhibition zones compared to PRP and PRF. Descriptively, anaerobic periodontal pathogens and S. aureus tended to be more susceptible, while streptococci and C. albicans demonstrated lower inhibition. Conclusions: These findings support a potential adjunctive antimicrobial role of platelet-derived preparations in dental infection management but should be interpreted with caution, as agar diffusion results do not necessarily reflect clinical performance. Full article

During oilfield injection and production operations, fluid injection and withdrawal can significantly alter the stress state around faults, potentially triggering fault reactivation and even seismic events, which has become a focal issue in both industry and academia. In this study, based on fluid–solid coupling theory and the rate-and-state friction constitutive model, a mechanical framework was developed to evaluate fault shear slip behavior induced by injection–production activities. Numerical simulations were conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics to systematically investigate the effects of injection–production rate, operational schemes, well placement, reservoir permeability, and fault dip angle on fault stability. The results indicate that higher injection–production rates, non-steady operational schemes, injection wells located closer to faults, production wells farther from faults, lower fault core permeability, and larger fault dip angles can significantly enhance fluid pressure buildup and effective stress variations within the fault core zone. These processes lead to pronounced increases in Coulomb Failure Stress (CFS) and reductions in critical stiffness, thereby elevating the risk of fault instability and slip. Overall, the findings suggest that optimizing injection–production parameters and well placement can effectively mitigate the likelihood of fault reactivation. This study provides theoretical insights into the mechanisms of injection–production-induced fault slip and offers valuable references for safe oilfield operations and seismic risk assessment. Full article

Chitosan oligosaccharides (COSs), obtained through the hydrolysis of chitosan, exhibit remarkable antibacterial properties. In pursuit of COSs with enhanced antibacterial activity, the enzymatic characteristics of the chitosanase from Bacillus velezensis YB1534 (BvChi) were investigated. The purified BvChi displayed optimal activity at pH 6.0 and 50 °C and showed the highest hydrolytic activity using colloidal chitosan as a substrate, with the presence of Mn²⁺. The COSs produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of BvChi exhibited a minimum degree of polymerization (DP) of 2, and their antimicrobial activities against certain pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi 50071, and Aeromonas hydrophila) were evaluated. Among them, the 20 min hydrolysate showed the strongest growth inhibition against all these pathogens, demonstrated by the inhibition zone diameters, and its MIC and MBC values toward A. hydrophila were 0.625 and 1.25 mg/mL, respectively. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis showed that the hydrolyzed products after 20 min contains more COSs with DP > 5. These findings highlighted the potential of BvChi as a biocatalyst for producing antimicrobial COSs, applicable in food preservation and biomedical fields. Full article

Paternal deprivation has behavioral, neurochemical, and neuroendocrine consequences in adulthood. Socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) raised only by the mother (monoparental care, MP) showed low levels of alloparental behavior and delayed pair bonding formation in adulthood compared to those raised by both parents (biparental care, BP). However, the effects of paternal deprivation on adult neurogenesis and the epigenetic mechanisms involved remain to be elucidated. Here, we focused on the impact of MP rearing on neural stem cells (NSCs) proliferation under basal conditions and in response to cohabitation with the sexual partner during pair bonding formation. At basal conditions, we found a significant decrease in the number of new proliferative NSCs (BrdU⁺/SOX2⁺) in male and female MP voles compared to BP animals in the subventricular (SVZ) and subgranular zone (SGZ). After 24 h of cohabitation, in MP males, there was an increase in the number of newborn cells in the SVZ but not in the SGZ. However, this increased proliferation was lower than in BP males. In females, we did not observe significant differences compared to controls. Finally, we evaluated the enrichment of H3K4me3 (activation) and H3K27me3 (silencing) epigenetic marks in the new cells, finding differences between rearing systems and sexes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chronic wounds represent a significant clinical burden and require multimodal treatment strategies targeting inflammation, infection, moisture balance, and tissue remodeling, as defined by the TIME framework. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of innovative hydrogel dressings enriched with fungal biomass, designed to exploit natural bioactive compounds—such as antimicrobial peptides and proteolytic enzymes—to enhance wound healing while maintaining high biocompatibility. Methods: Hydrogel dressings incorporating selected fungal biomasses were fabricated and characterized for physicochemical and biological performance. Key material properties relevant to wound care, including hydrophilicity and porosity, were analyzed to assess exudate management capacity and maintenance of a moist wound environment. Antimicrobial activity was tested against common wound pathogens, and species–pathogen interactions were evaluated using generalized linear modeling. In vitro biocompatibility was assessed using human keratinocytes and compared with conventional silver nanoparticle–based dressings. Results: The developed hydrogels demonstrated properties suitable for clinical application, including superhydrophilicity and high porosity, supporting effective exudate control and moisture retention. Significant broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity was observed, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with effects dependent on fungal species. Statistical modeling revealed highly significant interactions between fungal species and pathogens in inhibition zones (p < 0.001). Hydrogels containing Pleurotus ostreatus and Agaricus bisporus showed broad activity against Escherichia coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus, whereas Enterococcus faecalis exhibited resistance. Fungal biomass–based dressings displayed superior keratinocyte biocompatibility compared to silver nanoparticle controls. Conclusions: Fungal biomass–reinforced hydrogels offer a promising, safer, multifunctional alternative for infected chronic wound management, supporting both antimicrobial action and tissue regeneration. Full article

Roadside public transport stops represent localized air pollution hotspots where short-term exposure may differ substantially from levels reported by urban background monitoring. This study investigates the application of low-cost air quality sensors for long-term characterization of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants in a traffic-dominated urban microenvironment. The novelty of this work lies in the combined use of collocated low-cost sensors, energy-independent solar-powered deployment, height-resolved placement representative of different breathing zones, and integrated statistical and predictive analysis to resolve exposure-relevant pollutant dynamics at a single transport stop. Hourly concentrations of particulate matter (PM) PM₁, PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and ozone (O₃) were measured over one year at a roadside transport stop adjacent to a four-lane urban road carrying approximately 30,000 vehicles per day. Measurements were obtained using two collocated low-cost sensor units based on optical particle sensing for particulate matter and electrochemical sensing for gases, together with concurrent meteorological observations. Strong agreement between the two particulate matter sensors supported the use of averaged concentrations. Mean PM₂.₅ concentrations were substantially higher in winter (32.4 µg/m³) than in summer (10.4 µg/m³), indicating pronounced seasonal variability. PM₁ and PM₂.₅ exhibited closely aligned temporal patterns, while PM₁₀ showed greater variability. NO₂ displayed sharp diurnal peaks associated with traffic activity, whereas O₃ exhibited opposing seasonal and diurnal behavior and was negatively correlated with both PM₂.₅ (r = −0.32) and NO₂ (r = −0.29). One-hour-ahead predictive models incorporating meteorological and temporal variables achieved coefficients of determination up to 0.84. The results demonstrate that energy-independent low-cost sensor systems can robustly capture temporal patterns, pollutant interactions, and short-term predictability in localized roadside environments relevant to exposure assessment. Full article

Background: Synthetic vascular scaffolds often exhibit limited mechanical performance and low hydrophilicity, which compromise early vascular integration and increase susceptibility to bacterial colonization. This study developed 3D-printed scaffolds based on poly(L-co-D,L-lactide)–poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PLDLA–TMC) with polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG) to modulate mechanical and interfacial properties and coated with poly(hexamethylene biguanide) (PHMB) to confer antibacterial activity. Methods: PLDLA–TMC scaffolds modified with PEG 400 and coated with PHMB were prepared and systematically characterized to assess their structural, thermal, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties. PHMB coatings (3%, 6%, and 12% w/w in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, HPMC) were applied and evaluated for drug release, cytotoxicity, and activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Biocompatibility was tested in an endothelial cell and myoblast co-culture. Results: Incorporation of 2% PEG increased the tensile strength from 0.14 ± 0.10 MPa for scaffolds containing 0.5% PEG to 0.79 ± 0.12 MPa and promotes a more elastic scaffold behavior. PHMB at 12% caused cytotoxicity (7.70 ± 0.37% cell viability). The 3% PHMB coating produced a 12.5 ± 0.1 mm inhibition zone but exhibited burst release within 1 h, whereas the 6% coating maintained cell viability (72.95 ± 1.10%), produced a 13.1 ± 0.2 mm inhibition zone, and provided sustained antimicrobial release over 7 days. Scaffolds supported organized adhesion and proliferation of endothelial cells and myoblasts. Conclusions: 3D-printed PLDLA–TMC scaffolds containing 2% PEG and coated with 6% PHMB combined improved mechanical performance, sustained antimicrobial release, antibacterial activity, and biocompatibility in an in vitro vascular model. Full article