Search Results (301)

Nature-based tourism (NBT) is increasingly promoted as a means to contribute to conservation efforts. However, there is limited understanding of the relationship between environmental education and awareness and conservation attitudes and practices in this form of tourism that centers on green spaces. This study, therefore, aimed to explore this relationship using data from tourism operators and local communities in the Mexican Caribbean and provide useful insights for environmental sustainability in tourism destinations that depend on nature as a critical resource. The study employed a triangulation approach, which involved examination of two sets of data: firstly, household-level survey information from local communities participating in nature-based tourism; and secondly, data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with tour companies operating within the Mexican Caribbean, as well as focus group discussions with key informants including academicians, public-sector stakeholders and other opinion leaders in the tourism industry. Household surveys determined associations between potential predictor variables (environmental education and awareness, local community involvement, costs and benefits distribution) and conservation perspectives and practices in nature-based tourism. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions explored participants’ attitudes, experiences and views on environmental education and awareness, nature-based tourism, attitudes and practices towards conservation. Findings demonstrated that direct benefits from nature-based tourism are significant, but do not guarantee positive conservation attitudes and practices among the local communities. Other factors (indirect benefits), such as environmental education and awareness, could be more effective in achieving environmental sustainability and quality in nature-based tourism. It was also found that several tourism operators lack formal environmental education and awareness programs. The study recommends that the entire cycle of using natural resources for tourism purposes and tourists’ interaction with nature be anchored in adequate environmental education and awareness. This research contributes to valuable insights into debates, practices and policy developments related to nature-based tourism as a mechanism for environmental sustainability in biosphere reserves and tourism destinations. Full article

This study investigates the protective performance of a triazole-based Mannich base corrosion inhibitor, 4-((1,2,4-triazolyl)methyl) dibutylamine (TZMBA), on P110 carbon steel in dissolved oxygen environments. TZMBA was synthesized via a Mannich reaction, and its molecular structure was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The corrosion inhibition behavior and underlying mechanisms were systematically explored through weight loss measurements, surface characterization, and multiscale molecular simulations. Weight loss results indicated that TZMBA significantly mitigates the corrosion of P110 steel, with inhibition efficiency reaching 81.5% at 1.67 mmol/L and 82.0% at 2.14 mmol/L. Adsorption thermodynamic analysis revealed that the process follows the Langmuir isotherm model. The calculated standard Gibbs free energy ${∆G}_{ads}^0$ of −38.69 kJ/mol suggests a spontaneous, mixed-type adsorption mechanism involving both physisorption and chemisorption. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations confirmed a marked reduction in surface degradation, characterized by suppressed corrosion products and minimized localized attack. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) further verified that TZMBA anchors to the metal surface through chemical coordination, forming a robust organic-inorganic composite film. From a theoretical perspective, frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis showed that TZMBA’s high E_HOMO and narrow energy gap facilitate efficient electron transfer. Combined Fukui function and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) maps identified the nitrogen atoms in the triazole ring and amine group as the primary active sites. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations demonstrated that TZMBA molecules adopt a nearly parallel configuration on the Fe surface. The high negative interaction energy obtained from MD simulations confirms a strong binding affinity and a potent inherent driving force for the formation of a stable protective layer. Overall, the integration of experimental data and theoretical calculations establishes TZMBA as an effective inhibitor that provides superior protection by forming a stable, compact adsorption film on P110 carbon steel. Full article

A novel group-drag-anchor system (GDAS), comprising a Delta anchor and a four-tooth anchor, was developed to enhance mooring capacity for floating offshore wind turbines in soft clay seabeds. This study focuses on the influence of the installation method on the embedment performance and dynamic response of the GDAS. Large-deformation finite element analyses were conducted using the coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL) technique to simulate the installation process under different configurations. A dedicated subroutine was implemented to monitor the evolution of excess pore pressure around the GDAS during the subsequent dynamic loading. Results show that asynchronous installation yields significantly deeper embedment than synchronous installation, especially in seabeds with steep strength gradients. The dynamic response of the GDAS under wave-only, combined wave–current, and mooring-line-failure loading scenarios was further investigated. The asynchronously installed GDAS exhibits considerably more stable long-term performance and lower risk of progressive failure under extreme environmental conditions. This superiority is most evident in clays with a relatively steep strength gradient. These findings provide valuable guidance for the optimal design and installation sequencing of GDASs in engineering practice. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of dietary carvacrol on intestinal micro biota composition, serum metabolic profiles, and their association with increased resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila in Pengze crucian carp. Methods: Juvenile fish (5.63 ± 0.35 g) were randomly allocated into two experimental groups: a control group (CK) fed a basal diet and a treatment group (CA) supplemented with 600 mg/kg microencapsulated carvacrol. Following an 8-week feeding trial, nine specimens per group were sampled for venous blood and intestinal tract collection. Remaining individuals were subjected to a 12-h A. hydrophila challenge prior to identical sample collection. Results: Key findings revealed that carvacrol supplementation induced significant microbial modulations, notably reducing Firmicutes abundance while enhancing Cetobacterium populations by 33.25% compared to controls. Post-challenge analysis demonstrated marked declines in intestinal microbial diversity indices (Observed ASV, Chao1, ACE, and PD whole tree) in the CK group, whereas the CA group maintained stable microbial diversity. Pathogenic genera including Aeromonas, Shewanella, and Vibrio showed significant proliferation in challenged controls, contrasting with maintained microbial homeostasis in carvacrol-fed specimens. Serum metabolomic profiling identified the most significantly altered metabolic pathways associated with carvacrol administration: glycerophospholipid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, α-linolenic acid metabolism, GPI-anchor biosynthesis, and autophagy-animal pathways. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that dietary carvacrol may reinforce intestinal microbial barrier function by optimizing beneficial microbial composition and reducing the proportion of pathogens, and modulate immune-related metabolic pathways critical for host defense, which might be involved in enhanced disease resistance. Full article

Background/Objectives: Large language models (LLMs) have shown promising results in medical decision support; however, their effectiveness in managing acute cholecystitis and other gallbladder diseases remains insufficiently examined. This study evaluated the performance of a neuro-symbolic LLM system that integrates multiple AI agents with neural–symbolic reasoning for acute cholecystitis management and compared its diagnostic accuracy with that of human expert physicians across three clinical specialties. Methods: This multi-center cross-sectional study included 30 case-based questions covering acute cholecystitis and gallbladder diseases, stratified across eight predefined disease categories: acute calculous cholecystitis (n = 6), acute acalculous cholecystitis (n = 2), complicated cholecystitis including gangrenous, emphysematous, and perforated variants (n = 5), chronic cholecystitis and biliary colic (n = 4), gallbladder polyps and adenomyomatosis (n = 3), Mirizzi syndrome (n = 2), gallbladder carcinoma (n = 4), and post-cholecystectomy complications (n = 4). Questions were categorized into diagnosis (n = 10), treatment (n = 10), and complications/prognosis (n = 10). Gold standard answers were established through consensus by an expert panel consisting of two senior general surgery expert clinicians and one senior emergency medicine expert clinician, each with more than 20 years of clinical experience, utilizing the Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) as the reference standard for diagnostic criteria, severity grading, and management recommendations. The expert panel achieved unanimous consensus on all 30 gold standard answers. All responses were cross-referenced against the primary TG18 publications to ensure guideline-based rather than solely opinion-based reference standards. This consensus-based, guideline-anchored approach is consistent with established methodologies for gold standard establishment in AI diagnostic accuracy studies. Performance of a neuro-symbolic LLM system orchestrated via LangGraph v1.0 was compared against 10 general surgery specialists, 10 emergency medicine physicians, and 10 gastroenterology specialists from four tertiary centers in Turkey. The neuro-symbolic system incorporated the Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) as its symbolic knowledge base for diagnostic criteria, severity grading, and management algorithms. Results: The neuro-symbolic system attained the highest overall accuracy rate of 96.7% (29/30), markedly surpassing the performance of general surgery specialists (average 82.3% ± 6.8%), emergency medicine physicians (average 71.0% ± 8.2%), and gastroenterology specialists (average 78.7% ± 7.4%). Furthermore, the neuro-symbolic system exhibited superior performance across all clinical categories. Among human participants, general surgeons showed the highest accuracy in treatment decisions (88.0%), while gastroenterologists excelled in diagnostic questions (82.0%). Emergency medicine physicians showed comparable performance to other specialties in acute presentation scenarios. ROC analysis revealed excellent discrimination for the neuro-symbolic system (AUC = 0.983) compared to general surgery (AUC = 0.856), gastroenterology (AUC = 0.821), and emergency medicine (AUC = 0.764). Conclusions: The neuro-symbolic LLM system exhibited superior performance in standardized guideline-concordant case-based assessment of acute cholecystitis management compared to all human expert groups, reflecting its consistent application of encoded guideline criteria. These findings support its potential role as a clinical decision-support tool that augments, rather than replaces, physician expertise. The system’s consistent application of standardized guidelines indicates its potential utility as a clinical decision support tool, particularly in settings where specialist expertise is limited. However, these results should be interpreted within the constraints of a structured case-based evaluation and do not imply global clinical superiority over human experts. Full article

The success of orthodontic therapy depends on the effective, continuous application of forces to teeth. Therefore, an essential element of the treatment is the adhesion between the bracket and enamel. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of bracket base design and bonding system on shear bond strength. The study was conducted on eighty extracted premolars which were randomly divided into four groups of twenty teeth each, using two types of metal brackets (80-gauge mesh and anchor pylons base design) and two types of bonding systems (conventional and self-etching). The combination of bracket and bonding system resulted in four distinct configurations of bracket bonding, with each configuration tested on twenty teeth. Shear bond strength testing was performed using a Laryee Universal Testing Machine. The obtained values were statistically analyzed. Slightly higher shear bond strength values were recorded for brackets with anchor pylons bonded using the conventional bonding system (13.32 ± 4.20 N/mm²), whereas the lowest values were recorded for the same bracket base design bonded with the self-etching system (11.10 ± 4.50 N/mm²). Nevertheless, ANOVA test did not reveal statistically significant differences between the two bracket types or between the two bonding techniques in terms of shear bond strength and force values and no significant interaction effects were observed. Considering the obtained results, several additional factors must be taken into account when evaluating the shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets. Full article

To improve the workability and mechanical properties of Recycled Micro-Powder (RP) mortar, basalt fiber (BF) was used for modification in this study. Experimental groups with different BF contents (0%, 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.2%) were designed to investigate the effects of BF on the flowability, flexural strength, and compressive strength of RP mortar. The microscopic reinforcement mechanism was further revealed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Additionally, an early strength prediction model for the mortar considering the synergistic effect of BF and RP was established. The results show that the incorporation of BF significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of RP mortar. At the 28-day curing age, when the RP replacement rate was 10% and BF content was 0.15%, the flexural strength increased by 9.7%, and the compressive strength increased by 17.3%. At an RP replacement rate of 30%, the compressive strength still increased by over 30%, demonstrating a good “performance compensation” effect. However, the inclusion of BF also led to a decrease in flowability, with a maximum reduction of 25.5%. SEM analysis revealed that BF improved the matrix densification and interface bonding performance through crack bridging and physical anchoring. The established early strength prediction model achieved a high goodness of fit (R² > 0.92), indicating high accuracy and engineering applicability. Full article

Interfacial coupling between CoFe₂O₄ (CFO) nanoparticles and oxidatively functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) enables controlled modulation of structural, optical, and spin dynamic properties in CFO–MWCNT nanocomposites. The solvothermal synthesis promotes nucleation of CFO on –COOH/–OH functional groups, ensuring uniform anchoring along the nanotube surface. X-ray diffraction confirms a cubic spinel phase with lattice expansion from 8.385 Å to 8.410 Å and crystallite growth from 18 nm to 25 nm, reflecting strain transfer and partial nanoparticle coalescence at the carbon interface. The observed bandgap narrowing from 2.72 eV to 2.50 eV, confirmed via Tauc plot analysis, is attributed to localized defect states induced by charge delocalization and orbital hybridization at the interface of the CFO–MWCNT boundary. DC magnetometry reveals a reduction in saturation magnetization from 46 emu/g to 35 emu/g due to diamagnetic dilution and interfacial spin canting, while coercivity decreases from 852 Oe to 841 Oe, indicating modified pinning and domain-wall dynamics associated with exchange-coupled interfaces. Ferromagnetic resonance measurements show a resonance field shift from 3495 G to 3500 G and an increase in the Landé g-factor from 1.97 to 2.00, signifying altered spin–orbit coupling and enhanced local magnetic perturbations. The spin–lattice relaxation time increases from 1.41 ns to 1.59 ns, demonstrating suppressed phonon-mediated relaxation and improved spin coherence across the hybrid network. Spin density rises from 3.72 × 10²² to 4.58 × 10²² spins/g, confirming an increase in unpaired electrons generated by orbital asymmetry at the interface. The anisotropy field and effective magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant exhibit pronounced modulation, evidencing strengthened exchange stiffness and altered Co²⁺/Fe³⁺ superexchange pathways. These results establish CFO-MWCNT nanocomposites as tuneable platforms for spintronic logic elements, high-frequency microwave attenuation, and magneto-optical device architectures. Full article

The development of oxidation-resistant and regenerable materials remains a major challenge for mercury removal from contaminated waters and industrial effluents. In this study, a zwitterionic mesoporous silica gel functionalized with L-cysteine (SG-3PS-Cys) was synthesized, where the thiol group is covalently anchored to the silica framework, preventing oxidative degradation while preserving –NH₃⁺ and –COO⁻ groups for Hg(II) coordination. Spectroscopic analyses (FTIR, XPS, and ¹³C NMR) confirmed the formation of a stable, thiol-free binding environment in which mercury interacts through carboxylate oxygen atoms, electrostatically stabilized by neighboring ammonium groups. The material exhibited a high surface area (134 m² g⁻¹) and uniform mesoporosity (9.8 nm), achieving a maximum Hg(II) uptake of 82.7 mg g⁻¹ at pH 3 with rapid kinetics and cooperative S-type isotherms. The adsorbent retained 72% of its capacity after five regeneration cycles and maintained 38.7% selectivity toward Hg(II) in multicomponent solutions. DFT-based surface energy distribution analysis supported the zwitterionic coordination mechanism, revealing energetically homogeneous and high-affinity binding domains. Beyond its chemical stability, the material introduces a sustainable route for mercury remediation, linking surface energy, electrostatic effects, and porosity to achieve durable performance under acidic and complex aqueous conditions. These findings provide a mechanistic and design framework for the next generation of non-thiol adsorbents capable of selective and reusable Hg(II) removal in environmentally relevant scenarios. Full article

The Thailand 4.0 agenda elevates entrepreneurship education (EE) as a lever to escape the middle-income, inequality, and imbalance traps, yet EE remains weakly embedded in basic education—especially in Thai language. We designed and piloted a community-economy context-based learning model integrating EE (CEC-EE) for Grade 12 Thai via a two-cycle R&D process: needs analysis (surveys and focus groups with teachers and students) and prototype development. The model operationalizes six instructional steps (6Cs: connect, comprehend, clarify, construct, carry over, and conclude) anchored in Mae Chan’s community economy and targets entrepreneurial language skills (ELSs) consisting of analytical reading and creative writing. In a one-group pretest–posttest with Grade 12 students (n = 32), academic achievement and ELSs—analytical reading and creative writing—improved markedly. Posttest means exceeded pretests with very large effect. Experts rated the model appropriate, feasible, and useful; teachers and students reported high perceived value alongside concerns about implementation cost, support capacity, and student readiness. The CEC-EE model offers a context-responsive pathway for embedding EE in Thai-language instruction; future work should employ comparative designs, multi-site samples, and cost-effectiveness analyses to assess scalability and sustained impact. Full article

This study conducted laboratory model tests, integrated with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technology, to investigate the evolution of the uplift bearing capacity of an under-reamed anchor group subjected to cyclic loading. The tests considered various working conditions, including different spacing ratios (S/D = 4, 5, 6, where S was the center-to-center spacing and D was the diameter of the under-reamed body), varying cyclic amplitude ratios (λ = 0.3, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8) and different cycle times (M = 1, 5, 10, 30). PIV was utilized to observe the displacement field of the surrounding soil, revealing the group effect of the anchors and the variation in their uplift capacity under diverse cyclic amplitudes and cyclic times. The results indicated that the load–displacement curves could be delineated into three distinct stages: elastic, elastoplastic, and plastic. Notably, the group effect primarily initiated during the elastoplastic stage and developed significantly within the plastic stage. The cyclic amplitude ratio was identified as a key factor influencing the uplift capacity. Furthermore, compared to results from single pull-out tests, both the vertical displacement of the surrounding soil and the shear strength of the sidewall adjacent to the under-reamed body decreased following cyclic loading. Finally, the influence of the cyclic times depended on the occurrence of anchor failure; in the absence of failure, the anchor maintained satisfactory performance even after multiple cycles. Full article

Thiazides are among the most efficacious and commonly used drugs for the treatment of hypertension. The nanomolar stabilizer N3SA binds specifically to the recently discovered thiazide-binding site of the membrane target NAPE-PLD, showing sustained arterial blood pressure-lowering effects and vasodilation in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs). To further support the relation between stabilizers anchored to NAPE-PLD and their beneficial effects on hypertension, we selected compound analogues of N3SA with chemical modifications at the three target-interacting sulfonic groups, including the drug Suramin. Each compound was injected i.v in an adult SHR (systolic blood pressure of 217 ± 5 mmHg) to evaluate the frequency components contribution to cerebral and peripheral arteriolar vasomotion. We visualized the pial and rectus femoral muscle microcirculation by Epi-illumination, measuring changes in the rhythmic arteriolar diameter. Findings showed that the minor structural differences in compounds correlated with the contribution of the six different frequency components affecting the arterial tone, as well as their vasodilatory effects, in both cerebral and femoral muscle arterioles. These results provide evidence that the spectra analysis of the regulation mechanisms of vascular tone and arterial blood pressure can accurately reflect the structure–activity correlations of different analogues of an antihypertensive compound. Full article

An efficient synthetic method for the preparation of self-assembling conjugated organic materials with a silazane anchor group based on direct hydrosilylation reaction is reported. A novel organic semiconductor molecule, NH(Si-Und-BTBT-Hex)₂, consisting of a polar silazane anchor group linked through undecylenic (Und) aliphatic spacers to conjugated blocks based on benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (BTBT) and solubilizing hexyl (Hex) end groups, was synthesized. Its self-organization on the air-water interface and solid substrates into ultrathin layers obtained by the Langmuir–Schaefer or Langmuir–Blodgett methods was investigated. Monolayer organic field-effect transistors manufactured from NH(Si-Und-BTBT-Hex)₂ showed operation in the p-type mode. Full article

Over the last 15 years, mixture risk assessment for food xenobiotics has evolved from conceptual discussions and simple screening tools, such as the Hazard Index (HI), towards operational, component-based and probabilistic frameworks embedded in major food-safety institutions. This review synthesizes methodological and regulatory advances in cumulative risk assessment for dietary “cocktails” of pesticides, contaminants and other xenobiotics, with a specific focus on food-relevant exposure scenarios. At the toxicological level, the field is now anchored in concentration/dose addition as the default model for similarly acting chemicals, supported by extensive experimental evidence that most environmental mixtures behave approximately dose-additively at low effect levels. Building on this paradigm, a portfolio of quantitative metrics has been developed to operationalize component-based mixture assessment: HI as a conservative screening anchor; Relative Potency Factors (RPF) and Toxic Equivalents (TEQ) to express doses within cumulative assessment groups; the Maximum Cumulative Ratio (MCR) to diagnose whether risk is dominated by one or several components; and the combined Margin of Exposure (MOET) as a point-of-departure-based integrator that avoids compounding uncertainty factors. Regulatory frameworks developed by EFSA, the U.S. EPA and FAO/WHO converge on tiered assessment schemes, biologically informed grouping of chemicals and dose addition as the default model for similarly acting substances, while differing in scope, data infrastructure and legal embedding. Implementation in food safety critically depends on robust exposure data streams. Total Diet Studies provide population-level, “as eaten” exposure estimates through harmonized food-list construction, home-style preparation and composite sampling, and are increasingly combined with conventional monitoring. In parallel, human biomonitoring quantifies internal exposure to diet-related xenobiotics such as PFAS, phthalates, bisphenols and mycotoxins, embedding mixture assessment within a dietary-exposome perspective. Across these developments, structured uncertainty analysis and decision-oriented communication have become indispensable. By integrating advances in toxicology, exposure science and regulatory practice, this review outlines a coherent, tiered and uncertainty-aware framework for assessing real-world dietary mixtures of xenobiotics, and identifies priorities for future work, including mechanistically and data-driven grouping strategies, expanded use of physiologically based pharmacokinetic modelling and refined mixture-sensitive indicators to support public-health decision-making. Full article

Rubber particles have been proven to have the advantages of improving the energy absorption effect and enhancing the friction between soil particles when used to modify the soil. The rubber-modified soil technology also provides a new solution for the pollution-free disposal of waste rubber. However, when rubber particles are used to modify collapsible loess, they cannot significantly enhance its strength. Previous studies have not systematically clarified whether combining rubber particles with different cementation mechanisms can overcome this limitation, nor compared their shear mechanical effectiveness under identical conditions. In view of this, a dual synergistic strategy is implemented by combining rubber with lime and rubber with enzyme-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (EICP). Direct shear tests and scanning electron microscopy are used to evaluate four modification approaches: rubber alone, lime alone, rubber with EICP, and rubber with lime. Accordingly, shear strength, cohesion, and internal friction angle are quantified. At a vertical normal stress of 100 kPa and above, samples modified with rubber and lime (7–9% lime and 6–8% rubber) achieve peak shear strength values of 200–203 kPa, representing an 86.4% increase compared to rubber alone. Microscopic analysis reveals that calcium silicate hydrate gel effectively anchored rubber particles, forming a composite structure with a rigid skeleton and elastic buffer. In comparison, the rubber and EICP group (10% rubber) shows a substantial increase in internal friction angle (24.25°) but only a modest improvement in cohesion (16.5%), which is due to limited continuity in the calcium carbonate bonding network. It should be noted that the performance of EICP-based modification is constrained by curing efficiency and reaction continuity, which may affect its scalability in conventional engineering applications. Overall, the combination of rubber and lime provided an optimal balance of strength, ductility, and construction efficiency. Meanwhile, the rubber and EICP method demonstrates notable advantages in environmental compatibility and long-term durability, making it suitable for ecologically sensitive applications. The results offer a framework for loess stabilization based on performance adaptation and resource recycling, supporting sustainable use of waste rubber in geotechnical engineering. Full article