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13 pages, 823 KB

Open AccessReview

Arabidopsis NLR Immune Receptors: Structural Diversification, Signaling Networks, and Emerging Principles of Immune Activation

by Jianzhong Huang

Plants 2026, 15(19), 3007; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15193007 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Plant intracellular nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) are central to effector-triggered immunity (ETI), but the rapid expansion of structural data has outpaced an integrated explanation of how receptor architecture, oligomerization, and network context determine immune output. Recent structural and biochemical studies, particularly in [...] Read more.

Plant intracellular nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) are central to effector-triggered immunity (ETI), but the rapid expansion of structural data has outpaced an integrated explanation of how receptor architecture, oligomerization, and network context determine immune output. Recent structural and biochemical studies, particularly in Arabidopsis, have revealed that NLRs operate as dynamic signaling assemblies rather than simple pathogen-recognition switches. Here, we synthesize recent evidence across coiled-coil NLRs (CNLs), Toll/interleukin-1 receptor NLRs (TNLs), and RPW8-like helper NLRs (RNLs), with emphasis on mechanisms that are broadly conserved and those that remain receptor- or pathway-specific. ZAR1 (HopZ-Activated Resistance1) and selected helper RNLs form membrane-associated Ca²⁺-permeable channels, whereas TNLs use Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)-domain enzymatic activity to generate signaling molecules that are decoded through branch-specific modules formed by ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY1 (EDS1)–PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 (PAD4)–ACTIVATED DISEASE RESISTANCE1 (ADR1) or EDS1–SENESCENCE-ASSOCIATED GENE101 (SAG101)–N REQUIREMENT GENE1 (NRG1). Paired NLRs partition recognition and signaling, while recent work on ADR1-L1 indicates that higher-order spatial organization can further tune immune execution. We also distinguish structurally resolved complexes from inferred higher-order assemblies, examine crosstalk with cell-surface immunity and transcriptional regulation, and assess NLR-engineering strategies according to their experimental validation and potential fitness costs. Together, the evidence supports a modular view in which oligomerization is a recurrent activation principle, but biochemical output, partner dependence, and membrane execution are not interchangeable across NLR classes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Plant Molecular Biology)

26 pages, 10238 KB

Open AccessArticle

Structure-Constrained RGB-D Joint Estimation of Robot Pose and 3D Damage Location in Weakly Textured Pipelines

by Shaoyi Hu, Saiful Bahri Mohamed and Bing Li

Sensors 2026, 26(19), 6232; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26196232 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Weakly textured closed pipelines—including energy and buried drainage conduits—require timely inspection of cracks, corrosion, joints and related defects. Weak illumination, sparse texture and repetitive cylindrical geometry degrade visual odometry and RGB-D SLAM, especially along the pipe axis, while image-level detectors rarely provide the [...] Read more.

Weakly textured closed pipelines—including energy and buried drainage conduits—require timely inspection of cracks, corrosion, joints and related defects. Weak illumination, sparse texture and repetitive cylindrical geometry degrade visual odometry and RGB-D SLAM, especially along the pipe axis, while image-level detectors rarely provide the axial distance, circumferential angle and pipe-frame 3D coordinates needed for maintenance. This paper presents the Structure-Constrained Pipe Joint Estimator (SC-PipeJE), an RGB-D framework that jointly estimates robot poses and 3D damage locations under weak texture. SC-PipeJE improves YOLOv8-seg for structural landmarks and damage masks, fits cylinders and centerlines from local point clouds, and optimizes a sliding window that couples RGB-D odometry with continuous geometric residuals, discrete landmarks and multi-frame damage factors so that damage observations also refine pose. On a primary RGB-D corpus of 5468 annotated frames and multi-structure sequences, the detector reaches mAP@0.5:0.95 of 0.7194 and Mask AP of 0.6980. Absolute trajectory error is 0.0343 m (67.6% lower than RTAB-Map under the same RGB-D protocol), and multi-frame damage localization yields 32.88 mm mean 3D error (46.6% lower than single-frame back-projection) at about 20 FPS. Quantitative pose and 3D damage results are reported on the laboratory RGB-D Corpus A; a complementary CCTV subset (Corpus B) is used only for qualitative appearance stress checks and is not mixed into the quantitative protocol. Ablation and robustness studies show that continuous geometry, discrete landmarks and multi-frame damage factors provide complementary observability when appearance cues are unreliable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sensing and Imaging)

32 pages, 3602 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Evolution Analysis of Coastline Based on the Location Type Model: A Case Study of Huizhou

by Song Tian, Haowen Deng, Zhuli Li, Fan Yang and Qiqi Lu

Water 2026, 18(19), 2439; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18192439 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Coastlines possess significant ecological and resource values, which are intricately associated with marine ecological civilization, the marine green economy, and coastal human well-being. Comprehending the spatiotemporal variations and driving mechanisms of coastlines is of great significance for their effective protection, rational utilization, and [...] Read more.

Coastlines possess significant ecological and resource values, which are intricately associated with marine ecological civilization, the marine green economy, and coastal human well-being. Comprehending the spatiotemporal variations and driving mechanisms of coastlines is of great significance for their effective protection, rational utilization, and sustainable development. Traditional coastline quantitative analysis methods mostly interpret coastal characteristics from a single dimension and struggle to hard to effectively couple the intrinsic relationships among coastline spatial variation, attribute succession, and driving mechanisms. Therefore, this study constructs a coastline location and type (CLT) model. The model classifies coastline evolution into four typical patterns, namely stable location with stable type, stable location with transformed type, changed location with stable type, and changed location with transformed type. Furthermore, the coastline disturbance index (CDI) is proposed to identify the dominant influencing factors triggering coastline spatial displacement and type transformation at the regional scale. Taking Huizhou as the study area, we employed ArcGIS to extract the coastline vectors of Huizhou in 1973, 1988, 2004, and 2019 based on multi-source remote sensing and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images. Based on the analytical results obtained from the CLT model, the primary conclusions of this study are summarized as follows: During the study period, the total coastline length increased continuously from 248.68 km to 260.81 km, while artificial coastline length increased and natural coastline length declined. Meanwhile, the CDI showed a sustained upward trend, rising from 16.90% to 41.95%. This phenomenon was primarily driven by land reclamation and aquaculture enclosures, accompanied by distinct regional disparities. Specifically, land reclamation gradually became the dominant influencing factor after 1988. This study provides an integrated analytical framework for the multi-dimensional (including location, type and driving factor) quantitative investigation of coastal spatiotemporal evolution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Oceans and Coastal Zones)

26 pages, 774 KB

Open AccessArticle

Combination of Rebalancing and Recharging with Employee Ride Sharing in Electric Car-Sharing Systems

by Zhaoming Wang and Ruiyou Zhang

Sustainability 2026, 18(19), 10044; https://doi.org/10.3390/su181910044 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study investigated employee-based relocation in electric car-sharing (ECS) systems when two staff members share part of a route. Employee ride sharing can reduce empty travel and relocation cost, yet it complicates joint rebalancing and recharging planning. We cast the problem as a [...] Read more.

This study investigated employee-based relocation in electric car-sharing (ECS) systems when two staff members share part of a route. Employee ride sharing can reduce empty travel and relocation cost, yet it complicates joint rebalancing and recharging planning. We cast the problem as a mixed-integer nonlinear program whose weighted objective aggregates the relocation cost, residual inventory imbalance, undercharged electric cars (ECs), and total staff working time. Four valid inequalities tightened the formulation. For randomly generated instances with a 3600-s CPLEX limit, the inequalities certified optimality or improved the incumbents in several cases, although many instances remained feasible-only. For larger fleets, we further designed an adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) with RRRS-specific destroy/repair moves, adaptive operator weights, and simulated-annealing acceptance. The experiments indicated that the inequalities strengthened Model 1 under a tight budget, that the ALNS returned feasible plans quickly, and that ride sharing lowered the objective for multiple instances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Transportation and Logistics Optimization)

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12 pages, 3361 KB

Open AccessArticle

Doxycycline in Hospitalized Patients with Dengue

by Roberto Alfonso Accinelli, Cesar Eduardo Malca-Polo, Kevin Jesus Salas-Espinoza and Wilbert Jorgam Ramos-Mamani

Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2026, 11(10), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11100277 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether individuals with dengue who received doxycycline had a shorter hospitalization time. Methods: An observational, retrospective, and comparative study was conducted in an anonymized database with 64 hospitalized dengue patients from Clinic Fatima, Trujillo, [...] Read more.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether individuals with dengue who received doxycycline had a shorter hospitalization time. Methods: An observational, retrospective, and comparative study was conducted in an anonymized database with 64 hospitalized dengue patients from Clinic Fatima, Trujillo, Peru. They were diagnosed and treated according to the Peruvian Ministry of Health guidelines. Of the patients, 47 received doxycycline with an initial dose of 200 mg, followed by 100 mg every 12 h until discharge. The remaining 17 received only symptomatic treatment in accordance with Peruvian guidelines. Clinical and laboratory variables were compared between groups. Results: Both groups had similar ages, sex distribution and pre-hospitalization fever time, with dengue being the only infectious disease that they had. The doxycycline group had significantly shorter pre-hospitalization durations of headache (103.15 ± 26.30 vs. 125.68 ± 31.21 h, p = 0.009) and longer myalgia (97.02 ± 19.35 vs. 81.88 ± 19.08, p = 0.014) time. Compared to patients who received only the standard treatment, those treated with doxycycline had a shorter hospitalization time (26.30 ± 13.72 vs. 93.18 ± 25.29 h, p < 0.0001), as well as shorter durations of fever (13.79 ± 16.18 vs. 127.08 ± 51.22, p < 0.0001), headache (16.30 ± 19.27 vs. 94.59 ± 26.11, p < 0.0001), and myalgia (23.94 ± 10.90 vs. 120.24 ± 25.20, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, the doxycycline group exhibited a higher platelet recovery rate (0.54 ± 0.49 vs. 0.23 ± 0.29 × 10³/µL·h⁻¹, p = 0.003), and none of them discontinued it due to adverse reactions. Despite limitations, including the sample size and lack of randomization, the findings suggest that doxycycline may represent a promising and useful therapeutic alternative in the management of dengue. Conclusions: The use of doxycycline in dengue treatment was associated with reduced hospitalization time, shorter symptom duration, and a higher platelet recovery rate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Infectious Diseases)

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18 pages, 6607 KB

Open AccessArticle

Palladium–Platinum Alloy Nanoribbon/Nanosheets for Room-Temperature Hydrogen Detection

by Sadaf Mohsenifard, Thomas Thundat and Mark T. Swihart

Sensors 2026, 26(19), 6231; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26196231 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Hydrogen is being extensively investigated as a carbon-free energy carrier, particularly for fuel-cell vehicles and long-term energy storage. Because H₂ can form explosive mixtures in air at concentrations as low as 4%, its safe use requires inexpensive, low-power sensors capable of reliable [...] Read more.

Hydrogen is being extensively investigated as a carbon-free energy carrier, particularly for fuel-cell vehicles and long-term energy storage. Because H₂ can form explosive mixtures in air at concentrations as low as 4%, its safe use requires inexpensive, low-power sensors capable of reliable detection. Here, we investigated ribbon-like palladium–platinum nanostructures, referred to as PdPt nanoribbon/nanosheet hybrid structures (PdPt NR/NSs), for room-temperature chemiresistive H₂ sensing. Sensors were fabricated by drop-casting dispersions of the PdPt NR/NSs onto interdigitated electrodes. The sensor resistance increased upon exposure to H₂ because of hydrogen uptake by the PdPt NR/NSs and formation of a hydride phase with higher resistivity than the hydrogen-free alloy. The best-performing sensor, Pd₅Pt₈, was prepared using a 5:8 Pd:Pt precursor mass ratio, which yielded a measured Pd:Pt atomic ratio of approximately 1.3:1. This sensor showed a response time of 16 s and a response of 6.0% to 1 vol% H₂ in air. H₂ concentrations as low as 100 ppm were readily detected while maintaining a positive resistance response. These results demonstrate the potential of PdPt NR/NS architectures for low-power H₂ detection at ambient temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Gas Sensing: Materials, Devices, and Applications)

20 pages, 3238 KB

Open AccessArticle

Leaf Functional Traits of Caragana microphylla Linked to Soil Microbial Communities Along a Restoration Chronosequence in Alpine Sandy Land

by Guilin Cao, Jinlu Guo, Wenjing Li, Yuan Wang, Qunce Chang, Lei Deng, Xuebin Zhao, Xiuben Yang, Zhe Chen, Shixiong Wang, Xiaogang Li, Wenying Wang and Jinhong Guan

Plants 2026, 15(19), 3006; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15193006 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Vegetation restoration is accompanied by changes in plant functional traits, soil properties, and microbial communities, yet how these components covary along long-term restoration chronosequences remains poorly understood. We investigated Caragana microphylla plantations with 5, 10, 15, 23, and 36 restoration years in alpine [...] Read more.

Vegetation restoration is accompanied by changes in plant functional traits, soil properties, and microbial communities, yet how these components covary along long-term restoration chronosequences remains poorly understood. We investigated Caragana microphylla plantations with 5, 10, 15, 23, and 36 restoration years in alpine sandy ecosystem to examine variations in leaf functional traits, soil properties, and soil microbial communities, as well as their associations during vegetation restoration. Leaf functional traits exhibited pronounced stage-dependent variation rather than simple linear patterns across the restoration chronosequence. During the early-to-middle restoration stages, C. microphylla exhibited relatively higher LTD and LDMC but lower SLA and LNC, with the most pronounced conservative trait combination observed at 15 Y of restoration. With later restoration stages, increased SLA and LNC at later stages suggested a tendency toward more acquisitive resource-use characteristics. The soil microbial community composition also changed with restoration years, with Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteriota dominating the bacterial community, whereas Ascomycota and Basidiomycota dominating the fungal community. Fungal α-diversity generally increased with restoration years, whereas bacterial Shannon and Simpson indices exhibited unimodal patterns. Correlation analyses revealed strong associations among leaf functional traits, soil properties, and soil microbial communities. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) suggested that variations in soil properties and microbial communities were associated with changes in leaf functional traits, with soil properties showing the strongest association. Microbial communities exhibited weaker direct associations with leaf traits but may be indirectly linked to leaf trait variation through their relationships with soil conditions. These findings indicate that changes in leaf resource-use characteristics of C. microphylla during restoration years are closely associated with variation in soil conditions and microbial communities, highlighting the coordinated variation among plant, soil, and microbial components during the restoration of alpine sandy ecosystems restoration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Plant Ecology)

23 pages, 2667 KB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Simulation of Acoustic Agglomeration Using the Multi-Monte Carlo Method

by Charalampos Papadopoulos and Ioannis Anagnostopoulos

Acoustics 2026, 8(4), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/acoustics8040067 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Particle pollution has been recognized as a significant form of environmental pollution. More specifically, the inhalation of very small (ultrafine) airborne particulate matter that is emitted from the burning of fossil fuels poses one of the most serious threats to human health. High-efficiency [...] Read more.

Particle pollution has been recognized as a significant form of environmental pollution. More specifically, the inhalation of very small (ultrafine) airborne particulate matter that is emitted from the burning of fossil fuels poses one of the most serious threats to human health. High-efficiency retention of these particles is one of the most challenging environmental problems, since conventional techniques such as electrostatic precipitators, bag filters, or cyclones have low collection efficiency in the respirable range (0.1 μm–1.0 μm). Acoustically induced agglomeration of ultrafine particles is a promising technique to increase the size of small particles before they enter a conventional filter. During this process, high-intensity acoustic fields are applied to the flue gas stream, inducing interactions among suspended particles that give rise to collisions and agglomeration. The preconditioned aerosol can then be filtered within conventional filters with higher collection efficiency. The present work reports the results of a numerical investigation of the effect of ultrasound preconditioning on the particle size distribution as a function of parameters related to the ultrasound system design, such as the sound frequency and intensity, and the initial distribution characteristics. Particle agglomeration is modeled via the solution of the population balance equation with the Multi-Monte Carlo method. Results show that acoustic agglomeration can shift the particle size distribution toward larger diameters and reduce the number concentration of particles, thus leading to increased capture efficiency of conventional filters. Full article

29 pages, 4496 KB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Growth Records of Four Massive Coral Colonies from Haitian Reefs: Colony-Specific Variability and Associations with SST and ENSO

by Moramade Blanc, Franck Lartaud, David Noncent, Jennifer Weil-Accardo and Evens Emmanuel

Environments 2026, 13(10), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments13100549 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Coral reefs throughout the Caribbean are increasingly exposed to climate-driven thermal variability, yet long-term coral growth records remain scarce for Haiti. This study examined long-term growth variability in four massive coral colonies (Siderastrea siderea and Diploria labyrinthiformis) collected from three Haitian [...] Read more.

Coral reefs throughout the Caribbean are increasingly exposed to climate-driven thermal variability, yet long-term coral growth records remain scarce for Haiti. This study examined long-term growth variability in four massive coral colonies (Siderastrea siderea and Diploria labyrinthiformis) collected from three Haitian reef systems: Léogâne, Caracol, and Belle-Anse. Annual growth bands were identified from X-radiographs, and linear extension and skeletal density were quantified using sclerochronological and densitometric analyses, while calcification was derived from their product. Relationships between annual growth parameters and site-specific sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies were assessed using Pearson correlations, while annual mean Niño 3.4 anomalies were used to characterize El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability. Composite analyses were also used descriptively to examine growth responses during selected El Niño and La Niña conditions. The four colonies exhibited substantial interannual variability in skeletal growth. Mean linear extension ranged from 0.47 ± 0.16 to 0.64 ± 0.14 cm yr⁻¹, skeletal density from 0.82 ± 0.11 to 1.47 ± 0.24 g cm⁻³, and calcification from 0.53 ± 0.21 to 0.81 g cm⁻² yr⁻¹. Pearson correlations revealed colony-specific SST–growth relationships, with the strongest positive associations observed for skeletal density in B82 (r = 0.318) and calcification in Diploria labyrinthiformis SE1 (r = 0.302), whereas other relationships were weaker or differed in direction. ENSO composites likewise showed heterogeneous responses among colonies and climatic phases. Overall, these results highlight pronounced colony-specific growth variability and heterogeneous associations with SST and ENSO, providing an important long-term sclerochronological baseline for Haitian reefs. Full article

22 pages, 3404 KB

Open AccessArticle

Physiological and Transcriptional Responses of the Blood Clam Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906) During Cadmium Exposure

by Yuxin Ren, Fei Li, Xindong Xing, Haocheng Li, Hong Yu, Huiru Liu, Zhixiong Zhou, Xiaoyu Wang, Jian Liang, Chunxiu Chen, Yongjun Guo and Shuang Liang

Toxics 2026, 14(10), 883; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14100883 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) exposure can affect metal handling, metabolism and tissue condition in bivalves on different timescales. We examined these responses in the blood clam Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906) exposed to a nominal Cd concentration of 100 μg/L. Respiration, tissue Cd, redox biomarkers and [...] Read more.

Cadmium (Cd) exposure can affect metal handling, metabolism and tissue condition in bivalves on different timescales. We examined these responses in the blood clam Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906) exposed to a nominal Cd concentration of 100 μg/L. Respiration, tissue Cd, redox biomarkers and histology were assessed over 480 h, alongside hepatopancreas RNA profiles at 0 h, 24 h and 21 d. Oxygen consumption reached its lowest exposed mean at 96 h. At 480 h, Cd concentrations were 44.23 ± 8.99 μg/g dry weight in the hepatopancreas and 31.75 ± 1.81 μg/g in the gill. SOD and CAT activities followed tissue-specific trajectories, GSH content declined, and MDA showed non-monotonic changes. Histological observations included epithelial detachment and disruption of digestive tubule structure. Descriptive expression comparisons identified metal handling, redox, cell-death and immune-related candidates, with more twofold expression differences at 21 d than at 24 h. qRT-PCR examined ten selected targets using three tank-derived RNA samples per time. Together, the physiological measurements, tissue observations and exploratory expression profiles describe a tissue- and time-dependent response to Cd exposure and identify candidates for further functional study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Ecotoxicology)

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27 pages, 22066 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multiscale Non-Linear Responses of Spatial Rainfall Distribution to Topographic Factors in Huairou District, Beijing

by Xiaobo Lyu, Shangzhi Xu, Xu Sun, Shangchao Gao, Feilin Xiong, Miao Yu and Meng-Lun Li

Atmosphere 2026, 17(10), 966; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17100966 (registering DOI) - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Mountainous rainfall exhibits strong spatial heterogeneity associated with topographic effects. Understanding modulating patterns and non-linear responses of rainfall to terrain factors supports mountain storm-disaster mitigation. Taking the Yanshan Mountains in Huairou (Beijing) as the study area, we divided the region by watershed divides [...] Read more.

Mountainous rainfall exhibits strong spatial heterogeneity associated with topographic effects. Understanding modulating patterns and non-linear responses of rainfall to terrain factors supports mountain storm-disaster mitigation. Taking the Yanshan Mountains in Huairou (Beijing) as the study area, we divided the region by watershed divides into northern and southern zones. Elevation, slope, and sine-cosine transformed aspect served as independent variables, while annual, flood-season, maximum-daily, and maximum-3-day extreme rainfall were dependent variables. We applied Kriging interpolation, quadratic-polynomial ordinary least-squares (OLS), multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR), and XGBoost-SHAP to characterize terrain-rainfall statistical associations from global-linear, spatial-non-stationary, and non-linear empirical transition perspectives. Elevation and slope dominated rainfall spatial patterns, whereas aspect exerted minor local modulation. Southern rainfall generally corresponds to higher values with rising elevation, while northern rainfall presented a U-shaped non-linear elevation response. Extreme rainfall was more sensitive to slope than routine rainfall; empirical transition-response features lie at 700–800 m elevation and 20° slope. Multi-model coupling mitigated single-model limitations and provides references for extreme-precipitation understanding and geohazard risk assessment in the North China Yanshan Mountains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Meteorology)

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36 pages, 3953 KB

Open AccessArticle

Structure–Performance Relationships of Metal Oxide Nanofluids for Enhanced Oil Recovery: Balancing Colloidal Stability, Interfacial Regulation, and Pore Transport

by Caiping Hu, Bo Zhou, Minghui Lv, Liping Zeng, Pindong Tan, Feng Zheng, Shuai Gao, Yu Sun, Jinjian Hou, Shuo Liu and Xiaobin Li

Materials 2026, 19(19), 4199; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19194199 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

The effect of nanofluid assistance in improving the recovery rate depends on the balance between colloidal stability, interfacial regulation, and the transport capacity of nanoparticles in porous media. Under the same preparation and experimental conditions, this study systematically compared four nanofluids of SiO [...] Read more.

The effect of nanofluid assistance in improving the recovery rate depends on the balance between colloidal stability, interfacial regulation, and the transport capacity of nanoparticles in porous media. Under the same preparation and experimental conditions, this study systematically compared four nanofluids of SiO₂, TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Fe₃O₄ to establish their structure-performance relationship. Through a variety of complementary characterization methods and core flooding experiments, the colloidal properties, rheological behavior, interfacial characteristics, adsorption characteristics, transport ability, and oil displacement effect of each system were evaluated. The results show that the comprehensive performance of SiO₂ nanofluids is the best, which is closely related to its good dispersion stability, interfacial regulation ability, and effective propagation in porous media. At a concentration of 0.30 wt%, the final recovery rates of SiO₂, TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and Fe₃O₄ were 52.28%, 41.01%, 31.54%, and 21.49%, respectively, while the water flooding recovery rate was only 18.35%. Although Fe₃O₄ shows strong adsorption and retention ability, particle aggregation and pore-throat retention limit its effective transport; in contrast, the moderate adsorption of SiO₂ not only maintains continuous interfacial regulation, but also avoids excessive retention. After 30 days of aging, the dispersion stability of SiO₂ remains above 90%. The above results show that the nanoparticle screening used for EOR should comprehensively consider the synergistic effect among colloidal stability, interfacial activity, adsorption-retention behavior, and deep pore transport, and should not rely on a single performance parameter. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology)

30 pages, 1538 KB

Open AccessArticle

SecureFresh-WSN: An Energy-Aware and Trust-Based Clustering and Routing Protocol for Cyberattack-Resilient Wireless Sensor Networks

by Abdulla Juwaied

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(19), 9736; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16199736 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) in critical environments need to conserve energy and deliver fresh information despite possible cyberattacks. Meeting these requirements remains a challenge. Classical protocols such as LEACH optimise energy but neglect security and freshness, while recent reinforcement-learning and fuzzy-trust methods address [...] Read more.

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) in critical environments need to conserve energy and deliver fresh information despite possible cyberattacks. Meeting these requirements remains a challenge. Classical protocols such as LEACH optimise energy but neglect security and freshness, while recent reinforcement-learning and fuzzy-trust methods address security at the expense of energy balance or data freshness. This paper proposes SecureFresh-WSN, a unified clustering and routing protocol that jointly balances the optimisation of energy consumption, cyberattack resilience, and Age-of-Information (AoI) freshness in terrestrial WSNs. The framework integrates (1) K-Means spatial clustering for stable topology formation; (2) a temporal anomaly-detection mechanism with per-node risk memory over a six-round sliding window; (3) a multi-criteria, trust-aware cluster-head (CH) selection mechanism that penalises suspicious, attacked, and energy-depleted nodes; and (4) confidence-weighted routing that prioritises fresh data delivery while reducing exposure to compromised forwarding nodes. MATLAB R2025a simulations were conducted for the network sizes of 100, 500, and 1000 nodes. Each of the four independent attack types (Denial of Service, False Data Injection, Selective Forwarding, Sinkhole) was injected independently with the probability of 0.015 per node per round, which led to an overall attack probability of approximately 5.87% per node per round. Over 20 independent random seeds, SecureFresh-WSN decreased the mean network Age-of-Information (AoI) by 66.4% compared to the LEACH protocol, increased the network lifetime (LND) by 28.4%, improved the packet delivery ratio by 11.3%, and reduced false suspicion of selected CHs by 41.7% in the case of 100 nodes, with similar trends observed for larger network sizes. Energy consumption was reduced in most cases while maintaining a good level of performance. Full article

15 pages, 2180 KB

Open AccessArticle

Advancing Quantitative XRF Analysis of Plant Matrices Through Validation and Extension of Element-Specific Correction Factors by Comparison with INAA Measurements

by Riccardo Fedeli, Konstantin Vergel, Vladimir Galustov, Omari Chaligava, Mirko Legnaro Diamanti, Tiberio Fiaschi, Claudia Angiolini, Mira Aničić Urošević, Inga Zinicovscaia and Stefano Loppi

Methods Protoc. 2026, 9(5), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps9050142 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) provides a rapid, non-destructive approach for the multi-element analysis of plant materials, although its quantitative application is limited by matrix-dependent effects that can cause substantial deviations from real elemental concentrations. To compensate for systematic XRF overestimation in plant matrices, element-specific [...] Read more.

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) provides a rapid, non-destructive approach for the multi-element analysis of plant materials, although its quantitative application is limited by matrix-dependent effects that can cause substantial deviations from real elemental concentrations. To compensate for systematic XRF overestimation in plant matrices, element-specific correction factors (CFs) were derived from the ratio between certified elemental concentrations and XRF-measured concentrations in plant certified reference materials (CRMs). Here, the applicability of these CRM-derived CFs to real plant samples was independently validated by comparing corrected XRF results with Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) measurements for 165 moss samples. Application of the CFs markedly improved quantitative agreement, yielding median recoveries close to unity (0.79–1.16) for Zn, K, Ca, Mn, Sr, Rb, Cl, and Fe. The XRF–INAA comparison also enabled the evaluation of additional elements for which CFs had not been established using CRMs. Strong correlations were obtained for Ti and Ni in both XRF analytical modes (ρ = 0.70–0.86), as well as for As in Soil mode (ρ = 0.73) and Al in Geochem mode (ρ = 0.79), allowing new element-specific CFs to be proposed. Conversely, Ba showed mode-dependent performance, while Cr and V exhibited weak or negligible correlations with INAA, preventing reliable correction. Overall, these findings demonstrate that, for the pXRF instrument and analytical configurations investigated here, CRM-derived CFs can be successfully applied to field-collected moss samples, expand the range of elements that can be reliably quantified under these measurement conditions, and strengthen the potential of pXRF for routine multi-element analysis of plant matrices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biochemical and Chemical Analysis & Synthesis)

18 pages, 1883 KB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Association and Genomic Prediction of Powdery Mildew and CYSDV Resistance in Melon

by Krishna Sai Karnatam, Roopa Sowjanya Potlannagari, Carlos Lopez-Ortiz, Padma Nimmakayala, Amnon Levi and Umesh K. Reddy

Plants 2026, 15(19), 3011; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15193011 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Cucurbit powdery mildew (CPM) and Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) are major constraints to sustainable melon (Cucumis melo L.) production worldwide. To elucidate the genetic basis of resistance and accelerate breeding, we integrated genome-wide association studies (GWASs), transcriptome validation, and genomic [...] Read more.

Cucurbit powdery mildew (CPM) and Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) are major constraints to sustainable melon (Cucumis melo L.) production worldwide. To elucidate the genetic basis of resistance and accelerate breeding, we integrated genome-wide association studies (GWASs), transcriptome validation, and genomic selection (GS) using a global panel of 341 melon accessions. Re-analysis of GWAS using BLINK and FarmCPU identified 18 and 19 marker–trait associations exceeding the exploratory threshold for CPM and CYSDV, respectively. Candidate gene analysis highlighted genes involved in lipid metabolism, membrane integrity, hormone signaling, transcriptional regulation, reactive oxygen species detoxification, and antiviral defense, including MLO-like protein, lipid transfer protein, hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein, glutathione synthetase, RNA helicase, and elongation factor-like protein. Transcriptome analysis further validated several CPM-associated loci through infection-responsive expression patterns, strengthening their candidacy for disease resistance. Genomic prediction using Bayesian Ridge (BRR), gBLUP, Bayesian LASSO, Bayes A, and Bayes B, evaluated under 10-fold cross-validation, achieved consistently high prediction accuracies for CPM and moderate accuracies for CYSDV, reflecting differences in their underlying genetic architecture. Collectively, these findings identify putative associated resistance loci and demonstrate the utility of integrating GWAS, transcriptomics, and genomic selection to enhance marker-assisted and genomic-assisted breeding for durable resistance to fungal and viral diseases in melon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genomewide SNP Identification and Use for Resolving Population Structure and GWAS of Traits of Interest—3rd Edition)

28 pages, 1786 KB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress on Genotoxicity and Molecular Mechanisms of Environmental Endocrine Disruptors

by Junmei Xia, Jiaying Li, Yingxin Yang, Xiaoyu Lu, Bingli Lei and Tian Chen

Toxics 2026, 14(10), 882; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14100882 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Genotoxicity can be transmitted across generations through germ cells, thereby substantially increasing long-term health risks. Environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) are ubiquitously present, resistant to degradation, and prone to biomagnification along food chains, ultimately leading to human exposure and multi-level genetic damage (from chromosomal [...] Read more.

Genotoxicity can be transmitted across generations through germ cells, thereby substantially increasing long-term health risks. Environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) are ubiquitously present, resistant to degradation, and prone to biomagnification along food chains, ultimately leading to human exposure and multi-level genetic damage (from chromosomal aberrations to DNA strand breaks and base modifications). At first, this review outlines the five major sources of EEDs and summarizes current genotoxicological detection approaches, including the Ames test, comet assay, micronucleus test, γH2AX-DDR co-detection, error-corrected sequencing, and multi-omics technologies. Subsequently, based on classical animal and cellular models, we systematically evaluate the research progress and mechanistic insights into the genotoxicity of both traditional and emerging EEDs over the past fifteen years. Our review reveals that bisphenols, phthalates, polybrominated biphenyls (PBDEs), and some novel contaminants (e.g., BPA substitutes and PFAS alternatives) consistently induce DNA damage, chromosomal abnormalities, and micronucleus formation. The underlying core mechanisms converge on genotoxic insult driven by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated oxidative stress, interference with DNA damage response (DDR) pathways, and epigenetic dysregulation. Notably, some novel BPA substitutes exhibit even greater toxicity than their parent compounds, and combined exposures, even at environmentally relevant low doses, can provoke significant genetic lesions and pose transgenerational risks. In light of current knowledge gaps, we propose that future research should leverage high-throughput screening, integrative multi-omics, and artificial intelligence to focus on low-dose, long-term, and co-exposure scenarios, thereby providing robust scientific evidence for genotoxicity risk assessment. This review not only supplies foundational data for evaluating the genotoxic hazards and health risks of EEDs to humans, but also delineates a forward-looking roadmap for environmental genetic toxicology research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occurrence and Environmental Risks of Organic Pollutants in Aquatic Environment—2nd Edition)

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9 pages, 1272 KB

Open AccessBrief Report

An Asymptomatic Sweetpotato-Associated Trichoderma atroviride Isolate Exhibits Pathogenic Behavior Under Postharvest Wound Conditions

by Richard J. Noel-Torres, Peng Tian, James E. Schoelz and Xi Xiong

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(19), 9735; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16199735 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Trichoderma atroviride is widely recognized as a beneficial fungus and biological control agent. In this study, a T. atroviride isolate recovered from internal tissue of a symptomless sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) storage root was evaluated by wound inoculation in two independent experiments. [...] Read more.

Trichoderma atroviride is widely recognized as a beneficial fungus and biological control agent. In this study, a T. atroviride isolate recovered from internal tissue of a symptomless sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) storage root was evaluated by wound inoculation in two independent experiments. Following 14 days of incubation under warm, moist conditions, T. atroviride consistently induced necrotic tissue around inoculation sites, whereas no visible necrosis was developed at PDA-only wound-control sites. Five out of six inoculated storage roots developed localized lesions of approximately 4.9 mm in radius, while one root developed a substantially larger lesion of approximately 44 mm in radius. T. atroviride was subsequently reisolated from symptomatic tissue and confirmed by morphology and molecular analysis, fulfilling Koch’s postulates under the experimental conditions. These findings demonstrate that this T. atroviride isolate occurring asymptomatically within sweetpotato tissue can exhibit opportunistic pathogenic behavior when storage roots are wounded and maintained under conducive postharvest conditions. This report demonstrated the potential pathogenic behavior of a T. atroviride isolate, and highlights the importance of considering specific isolate behavior when utilizing T. atroviride as biocontrol agent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Control and Pesticides in Agriculture: Current Status and Applications)

95 pages, 32276 KB

Open AccessReview

Conductive Gels for Wearable and Attachable Healthcare Devices: Materials, Sensing Mechanisms, Interfaces and Applications

by Jinmo Jeong and Dongwuk Jung

Gels 2026, 12(10), 883; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12100883 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Wearable and attachable healthcare devices provide valuable insights across a broad range of applications, from health monitoring and disease diagnosis to the assessment of daily human activities. For these devices, both the formation of high-performance electrodes and mechanical, electrical, and physiological stability at [...] Read more.

Wearable and attachable healthcare devices provide valuable insights across a broad range of applications, from health monitoring and disease diagnosis to the assessment of daily human activities. For these devices, both the formation of high-performance electrodes and mechanical, electrical, and physiological stability at human-device interfaces are critically important. Conductive gels, which combine deformable polymer networks with electrical conductivity, show considerable potential as functional materials for such applications. However, existing reviews have often considered material properties, interfacial behavior, and device reliability separately. This review examines hydrogels, ionogels, and organogels by linking material design, stimulus- and analyte-responsive sensing, biological and device interfaces, and healthcare applications. This integrated perspective emphasizes evaluating conductive gels within complete healthcare devices, where material properties, biological interfaces, and device integration jointly determine practical performance. Such evaluation needs to address signal quality and the stability of the assembled system during deformation, environmental exposure, and prolonged use. Future progress will require reproducible device fabrication and standardized validation tailored to the intended application, with systematic assessment of long-term biosafety and alignment with relevant regulatory requirements. Integration with flexible electronics, intelligent data processing, and feedback control may further enable reliable and responsive healthcare platforms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Hydrogels for Flexible Electronics)

22 pages, 775 KB

Open AccessArticle

Examining the Effects of STEM and Authentic STEM Approaches in Teaching a Sustainability Module on Middle School Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

by Rumeysa Bediroğlu and Mutlu Sahin

Sustainability 2026, 18(19), 10043; https://doi.org/10.3390/su181910043 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Global issues such as poverty, energy crises and climate change necessitate that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines be addressed collectively in line with the sustainable development goals. In this context, STEM education emerges as a key component of sustainability education. However, [...] Read more.

Global issues such as poverty, energy crises and climate change necessitate that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines be addressed collectively in line with the sustainable development goals. In this context, STEM education emerges as a key component of sustainability education. However, research is limited on whether authentic STEM, when used to teach sustainability topics, provides an additional contribution to students’ critical thinking skills compared to STEM teaching. The objective of this study is to examine changes in the critical thinking skills of 7th-grade secondary school students following instruction using STEM and Authentic STEM approaches within a sustainability module. A pre-test–post-test quasi-experimental design was used in the study. The participants in the study comprised a total of 69 seventh-grade students taking an environmental education course at a state secondary school. The students were divided into three groups: a control group receiving textbook-based instruction, a STEM group and an Authentic STEM group. The students’ critical thinking skills were measured before and after the implementation, and the data were analyzed using a two-way mixed ANOVA and follow-up comparisons. The findings revealed a significant time effect on critical thinking scores [F(1,66) = 111.101, p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.627] and a time × group interaction [F(2,66) = 25.531, p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.436]. Follow-up comparisons showed that the changes in critical thinking scores among students in the STEM and Authentic STEM groups differed significantly from those in the control group. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the changes in scores of the STEM and Authentic STEM groups. These findings suggest that STEM-based teaching within the scope of sustainability education may be associated with the development of critical thinking skills among secondary school students. Nonetheless, the findings do not provide statistical evidence that the Authentic STEM approach was associated with greater pretest-to-posttest gains in critical thinking than STEM teaching. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Education and Approaches)

20 pages, 1009 KB

Open AccessReview

Mapping the Global Landscape of Civic Education: A Bibliometric Analysis of Central Asia’s Indexed Visibility

by Askhat Makhmetov, Arstan Satanov, Assel Myrzakhmetova and Yevgeniya Matorina

Encyclopedia 2026, 6(10), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia6100212 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Civic education has expanded from nationally bounded instruction about institutions and participation into a diverse field encompassing global citizenship, sustainability, digital life, and identity formation. Yet the international indexes through which this expansion is commonly mapped may reproduce geographic and linguistic inequalities. This [...] Read more.

Civic education has expanded from nationally bounded instruction about institutions and participation into a diverse field encompassing global citizenship, sustainability, digital life, and identity formation. Yet the international indexes through which this expansion is commonly mapped may reproduce geographic and linguistic inequalities. This bibliometric review maps 4954 records retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection for 1975 to 24 August 2026 examines Central Asia’s visibility within that English-dominant corpus. Performance analysis and thematic mapping were conducted in R using Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny. Because exported cited-reference metadata were incomplete, conceptual change was examined through author keywords and title terms rather than citation networks. Publication output grew at an annual rate of 12.94%, with marked acceleration after 2005; the United States and the United Kingdom were the most frequently represented countries in author-affiliation metadata. A manual screening identified 12 records with Central Asian institutional affiliations, but distinguished that only eight of these substantively focused on the region. Thematic evolution indicated increasing attention to global citizenship, education for sustainable development, and digital citizenship, alongside continuing concern with participation, identity, students, and schools. Central Asian country names and regional identity terms did not appear among the displayed trend topics. This pattern indicates limited visibility in the retrieved corpus, not an absence of regional knowledge. Future research should use multilingual, multi-database corpus construction and comparative school-level studies that bring Central Asian experience into international theory and evidence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Social Sciences)

22 pages, 2414 KB

Open AccessArticle

High-Throughput Phased Decoder with Persistent Candidate Tracking for 50G-PON LDPC Codes

by Hanbin Lee and Jeong Woo Lee

Photonics 2026, 13(10), 932; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13100932 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

We propose an enhanced phased decoding scheme and the corresponding hardware architecture based on persistent S-min candidate tracking for high-rate low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes of 50G passive optical networks (50G-PON). Conventional phased decoding provides an efficient hardware architecture but cannot reuse updated [...] Read more.

We propose an enhanced phased decoding scheme and the corresponding hardware architecture based on persistent S-min candidate tracking for high-rate low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes of 50G passive optical networks (50G-PON). Conventional phased decoding provides an efficient hardware architecture but cannot reuse updated compressed check-to-variable messages (CCVMs) until the next decoding iteration, resulting in slower decoding convergence. To overcome this limitation, the proposed decoder continuously maintains and updates multiple minimum-value candidates across consecutive phases, enabling newly updated reliability information to be reused without disrupting the regular phased decoding schedule. A corresponding hardware architecture is developed while preserving the fixed-structured wiring network, pipelined processing, and low-complexity characteristics of the phased decoder. The proposed decoder is evaluated through bit error rate (BER) and block error rate (BLER) simulations and implemented on an AMD Kintex UltraScale+ FPGA to assess decoding throughput and hardware resource utilization. Evaluation results show that the proposed decoder reduces the number of clock cycles required to achieve target BER and BLER, improving the throughput of a single decoder module by 21.47% at the cost of additional hardware resources compared with the conventional phased decoder. A frequency-normalized comparison with existing FPGA-based layered decoders further indicates a substantial throughput advantage even after accounting for differences in operating frequency. These results demonstrate that the proposed decoder provides an effective hardware solution for latency-sensitive high-speed 50G-PON receivers. Full article

32 pages, 8913 KB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Performance of Masonry Walls Strengthened with Glazed-Hollow-Bead-Modified ECC

by Xintian Yang, Fa Wang, Hui Liu, Tianao Wu, Yixuan Chen and Jie Liu

Materials 2026, 19(19), 4197; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19194197 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Existing masonry buildings in severe-cold regions face the dual challenges of structural vulnerability and high heating demand. This study develops a glazed-hollow-bead-modified engineered cementitious composite (B-ECC) and evaluates its thermal performance at the material, wall-component, and building levels within an integrated retrofit strategy. [...] Read more.

Existing masonry buildings in severe-cold regions face the dual challenges of structural vulnerability and high heating demand. This study develops a glazed-hollow-bead-modified engineered cementitious composite (B-ECC) and evaluates its thermal performance at the material, wall-component, and building levels within an integrated retrofit strategy. At 50% volumetric sand replacement and 1.5% PVA-fiber content, a B-ECC achieved a thermal conductivity of 0.244 W/(m·K) (52% reduction) while retaining a compressive strength of 43.9 MPa. Wall-level finite-element analysis, validated by hot-box experiments (±5% error), showed that 20 mm overlays per face provide balanced thermal improvement. A whole-building case study of a three-story masonry teaching building in Changchun demonstrated that combining B-ECC overlays with insulation, window replacement, and heat-recovery ventilation reduced annual heating demand from 70,685 to 17,229 kWh/a, achieving a 75.6% energy-saving rate. The primary value of a B-ECC lies in enabling a coordinated structural–thermal retrofit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Construction and Building Materials)

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27 pages, 2975 KB

Open AccessArticle

Development of P^N-Pd(II) Type Complexes Derived from Aliphatic Amines as Potential Antibacterial and Antifungal Agents

by Michelle Acosta-Encinas, Andrés Amaya-Flórez, Jordi R. Galindo, Simón Hernández-Ortega, Maritza Lizeth Alvarez-Ainza, Josue Juarez, Adrián L. Orjuela, Jorge Alí-Torres, Alberto Aragón-Muriel, Viviana Reyes-Márquez and David Morales-Morales

Antibiotics 2026, 15(10), 968; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15100968 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The development of new metallodrugs has represented an important milestone in recent years for their potential application in different therapeutic approaches. Therefore, the objective of this study was to synthesize a series of P^N iminophosphine Pd(II) complexes (1Pd–3Pd) incorporating different [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: The development of new metallodrugs has represented an important milestone in recent years for their potential application in different therapeutic approaches. Therefore, the objective of this study was to synthesize a series of P^N iminophosphine Pd(II) complexes (1Pd–3Pd) incorporating different aliphatic amines. Methods: All complexes were characterized using several spectroscopic and analytical techniques, including ¹H, ¹³C{¹H}, and ³¹P{¹H} NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, FT-IR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. In addition, complex 3Pd was unambiguously characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Results: Supramolecular studies allowed the main noncovalent interactions responsible for stabilizing the crystal lattice of complex 3Pd to be identified. These interactions were analyzed using Hirshfeld surface analysis, which revealed that C-H···π and C-H···Cl interactions contributed most significantly to the stabilization of the crystal lattice. All complexes exhibited stability in different solvents and positive lipophilicity values, with complex 3Pd displaying the highest hydrophobicity. Through in vitro studies, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of all complexes were determined against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, as well as fungal strains of Candida species. Complex 3Pd exhibited the highest activity, particularly against L. monocytogenes (1.17 µg/mL), P. aeruginosa (4.68 µg/mL), and all fungal strains (18.75 µg/mL), displaying both bactericidal and fungicidal activity. Furthermore, in silico studies enabled the identification of the potential modes of action of the complexes against different molecular targets present in the bacterial and fungal strains. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the efficacy of the three synthesized complexes against different virulent strains exhibiting resistance to broad-spectrum drugs. Furthermore, the presence of the metal center, together with the incorporation of increasingly longer aliphatic chains, appears to enhance the antibacterial and antifungal activity of the complexes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal-Based Complexes as Novel Antimicrobial Strategies)

21 pages, 16099 KB

Open AccessArticle

Integrating Comprehensive Ecological Indicators to Develop a Novel Dryland Ecological Risk Index for Ecological Risk Assessment in Arid Watersheds

by Zhiyu Shi, Qianqian Zhao, Xin Yin, Haibin Zhang, Shuqing Deng, Yuanzheng Cui and Liang Fei

Water 2026, 18(19), 2436; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18192436 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Ecological risk assessment in arid inland river basins is challenging because ecological degradation is jointly controlled by water scarcity, surface exposure, thermal stress, energy exchange, and vegetation buffering. Existing remote sensing indices primarily characterize ecological quality and provide limited representation of risk formation [...] Read more.

Ecological risk assessment in arid inland river basins is challenging because ecological degradation is jointly controlled by water scarcity, surface exposure, thermal stress, energy exchange, and vegetation buffering. Existing remote sensing indices primarily characterize ecological quality and provide limited representation of risk formation and transmission. This study developed a Dryland Ecological Risk Index (DERI) within the source–pathway–sink framework to assess ecological risks in the Shiyang River Basin from 2000 to 2025. The Bare Soil Index and Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index represented risk sources, land surface temperature and albedo characterized transmission pathways, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and wetness index represented ecological sinks. Principal component analysis, correlation analysis, high-resolution imagery, and comparison with the Remote Sensing Ecological Index were used for model validation, while transition matrices characterized changes among risk classes. The first principal component explained 93.97–97.51% of the total variance, and the directions of indicator loadings were ecologically consistent. DERI was most strongly correlated with drought stress (TVDI, r = 0.58) and effectively identified fine-scale degradation in deserts, bare land, oasis margins, and oasis–desert transition zones. Ecological risk exhibited a pronounced south–north gradient, with lower risks in the Qilian Mountains, oases, and river corridors and higher risks in the northern deserts. Basin-wide risk intensified during 2000–2010, underwent substantial spatial restructuring during 2010–2015, and gradually declined after 2015. The proportion of class V areas decreased from 32.94% in 2000 to 15.35% in 2025; nevertheless, classes IV–V still accounted for 52.40% of the basin in 2025. These findings demonstrate that DERI provides a process-oriented and spatially sensitive tool for identifying ecological risk hotspots and supporting differentiated ecological management in water-limited watersheds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drought Risk and Human Vulnerability Under Climate Change: Assessment Frameworks for Water Security and SDGs)

33 pages, 3228 KB

Open AccessArticle

HFRU-Net: Hierarchical Feature Regulation with Attention-Guided Skip Connections and Spatial Context Enhancement for Road Extraction from Remote Sensing Images

by Xiaoying Zhang, Yuexin Liu, Xinxin Pan and Wen Zhang

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(19), 9734; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16199734 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Road extraction from high-resolution remote sesnsing images remains challenging due to complex backgrounds, diverse surface conditions, and the difficulty of maintaining road continuity. Existing U-Net-based methods mainly improve feature fusion strategies, but insufficient feature filtering and limited spatial structure representation often lead to [...] Read more.

Road extraction from high-resolution remote sesnsing images remains challenging due to complex backgrounds, diverse surface conditions, and the difficulty of maintaining road continuity. Existing U-Net-based methods mainly improve feature fusion strategies, but insufficient feature filtering and limited spatial structure representation often lead to background interference and discontinuous road segments. To address these issues, this paper proposes HFRU-Net, a U-Net-based hierarchical feature regulation framework incorporating an Attention Gate (AG) and a Spatially Enhanced Feed-Forward Network (SEFN). Specifically, AG is integrated into skip connections to adaptively suppress irrelevant background features and enhance road-related representations during multi-scale feature fusion. SEFN is embedded into decoder blocks to strengthen spatial context modeling through multi-scale feature interaction, thereby improving the detection of narrow roads and complex intersections. Extensive experiments on the DeepGlobe and WHU-RuR datasets demonstrate that HFRU-Net achieves mIoU values of 82.31% and 73.28%, respectively, outperforming several existing approaches. Ablation studies demonstrate performance improvements after introducing AG and SEFN, with AG contributing to feature regulation during cross-layer fusion and SEFN enhancing spatial context representation during decoding, while SEFN enhances spatial context representation during decoding, which may facilitate the recovery of narrow and spatially continuous road structures. Furthermore, cross-region evaluation on the GRSet dataset provides preliminary evidence of the transferability of the proposed method. The proposed HFRU-Net provides an effective framework for improving feature representation and spatial structure modeling in remote sensing road extraction. Full article

48 pages, 1802 KB

Open AccessArticle

Transformer Inrush Mitigation and Sequential Load Restoration in a Hybrid PV–BESS Microgrid Using Grid-Forming Black-Start Control—Case Study of a 31.59 MWp Photovoltaic Plant

by Teodora Lazar, Daria Ionescu, Adina Milena Tatar, Dan Cristian Lazar, Otilia Nedelcu and Dragos Pasculescu

Electronics 2026, 15(19), 4487; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15194487 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Hybrid PV–BESS microgrids represent a promising solution for enhancing energy resilience; however, the implementation of black-start functions in such architectures remains a complex challenge, particularly in the presence of medium-voltage transformers and grid-following photovoltaic sources. This paper proposes and evaluates, through MATLAB/Simulink simulation, [...] Read more.

Hybrid PV–BESS microgrids represent a promising solution for enhancing energy resilience; however, the implementation of black-start functions in such architectures remains a complex challenge, particularly in the presence of medium-voltage transformers and grid-following photovoltaic sources. This paper proposes and evaluates, through MATLAB/Simulink simulation, a black-start strategy for a hybrid microgrid derived from the architecture of a real 31.59 MWp photovoltaic power plant connected through a 20 kV collector network. The strategy is based on a BESS operated in grid-forming mode, responsible for voltage and frequency formation, controlled energization of the internal infrastructure, and support of the initial restoration stages, while the photovoltaic groups are synchronized at a later stage in order to reduce the energy burden imposed on the storage system. The methodology combines controlled voltage ramping for transformer inrush current mitigation, hybrid PV–BESS restoration, robustness evaluation under irradiance variation, sequential load restoration, and staged energization of the internal stations TS1–TS5. The results show that the soft-start strategy reduces the maximum instantaneous current of transformer TS2 from 188.3620 A to 0.3515 A and the maximum current of the BESS source from 4729.2 A to 57.7929 A. In the hybrid scenario, after photovoltaic source synchronization at 7 s, PV power rises to 2.75 MW, while the power supplied by the BESS decreases from 3.00 MW to 0.25 MW. The analysis of irradiance variation confirms the increased energy dependence on the BESS under reduced solar resource conditions, while sequential load restoration demonstrates the feasibility of controlled reconnection up to 30.25 MW. Overall, the study confirms that the proposed architecture and staged control logic provide a feasible and transferable framework for enhancing the resilience of large-scale photovoltaic power plants based on hybrid PV–BESS microgrids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Microgrids in Power System)

14 pages, 752 KB

Open AccessArticle

Reliability of Markerless 2D Video Analysis for Calculating Gait Joint Angles in Uncontrolled Environments

by Sagrario Pérez-de la Cruz, Francisco Molina-Rueda and Pilar Fernández-González

Sensors 2026, 26(19), 6229; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26196229 - 30 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background: Traditional 3D gait analysis constrains natural movement variability due to artificial laboratory settings; thus, this study evaluated the intra- and inter-rater reliability of a low-cost, 2D markerless smartphone video protocol for assessing lower limb sagittal kinematics in an unconstrained environment. Methods: Forty-five [...] Read more.

Background: Traditional 3D gait analysis constrains natural movement variability due to artificial laboratory settings; thus, this study evaluated the intra- and inter-rater reliability of a low-cost, 2D markerless smartphone video protocol for assessing lower limb sagittal kinematics in an unconstrained environment. Methods: Forty-five healthy young adults walked at a self-selected speed in a non-laboratory corridor, where sagittal hip, knee, and ankle angles were recorded at 60 fps and analyzed using Kinovea^® software by two independent raters, with one rater repeating measurements seven days later. Results: Inter-rater reliability ranged from moderate to good across most joint variables (ICC = 0.628–0.789), except for the ankle during loading response, which showed poor consistency (ICC = 0.381). Between-session intra-rater reliability was generally lower, ranging from poor to moderate (ICC = 0.278–0.580), with the lowest values observed at the hip (ICC = 0.278) and ankle (ICC = 0.391) during loading response. Minimal Detectable Change (MDC95) values ranged from 7.07° to 8.95° for inter-rater assessments and from 7.40° to 16.55° for intra-rater assessments, with Bland–Altman analysis displaying wide limits of agreement longitudinally. Conclusions: In conclusion, while prior observer training standardizes criteria for immediate cross-sectional evaluations, the protocol’s high sensitivity to measurement variability and unconstrained motor execution limits its clinical application for longitudinal tracking across different sessions. Between-session intra-rater variability reflects evaluator subjectivity in manual frame selection and landmark digitization over time when no physical markers are present, rather than biological gait fluctuations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors Technology in Physical Rehabilitation: Opportunities and Challenges)

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