Search Results (4,741)

The discovery of a super-large sandstone-hosted uranium ore field in the eolian sandstones of the Pengyang area (Ordos Basin, North China) represents a major breakthrough, yet the relationship between chlorite alteration and uranium mineralization in this deposit type remains unclear. This study conducted detailed mineralogical and geochemical analyses of chlorite using SEM, TEM, and EPMA. Five distinct types of chlorite were identified from mineralized and non-mineralized sandstones from the Luohe Formation in the Pengyang area from the southwestern Ordos Basin. This study addresses the formation temperatures, material sources, and possible formation mechanisms of those chlorites. The chlorites closely associated with uranium minerals formed at temperatures ranging from 130 to 170 °C, which represent the true formation temperature of the uranium minerals in the Pengyang uranium deposit. Comparing chlorite from uranium deposits related to granitic and volcanic rocks hosted uranium deposits in South China and sandstone-hosted uranium deposits in northern Ordos, North China, it is revealed that the chlorites from the eolian sandstone depositional area of the Pengyang experienced multiple episodes of fluid alteration. In addition, the chlorites closely related to uranium mineralization were formed by relatively low-temperature and oxidizing fluids, which may indicate that the uranium-bearing oxidative fluids in this region were primarily derived from interlayer infiltration. Full article

In order to study the optimal size and sealing performance of the foot-shaped slip ring for reciprocating seal, the loading method of fluid pressure penetration is used to simulate the effect of fluid medium pressure on the seal, and the multi-objective optimization of the geometry of the slip ring is carried out based on optimization software to obtain the best combination of parameters for the foot-shaped slip ring. The effects of slip ring geometry, pre-compression and working pressure on Von Mises stress and contact pressure were investigated using the finite element method. The results show that the optimized geometry of the foot-shaped slip ring can reduce the maximum contact stress on the main sealing surface from 108.5 MPa to 75.22 MPa (a reduction of 30.7%) and decrease the maximum Von Mises stress of the slip ring from 62.84 MPa to 41.57 MPa (a reduction of 33.8%), thereby greatly reducing the wear of the slip ring while ensuring reliable sealing. In the static sealing condition, a smaller pre-compression (1.2–1.3 mm) leads to stress concentration in the O-ring, and the recommended pre-compression range is 1.4–1.6 mm. In the dynamic sealing condition, the effect of pre-compression on the sealing performance is greater than that of reciprocating motion speed on the sealing performance, and the foot-shaped slip ring seal is found to be more suitable for low-speed operation at 0.1–0.2 m/s. The optimized design provides a data-driven methodology for enhancing the reliability and service life of reciprocating seals in high-pressure environments. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a prognostic model for isolated moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] ≤ 12) using readily available variables and to explore paired blood–cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metabolomic signatures. Methods: Consecutive TBI patients admitted between January 2019 and June 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression with bootstrap internal validation identified predictors of 6-month unfavorable outcome and in-hospital mortality. Untargeted metabolomics was performed on paired blood and CSF samples from 30 matched male patients. Results: Among 405 patients, 266 (65.7%) had unfavorable outcomes and 54 (13.3%) died in hospital. Rotterdam CT Score (odds ratio [OR] 10.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.19–18.14), initial lactate (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.38–2.36), and blood glucose (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.21–1.64) predicted unfavorable outcome (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] 0.97). GCS motor score (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.37–0.66), initial lactate (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.31–1.91), and follow-up lactate (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.34–1.88) predicted mortality (AUC 0.96). Blood metabolomics revealed enrichment in energy and lipid metabolism pathways. CSF metabolomics highlighted neurotransmitter pathway dysregulation and neuroinflammatory markers, with depleted kynurenic acid in both biofluids. Conclusions: Readily available admission variables enable early bedside risk stratification in TBI. Metabolomic profiling links unfavorable outcomes to systemic energy–lipid dysregulation and central neuroinflammatory–neurotransmitter disturbances, with the tryptophan–kynurenine axis as a potential therapeutic target for neuroprotective strategies. Full article

TC2 titanium alloy (Ti-4Al-1.5Mn, wt.%) is a near-α titanium alloy with promising aerospace and biomedical applications, but its limited room temperature ductility and strong texture sensitivity hinder the fabrication of high-performance sheets. In this study, the effects of hot rolling at 830 °C and 930 °C on the microstructure, macro-texture, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of TC2 alloy were investigated. Compared with the 830 °C rolled sample, the 930 °C rolled sample exhibited finer primary α grains, a higher volume fraction of fine and dispersed secondary α_s phase, and more uniform Mn distribution, while both samples retained an α + β phase constitution. Texture and ODF (orientation distribution function) analyses revealed that increasing the rolling temperature reduced the maximum intensity of the (0001) pole figure from 6.68 to 5.23 m.r.d. (multiples of a random distribution) and increased that of the (10-10) pole figure to 9.62 m.r.d., indicating weakened basal texture, enhanced prismatic texture, and more dispersed orientation distribution. Consequently, although the tensile strength slightly decreased to approximately 730 MPa, the elongation increased from approximately 24% to 28%. The finer and denser dimples observed after 930 °C rolling further confirmed improved plastic deformation coordination. Full article

This paper presents an organization-managed IMAP Agent framework for extending email functionality in environments that rely on outsourced mail services. In this study, outsourced mail services refer to externally operated mailbox providers offering sufficiently scalable email infrastructures and standard IMAP interfaces, such as Gmail, Microsoft 365, and other commercial mailbox providers. In the proposed framework, IMAP Agents are operated within an organization, while user authentication continues to rely on existing institutional infrastructures such as Identity Providers (IdP) or Integrated Authentication Infrastructure (IAI). The IMAP Agent operates as a post-authentication processing component using credentials issued by these infrastructures, without modifying or intervening in the outsourced mail service itself. The framework enables organization-managed mailbox-side email processing without requiring administrative control over the mail server or dependence on provider-specific APIs. As a proof of concept, representative email-processing functions are implemented, including detection of suspicious messages based on header-level authentication information and automatic insertion of thread-consistent warning messages without altering the original email content. To evaluate the feasibility of the proposed framework, a prototype system was implemented using multiple containerized IMAP Agent instances. The experimental results showed that warning messages were typically appended within approximately 300 ms after message detection. Multi-container evaluations ranging from 1 to 100 concurrent IMAP Agent instances demonstrated low CPU overhead and approximately linear memory growth under idle-monitoring conditions, indicating the operational feasibility of deploying multiple IMAP Agent instances on a single host. These results suggest that the proposed framework can provide provider-independent and organization-managed extension of email functionality in outsourced mail environments through standard IMAP operations. Full article

To efficiently degrade tetracycline (TC) antibiotic pollution, cobalt-based (Co-OMCs/F) and cobalt–copper bimetallic ((Co+Cu)-OMCs/F) monolithic mesoporous carbon catalysts were synthesized using resorcinol–formaldehyde resin as a carbon precursor, with hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) and formaldehyde (CH₂O) as crosslinking agents, followed by high-temperature carbonization under N₂. The materials were characterized by XRD, SEM-EDX, HRTEM, and EPR. Key factors-metal loading, PMS concentration, initial pH, and flow rate-were investigated for their effects on TC degradation. Degradation mechanisms and stability were assessed via radical quenching and continuous-flow cycling tests. Results show optimal performance at a cobalt loading of 0.6 g. Compared to CH₂O, HMT favors a three-dimensional interconnected mesoporous carbon framework with uniform metal distribution and high crystallinity. Under conditions of 25 mg/L TC, 0.33 mmol/L PMS, pH 7, and 2 mL/min flow rate, the (Co+Cu)-OMCs/F (HMT) catalyst achieved ~93% TC degradation over 9 h of continuous operation, and 95% after three reuse cycles, significantly outperforming the single-metal Cu-OMCs/F catalyst. Radical quenching and EPR identified superoxide radicals (·O₂⁻) as the dominant active species (~78% contribution), with sulfate radicals (SO₄^·−), hydroxyl radicals (·OH), and singlet oxygen (¹O₂) playing synergistic roles. The synergistic Co-Cu bimetallic effect, combined with the confinement effect of the mesoporous carbon support and HMT-induced uniform nucleation, endows the catalyst with high activity and long-term stability. This work provides a theoretical basis for designing efficient, reusable, monolithic mesoporous carbon-based PMS activation catalysts for advanced antibiotic wastewater treatment. Full article

Neuroinflammation, mediated by microglia and astrocytes, is an abnormal immune reaction in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Stimulation of TRPV1 has been found to enhance microglial activation, resulting in a pro-inflammatory response. Natural anthraquinones such as physcion and rhein are commonly found in rhubarb, a medicinal plant recognized for its dual role in culinary and therapeutic applications. The therapeutic potential and mechanisms of these anthraquinones remain largely unexplored. This research aims to examine how anthraquinones protect against neuroinflammation and delineate the underlying mechanisms in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated cellular and zebrafish models. Among the representative anthraquinone analogs, physcion and rhein showed potent functional inhibitory activity against the TRPV1 channel. The production of nitric oxide (NO) and secretion of pro-inflammatory factors triggered by LPS were significantly reduced in BV-2 cells through regulation of iNOS, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α mRNA expression. Moreover, physcion and rhein inhibited calcium influx and exerted anti-neuroinflammatory effects, which were closely associated with the suppression of Ca²⁺/CAMKK2/AKT and the PI3K/AKT-mediated NF-κB activation pathways. Furthermore, physcion and rhein reduced LPS-driven neutrophil recruitment to the brain and ameliorated locomotor deficits in zebrafish larvae, with the restoration of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α transcript levels to baseline. In conclusion, natural-derived anthraquinones from rhubarb, physcion and rhein, acted as functional inhibitors of TRPV1-mediated calcium dynamics and significantly reduced LPS-mediated neuroinflammation in microglial cells and zebrafish larvae, suggesting promise as therapeutics for neurological disorders. Full article

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) play key roles in arid, semi-arid regions and ecological marginal habitats. This study focused on four types of sand-fixing plantations established in 1990 in alpine sandy land (Salix psammophila, SL; Caragana korshinskii, NT; Salix cheilophila, WL; Populus simonii, XYY). Soil samples were collected from bare sand, algae crusts, and moss crusts. Soil particle size distribution, physicochemical properties, and enzyme activity were determined. Then bacterial communities were analyzed using high-throughput (Illumina) sequencing and the correlations among these three factors were examined. The results showed that: (1) From bare sand to algae and moss crusts, the content of fine particles (clay + silt) gradually increased. (2) Soil water content (SWC), nutrients and enzyme activities increased progressively. (3) In the study area, the dominant bacterial phyla of BSCs included Pseudomonadota, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteriota and Vibrionota. Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) and Analysis of Similarities (ANOSIM) results showed that BSCs drive the differentiation of bacterial communities during succession, while forest stands influence their spatial distribution. (4) Spearman’s correlation and redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that available phosphorus (AP), alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN), soil organic matter (SOM), catalase (CAT), pH, soil water content (SWC), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) are key physicochemical factors shaping the bacterial community structure of BSCs. Mantel’s test confirmed that these variables mediated BSCs’ bacterial community structure. This study elucidates the mechanisms underlying ecological restoration via BSCs and provides a theoretical basis for future restoration efforts in alpine sandy land. Full article

Driven by artificial intelligence, multi-source sensing, agricultural robots and big data technologies, global agriculture is rapidly upgrading from precision agriculture and agriculture 4.0 to agriculture 5.0. Artificial intelligence has evolved from a single diagnostic tool to an intelligent system that integrates the “perception-decision-execution” process throughout. It is widely applied in crop phenotype analysis, remote sensing monitoring, yield prediction, and autonomous operation of intelligent equipment, etc. This article takes the framework of “intelligent perception-cognitive decision-autonomous execution” to systematically review the core technologies, typical applications, and frontier directions of agricultural artificial intelligence. It focuses on introducing the progress of key technologies such as three-dimensional phenotype, hyperspectral remote sensing, multimodal fusion, and causal machine learning, as well as their value in improving resource utilization efficiency, enhancing climate resilience, and supporting field precision management. At the same time, it points out that current agricultural AI still faces practical bottlenecks such as insufficient generalization ability of models, scarce data and high annotation costs, difficulties in edge deployment, barriers in multi-source data integration, and weak interpretability and engineering reliability. Future research will focus on the construction of closed-loop autonomous farms, the collaboration of agricultural large models and intelligent agents, the construction of data centers and AI and data infrastructure, and the development of green and low-cost AI research. This will provide support for the technological innovation and industrialization implementation of agricultural artificial intelligence. Full article

Psychotherapy is a central part of the undergraduate clinical psychology curriculum, with a high degree of clinical practice, which is the most prominent issue lacking in traditional teaching. Case-based learning (CBL) is an instructional approach in which instructors select representative cases that align with learning objectives and use them to organize activities that may not only impart theoretical knowledge but also practical skills to undergraduates in clinical psychology. The objective of the present study was to explore the impact of CBL teaching on clinical psychology undergraduate learning outcomes. This quasi-experimental post-test study compared 13 traditional teaching students (2024 cohort) and 8 CBL students (2025 cohort). Over one term, the CBL group undertook student-centered, case-based learning under faculty guidance, while the traditional group received teacher-led, lecture-based instruction. Variables measured included teaching evaluation (Dimensions of Teaching Evaluation, Perceived Skill Improvement, Course Teaching Satisfaction) and quiz scores (formative/final tests, case item 1/2 scores). The CBL group showed significantly higher scores in selected satisfaction items, perceived skill improvement, and case item scores (all p < 0.005). CBL teaching was associated with higher learning outcomes and student satisfaction compared to traditional lectures. Findings highlight the value of active methodologies in higher education, while underscoring the need for long-term, broader studies. Full article

Objectives: Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC) is a difficult-to-treat infection, most likely due to the growth of Candida biofilms on the human vaginal epithelium. We assessed in vitro efficacy of conventional antifungals and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used in clinical settings, and sought for Candida biofilm-effective single or combination therapies. Methods: Standard broth microdilution assay and XTT (2,3-Bis-(2-Methoxy-4-Nitro-5-Sulfophenyl)-2H-Tetrazolium-5-Carboxanilide) assay were used for antifungal and anti-biofilm efficacies of three conventional antifungals, and selected CAM including boric acid, povidone-iodine, and allicin (garlic extract), against Candida clinical isolates grown at neutral and acidic pHs respectively. Fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices were assessed to evaluate interactions between fluconazole and different CAM. Viable count-based cell enumeration and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were performed to confirm the efficacy of single or combination therapies against Candida biofilms. Results: All selected conventional antifungals and CAM showed efficacies against planktonic Candida cells. Acidic vaginal microenvironments provided agent-specific protection to Candida cells against conventional antifungals and the CAM. Synergistic or additive interactions were observed between fluconazole at serum achievable concentrations and povidone-iodide at topically achievable concentrations against all tested Candida strains. Most antifungal agents except caspofungin had very limited activities against Candida biofilms. Combining fluconazole at 8 mg/L with povidone-iodine at 2048 mg/L effectively killed Candida biofilms in an acidic vaginal microenvironment to a level that is comparable to that of caspofungin. Conclusions: We provided robust in vitro evidence supporting the combinational use of oral fluconazole and topical CAM povidone-iodine against Candida biofilms in managing RVVC. Full article

Marine oil spill accidents pose a serious threat to the marine ecological environment. Therefore, efficient and accurate oil spill detection is of great significance for emergency response. To address the issues of blurred oil-slick boundaries, prominent co-frequency interference and severe speckle noise in shipborne radar images, this study proposed an oil spill detection method based on radar data collected from a real oil spill event at a terminal in Dalian Bay. The proposed method integrates an autoencoder, feature dimensionality reduction, pseudo-labeling, reinforcement learning and an improved intelligent optimization algorithm. First, an autoencoder was adopted to extract compact nonlinear local features from the radar images, and principal component analysis (PCA) was employed for feature dimensionality reduction. Subsequently, K-Means clustering was used to construct pseudo-labels, and the reduced features were discretized to build the state space for reinforcement learning. Based on this, the Q-learning algorithm was introduced to automatically extract the region of interest (ROI). Finally, for the ROI, an improved bat algorithm incorporating a dynamic weighting factor and a multi-constraint fitness function was designed to achieve fine segmentation of the oil-slick target. The experimental results showed that the proposed method outperformed classic intelligent optimization algorithms and the conventional bat optimization algorithm in oil-slick segmentation performance. Ablation experiments further verified the effectiveness of autoencoder-based feature learning, K-Means pseudo-labeling, and Q-learning-based ROI localization. This method may provide a new technical approach for timely offshore oil spill monitoring and emergency analysis. Full article

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum polysaccharide (TH-P) exhibited anti-inflammatory and intestinal protective activities, but its mechanism against ulcerative colitis (UC) remained unclear. This study used a multi-omics approach to elucidate the effects of TH-P in protecting against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mice and the underlying mechanisms. In vitro, TH-P dose-dependently suppressed LPS-induced ROS production and pro-inflammatory cytokine release in RAW264.7 cells. In vivo, TH-P alleviated DSS-induced weight loss, disease activity index, colon shortening, edema, and mucosal damage. Transcriptomic analysis and Western blotting revealed that TH-P significantly reversed DSS-induced gene expression alterations, with particular enrichment of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Serum metabolomics showed that TH-P restored metabolic disturbances in glycerophospholipid and arachidonic acid metabolism. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that TH-P increased microbial diversity, enriched beneficial Bacteroidota, and reduced opportunistic Actinomycetota and Pseudomonadota. Untargeted metabolomics further demonstrated elevated acetate, propionate, and butyrate levels. Collectively, TH-P alleviated UC through a multi-target mechanism involving antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, gut microbiota modulation, enhanced SCFA production, and activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Full article

To identify upland cotton varieties with consistently high yields and stable performance across variable growing seasons in Xinjiang, we evaluated yield data for 11 varieties over 4 consecutive years (2022–2025). Among the tested varieties, 02 achieved the highest average yield (10.85 kg per plot). Variety ZMBH1939 showed the most stable yield across years (coefficient of variation = 0.1557). Analysis of variance showed that variety, year, and their interaction significantly affected yield (p < 0.01 for all). Further evaluation using two complementary multi-environment trial models (AMMI and GGE) revealed consistent findings: 02 and FC190 were high-yielding but moderately stable; W21 and TH02 showed moderate yield with good stability; and XLM108 combined high yield potential with excellent stability. The control variety Z49 (CK) exhibited good stability but only moderate yield. Among the four trial years, 2023 was the most representative and discriminatory environment, making it ideal for screening superior varieties. Exploratory analysis of climatic covariates suggested that accumulated temperature (≥10 °C) may be associated with interannual yield variation (R² = 0.464), and low precipitation was linked to stronger environmental discrimination. However, given the limited number of environments (n = 4), these findings are preliminary and hypothesis-generating rather than confirmatory. This study provides a framework for understanding climate-driven yield variation in regional cotton trials and identifies promising germplasm (notably XLM108 and 02) for further breeding and promotion. Validation in multi-location or longer-term trials is required before drawing definitive conclusions. Full article

Silicon (Si) is an essential trace element involved in multiple physiological processes of animals. This study aimed to investigate the dose-dependent effects of dietary silica (SiO₂) supplementation on production performance and key blood parameters in laying hens. A total of 360 hens were randomly assigned to five groups (6 replicates/group, 12 hens/replicate) and fed basal diets supplemented with 0% (control), 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, or 0.8% SiO₂ for 8 weeks. Laying performance, egg quality, serum immune indices, reproductive hormone levels, antioxidant status, and serum trace element concentrations were determined. The results showed that dietary SiO₂ supplementation significantly affected egg production rate (p < 0.05), with the 0.2% group achieving the highest rate compared to the control. For egg quality, yolk weight and yolk thickness were significantly reduced only in the 0.8% group (p < 0.05), while other parameters were unaffected (p > 0.05). Dietary supplementation with 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.8% silica significantly increased serum levels of IL-2 and IL-4 (p < 0.05), whereas the 0.8% supplementation decreased IL-1 levels (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, serum IgA and IgG levels were elevated in the 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.8% silica-supplemented groups (p < 0.05), and serum IgM levels were higher in the 0.4% and 0.8% groups (p < 0.05). Regarding reproductive hormones, dietary SiO₂ significantly increased serum concentrations of β-endorphin, estradiol, growth hormone, luteinizing hormone, and progesterone (p < 0.05), with follicle-stimulating hormone elevated in the 0.4% and 0.8% groups (p < 0.05). Dietary silica supplementation did not affect serum activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, or T-AOC. Serum POD activity decreased gradually and was significantly lower in the 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.8% groups than in the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, SiO₂ supplementation significantly altered serum Cu and Zn levels (p < 0.05), with the 0.8% group having the highest Ca concentration and the 0.1–0.8% groups showing increased Zn levels compared to the control; no effects on Fe and Mn were observed (p > 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 0.2–0.4% SiO₂ effectively improves egg production rate, along with enhancing immune function, modulating reproductive hormone secretion, and regulating serum Cu/Zn homeostasis in late-phase laying hens. Full article