Search Results (10,631)

The presence of microplastics (<5 mm) has become a major threat to marine ecosystems and the organisms inhabiting them. This issue affects a wide range of animals, including commercially important marine fish, whose ingestion of microplastics can cause mechanical and metabolic damage. This study aimed to characterize the main types of microplastic-like particles ingested by Centropomus viridis, Cynoscion othonopterus, Pomadasys macracanthus, Diapterus peruvianus, Lutjanus colorado, and Scomberomorus sierra, important commercial fish species in northwestern Mexico. Four sampling events were conducted over an annual cycle (November to August) in the lagoon and insular systems of Navachiste and Ohuira, Sinaloa, Mexico (RAMSAR sites 1826 and 2025). A total of 556 individuals were captured, and their stomach contents were analyzed using stereoscopic microscopy. Systematic sediment sampling was also performed at each capture site (El Coloradito, El Caracol, El Huitussi, El Aparecido, El Cerro Cabezón, Topolobampo, El Cerro Partido, and El Tortugo) by examining the upper 30 cm of sediment to ensure representativeness of the particle inventory. Four of the six analyzed species (C. viridis, C. othonopterus, P. macracanthus, and D. peruvianus) contained microplastic-like particles (MP-p), totaling 163 items, with an average ingestion rate of 0.29 items individual⁻¹. The omnivorous species D. peruvianus showed the highest ingestion (0.52 items individual⁻¹; 0.0029 items g⁻¹ wet weight). Five categories of MP-p were distinguished based on morphology and fluorescence; however, their polymeric identity cannot be confirmed without spectroscopic analyses. Sediment results showed that most microplastic-like fragments occurred at site 2025 during autumn, spring, and summer, while levels at site 1826 did not differ significantly. This study provides the first evidence of microplastic contamination in these fish species and in this region of northwestern Mexico. Full article

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is transforming higher education in terms of pedagogy, student involvement, and academic management. This systematic literature review examines 30 peer-reviewed articles published from 2019 to 2025, adhering to PRISMA 2020 and Kitchenham’s methodologies. Descriptive and thematic analyses highlight five opportunities: (a) tailored and adaptive education; (b) deliberate fostering of critical thinking; (c) enhanced accessibility for varied learners; (d) teaching innovation via multimodal content development and feedback; and (e) collaborative methods that regard AI as a co-teacher. Four ongoing challenge categories also surface: (a) risks to academic integrity; (b) excessive dependence on GenAI that may hinder learner independence; (c) inconsistent faculty preparedness and change-management abilities; and (d) differences in infrastructure and policy both regionally and globally. Intersecting ethical issues, such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, transparency, and accountability, highlight the necessity for governance that aligns with institutional risk and reflects societal values. Analyzing the recent literature, this systematic review offers four contributions: (a) a recommendation model for responsible GenAI implementation in higher education institutions; (b) a framework for sustainable integration of GenAI; (c) a highlight of the future research recommendations; and (d) an integrated policy and pedagogical recommendations roadmap. These models emphasize the integration of AI literacy, ethical considerations, and critical thinking goals into educational programs. The review advocates for a strategic, stakeholder-focused approach to implementation that enhances rather than replaces human instruction, thus connecting GenAI’s educational potential with ethical, context-aware avenues for institutional transformation. Full article

(1) Background: Exploring regional foods can help consumers expand their options for consuming diverse food products in various forms. This could enhance human health in local populations. (2) Methods: The present study evaluated the physicochemical composition of quince powder using standard analytical methods. Color parameters were determined using a PCE-CSM colorimeter equipped with a xenon lamp; the antioxidant activity via DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC methods; the sorption capacity (at 10 °C, 25 °C, 40 °C and a_w from 0.1 to 0.9) through the static gravimetric method; and monolayer moisture content (MMC) with the BET model. The isotherms were fitted via modified Chung–Pfost, Halsey, Henderson and Oswin models. (3) Results: The approximate physico-chemical composition of laboratory-produced quince powder (dried at 45 °C for 10 h) was: proteins—1.27 g, carbohydrates—75.80 g, fats—0.49 g, fibers—21.50 g, ash—2.31 g, and nutritional value—355.65 kcal. The color analysis indicated limited non-enzymatic browning. Antioxidant activity was confirmed by all four methods. The three-parametric Halsey model is recommended to describe the representative S-shaped isotherms from type II. The MMC for the adsorption process ranged from 14.41% d.b. to 7.09% d.b., and for the desorption process, it ranged from 13.11% d.b. to 7.80% d.b.; (4) Conclusions: This study presents a quince powder as a convenient form for both storage and consumption, emphasizing its value as a rich source of bioactive compounds and its suitability for home production and regular inclusion in a healthy daily diet. Full article

Ross 308 chickens were randomly divided into 2 groups of 600 birds each: a control group (C) and an experimental group (M). The birds were reared for 42 days in accordance with the flock management guidelines. Group M was exposed to music for 2 h/day and for 30 min before slaughter (~70 dB). After slaughter, the carcasses were cooled, and after 24 h, the pectoral muscles were collected for further physicochemical analyses. The study results revealed a lower value of drip loss in the pectoral muscles of the chickens from group M than in those from group C (p ≤ 0.01). Moreover, the muscles from group M chickens had higher pH values at 15 min, 1 h, and 12 h (p ≤ 0.01) and also at 4 h (p ≤ 0.05) post-mortem. Pectoral muscles of group M chickens also showed lower L* and b* color parameters (p ≤ 0.01), collagen content (p ≤ 0.05), and GSH concentration (p ≤ 0.01), compared to control birds. Exposure to ambient relaxation music in the scheme used in the study may be an effective form of environmental enrichment for broiler chickens, leading to physicochemical changes in their pectoral muscles consistent with potentially lower pre-slaughter stress. Full article

Shallow groundwater in saline soils creates a self-reinforcing cycle where waterlogging-induced root hypoxia impairs the ATP-dependent sodium exclusion mechanisms that plants rely on for salt tolerance. We conducted a two-year field experiment to test whether subsurface drainage must precede root-zone aeration for oxygen delivery to be effective. The experimental site was located in Heyang County, Weinan City, on the Guanzhong Plain of Shaanxi Province, north-central China—a major alluvial agricultural region representative of shallow-groundwater-induced salinization. The site had saturated paste electrical conductivity of 6.0 dS m⁻¹ and groundwater depth fluctuating between 0.5 and 1.4 m. A randomized complete block design with 2 × 2 factorial arrangement compared four treatments: control (CK), subsurface drainage only (SD), root-zone aeration only (RA), and both interventions combined (SD + RA). Drainage increased air-filled porosity from 5.8% to 13.5%, crossing the 10.2% threshold (95% CI: 9.1–11.3%) where gas-phase continuity emerges according to segmented regression analysis. Without drainage, aeration achieved only 4.2 mg L⁻¹ dissolved oxygen with high spatial variability (CV 12.5%), while the combined treatment reached 6.8 mg L⁻¹ (CV 6.8%). Root ATP content increased by 89% in SD + RA compared to control, accompanied by 56% lower root Na⁺ and 185% higher K⁺/Na⁺ ratio. These physiological changes correlated with 31% higher grain yield (7580 vs. 5798 kg ha⁻¹). The synergy index of 1.40 (95% CI: 1.28–1.52) indicated that combined effects exceeded the sum of individual treatments by 40%. Methane emissions declined by 62%, and the system achieved a 2.9-year payback period with a benefit–cost ratio of 4.08. These results establish drainage as a physical prerequisite for effective oxygenation, providing a mechanistic explanation for the variable performance of aeration systems reported in previous studies. Full article

The rapid proliferation of text-to-image generative systems has transformed visual content production, yet the structural characteristics embedded in their compositional outputs remain insufficiently understood. Rather than approaching human–AI differentiation as a purely classification problem, this study investigates whether a controlled set of AI-generated and human-designed posters exhibits measurable structural divergence under thematically matched conditions. A dataset of jazz festival posters was analyzed using interpretable geometric and information-theoretic descriptors, including spatial density (padding ratio), edge density, chromatic dispersion, and entropy-based measures. Instead of relying on deep neural detection architectures, we employed a transparent machine-learning framework to examine intrinsic structural separability within feature space. Results demonstrated highly stable group separation (ROC-AUC = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.978–0.999) under cross-validated evaluation. Distributional analysis further revealed a pronounced divergence in spatial density allocation (Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistic = 0.76, p < 10⁻²⁸), accompanied by a very large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.365). While padding ratio emerged as the dominant discriminative factor, additional entropy- and chromatic-based descriptors contributed to group separation even when spatial density was excluded (AUC = 0.903). These findings indicate that AI-generated and human-designed posters can diverge in negative space allocation and chromatic organization under controlled thematic and platform-specific conditions. The study contributes to the explainable analysis of generative visual systems by reframing human–AI differentiation as a structural divergence problem grounded in interpretable image statistics rather than as a model-specific artifact detection task. Full article

MXene, as a suitable and alternative 2D nanofiller incorporated into a proton exchange membrane (PEM), has recently received considerable attention because of desired mechanical stability, promising conductivity, and active surface functional groups. However, agglomeration or sedimentation in PEMs, as well as the water retention capacity under low humidity of MXene, are limiting factors in the field of PEMs. In this paper, modified MXene and TiO₂ nanoparticles used as functional nanofillers were incorporated into sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) to prepare novel SPEEK-based composite PEMs. The effects of the nanofiller contents on self-humidifying and protonic conductivity of the composite PEMs were also investigated under different temperatures. When the contents of functionalized MXene and modified TiO₂ are 5 wt.%, proton conductivity, water uptake and methanol permeability of the composite PEMs can be up to 0.143 S/cm, 60% and 2.27 × 10⁻⁷ cm²/s, respectively, which represent increases of about 192%, about 38% and a decrease of 47%, respectively, compared with that of primary SPEEK PEM. Under the synergistic action of functionalized MXene providing a higher number of exchangeable proton sites, modified TiO₂ with inherent hydrophilicity enhancing water retention and Pt providing catalytic sites for the H₂/O₂ reaction to generate water in situ, the self-humidifying capability and proton conductivity of the composite PEMs were improved significantly. Full article

The efficient recovery of coalbed methane (CBM) is critically constrained by the inherent low permeability of coal reservoirs, a challenge predominantly attributed to mineral blockages within the pore-fracture structure. In this study, the deashing efficacy of several acid solutions (HCl, HNO₃, HF, and CH₃COOH) on bituminous coals from the Yushuwan (YSW) and Jiangna (JN) mines was initially assessed to determine the optimal acidizing system. Subsequently, the multi-scale evolution of pore-fracture structures and the fractal characteristics of coal samples treated with the optimized acids were systematically investigated. A multi-analytical approach, integrating scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) with microcrystalline peak-fitting, and low-temperature nitrogen gas adsorption (LT-N₂GA), was employed to quantitatively elucidate the underlying transformation mechanisms. The experimental results indicate that HCl and HNO₃ emerged as the most effective agents for the YSW and JN coals, respectively. Optimized acidification achieved significant reductions in ash content (specifically, an ash removal efficiency of 83.99% for HCl-treated YSW coal) through the selective dissolution of carbonate and clay minerals, thereby facilitating the exposure of the organic matrix and the induction of extensive dissolution pits and secondary fractures. Although the dissolution-induced collapse of mineral-supported fine pores led to a reduction in both total pore volume and BET specific surface area, the average pore diameter undergoes a substantial increase (e.g., nearly doubling from 9.0068 nm to 16.5126 nm for the JN coal). Furthermore, the reduction in Frenkel–Halsey–Hill (FHH) fractal dimensions (D₁ and D₂) indicates a decrease in pore-surface complexity and structural heterogeneity. These findings reveal that optimized acidification induces significant alterations in pore structure and mineral composition. The treatment facilitates the conversion of isolated pores into interconnected networks, accompanied by an increase in pore volume and a shift in pore size distribution toward larger dimensions. This research elucidates the mechanisms of mineral dissolution and pore expansion, providing a fundamental characterization of the microstructural evolution of coal in response to acid treatment. Full article

In municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), anaerobic digestion of municipal mixed sludge (MMS) often yields low energy recovery and operational instability due to imbalances between primary and secondary sludges. Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) with readily biodegradable wastes, such as fruit and vegetable waste (FVW), can enhance process stability and biogas production. Life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is used in this study to evaluate the environmental performance of implementing AcoD of MMS and FVW in a municipal WWTP, compared with a business-as-usual scenario combining mono-digestion of MMS and incineration of FVW. The LCA was modelled in openLCA 2.5 using the ecoinvent 3.9.1 database (cut-off allocation approach), and impacts were assessed with the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method, focusing on climate change, terrestrial acidification, fossil fuel depletion, and marine eutrophication. Results indicate that AcoD reduces impacts across all environmental categories, mainly due to higher biogas yields that increase on-site electricity generation and decrease reliance on grid electricity. Improved total solids removal also lowers digestate production and composting-related burdens. Electricity consumption remains the main hotspot in both scenarios, highlighting the importance of energy efficiency and electricity mix. Sensitivity analysis on methane content (61–65% v/v) confirms the robustness of AcoD’s environmental benefits. Full article

Acetohydroxy acid synthase (AHAS) are key targets for herbicide resistance breeding in Brassica crops, yet the evolutionary origin and functional role of AHAS2 genes in Brassica napus (AACC) and B. carinata (BBCC) remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the distribution, ancestry, and agronomic trait associations of AHAS2 across 227 accessions representing six Brassica species. Bra.AHAS2 was amplified in 21 of 42 B. rapa (AA) accessions, and Bol.AHAS2 in 10 of 15 B. oleracea (CC) accessions. In B. napus, BnaA.AHAS2 and BnaC.AHAS2 were amplified in 73/131 and 30/131 accessions, respectively, with 19 accessions showing amplification of both homologs. All seven B. carinata accessions amplified BcaC.AHAS2. No AHAS2 homologs were amplified in three B. nigra (BB) or 29 B. juncea (AABB) accessions. Phylogenetic and gene structure analyses revealed that BnaA.AHAS2 (in B. napus) originated from Bra.AHAS2 of B. rapa, whereas BnaC.AHAS2 (in B. napus) and BcaC.AHAS2 (in B. carinata) derived from Bol.AHAS2 of B. oleracea. Association analysis showed the amplification of BnaA.AHAS2 or BnaC.AHAS2 was not associated with tribenuron-methyl resistance. However, amplification of BnaA.AHAS2 was significantly associated with reduced plant height, branching height, silique number on the terminal raceme, seed yield per plant, and thousand-seed weight in B. napus. Furthermore, haplotypes of BnaA.AHAS2 (BnaA05g03070D) were significantly associated with eicosenoic acid content, oleic acid content, flowering time, and cadmium translocation. Collectively, these findings resolve the diploid progenitor origins of AHAS2 in Brassica allotetraploids and reveal previously unrecognized associations of AHAS2 with agronomic and stress-related traits, offering valuable insights for molecular breeding in oilseed Brassica crops. Full article

Distillation time (DT) is a key parameter influencing yield and chemical composition, and its optimisation is crucial for production. This study is the first laboratory-scale investigation of the effect of distillation time (DT) on the leaf essential oils of Abies koreana, aiming to maximise oil yield and target bioactive components for cosmetic applications. Essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation at 14 DTs (1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, 240, 280, 360, and 480 min), and the yields, chemical profiles, and fragrance characteristics were comparatively analysed. The control (exhaustive hydrodistillation: 20 h) yielded 2.82% and was dominated by D-limonene, bornyl acetate, and camphene. The contents of bioactive compounds associated with whitening and anti-wrinkle activities (α-pinene, D-limonene, borneol, and bornyl acetate) varied markedly with DT. The highest oil yield was obtained at 80 min (0.30 ± 0.01%), while the targeted components were achieved at 80–160 min. Heatmap-based multivariate analysis revealed distinct compositional differences between oils distilled at 80 min and 160 min, with DT shifting fragrance profiles from fresh, monoterpene-rich notes (linalyl acetate, camphor, and fenchol) to longer-lasting, sesquiterpene-dominated aromas (α-bisabolol and β-eudesmol). Therefore, distillation time significantly influenced A. koreana oil, with shorter distillation (80 min) maximising yield and longer distillation (80–160 min) enriching bioactive components for cosmetic applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: Digital health ecosystems increasingly integrate content, behavioral interventions, and commercial offerings across multiple platforms. While design consistency is established as critical for trust in commercial contexts, its associations with health behavior change and objective health outcomes remain underexplored. This study examined how cross-platform design consistency and aesthetic experience are associated with behavioral adoption through psychological pathways and investigated relationships between design-driven adoption and objective health outcomes. Methods: A convergent mixed-method design comprised five integrated studies: systematic content analysis of short-form videos (N = 200), expert evaluation and user testing (N = 33), a cross-sectional survey (N = 186), semi-structured interviews (N = 15), and a 3-month longitudinal health outcome analysis (N = 143). Structural equation modeling tested pathways from design features through psychological mediators and COM-B components (capability, opportunity, motivation) to behavioral adoption and health outcomes. Results: Design consistency was significantly associated with trust (β = 0.52), perceived value (β = 0.68), and reduced perceived risk (β = −0.41; all p < 0.001). Aesthetic experience predicted emotional resonance (β = 0.71, p < 0.001) and moderated design–trust associations. COM-B components mediated 75% of the intention-to-adoption pathway (total indirect effect = 0.51, p < 0.001). High-adoption users showed clinically meaningful improvements in weight (−2.8 kg, d = 0.89), HbA1c (−0.7%, d = 0.65), fasting glucose (−0.9 mmol/L, d = 0.72), and LDL-C (−0.4 mmol/L, d = 0.51) over three months. Conclusions: Within a single, influencer-centered Chinese digital health ecosystem, design consistency and aesthetic experience were significantly associated with trust, psychological readiness, and behavioral adoption. These findings are observational; randomized controlled trials and multi-site replication are required to establish causal mechanisms and assess generalizability. Full article

In the present study, the physicochemical, mechanical, and functional properties of biodegradable pectin/cudlan gum polysaccharide films with CBG oil were evaluated. In these studies, the TS values for the films ranged from 8.50 MPa to 14.80 MPa. The EB values ranged from 33.06% to 39.07%. The WVTR ranged from 13.7 to 9.51 g/m² d. In all the films tested, the change in the L* parameter did not change significantly statistically (p ≥ 0.05). In films with low CBG content (0.125F, 0.25F, 0.35F), L* remained stable, which indicated their resistance to darkening. However, film 0.5F was an exception, as it showed a decrease in L*, suggesting darkening or photodegradation processes. CBG films reduced mold growth, water loss, color degradation, and anthocyanin content in stored fruit, especially films with a content of 0.125F–0.35F, while higher concentrations (0.5F–0.75F) could cause pro-oxidative effects. Soil application of the film showed that moderate CBG concentrations (0.25F–0.35F) increased the content of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and phenols, indicating biostimulating potential, while the highest concentrations could cause oxidative stress. At the highest CBG concentration (0.75F), the carotenoid content decreased to 0.054–0.113 mg·g⁻¹ FW. At higher concentrations of active substances in the film (0.5F and 0.75F), stabilization or a decrease in O₂•⁻ levels was observed, which may indicate the effective activation of protective mechanisms leading to the neutralization of excess free radicals. Full article

Inspired by the Bouligand helicoidal architecture of the dactyl club of the peacock mantis shrimp, this study employed direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing to construct a three-level synergistic toughening system composed of nano-SiO₂, microscale flake alumina, and a macroscale helicoidal structure. The effects of nano-SiO₂ content, Bouligand helix angle, and flake alumina content on the flexural strength and fracture toughness of the composite ceramics were systematically investigated. The results showed that the optimal nano-SiO₂ addition was 7 wt%, yielding a fracture toughness of 1.03 MPa·m^1/2, which was 13% higher than that of pure alumina. The introduced intergranular glassy phase transformed the rigid grain-boundary bonding into a moderately strong gradient interface, resulting in higher fracture toughness for all SiO₂-containing samples than for pure alumina. The Bouligand structure further increased the fracture toughness to a maximum of 1.45 MPa·m^1/2 at a helix angle of 10°, representing a 39% improvement over the 0° sample. When microscale flake alumina was incorporated into the optimal matrix containing 7 wt% SiO₂, the best overall mechanical performance was achieved at a flake alumina content of 5 wt%, where the flakes directly dissipated fracture energy through pull-out, fracture, and bridging mechanisms. The synergistic effect of the three structural levels was most pronounced at a helix angle of 20°, at which the sample containing 5 wt% flake alumina achieved a fracture toughness of 2.07 MPa·m^1/2 with almost no loss in flexural strength, corresponding to a 113% improvement over the sample without flake alumina. These results demonstrate that three-level synergy can be achieved through nanoscale interfacial optimization, microscale energy dissipation by reinforcing phases, and macroscale crack deflection induced by the helicoidal structure, thereby providing important theoretical and experimental support for the multiscale design of high-performance bioinspired ceramic materials. Full article

Chickpea flour represents a valuable plant-based ingredient due to its high protein and fiber content; however, its application is limited by antinutritional factors and off-flavor compounds. Fermentation with LAB and yeasts, applied individually or in consortia, resulted in significant microbiological, nutritional, and aromatic changes. The fastest acidification (pH 3.9) and the most effective control of Enterobacteriaceae (<4 log CFU/g after 48 h) were observed in samples containing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP23, both as a monoculture and in combination with Debaryomyces hansenii Y15A. Peptide content significantly increased in all fermented samples compared to the control, with a synergistic effect in the co-culture Yarrowia lipolytica Y3 + Lacticaseibacillus paracasei L (around 230%). A pronounced reduction in raffinose-family oligosaccharides was observed, especially in the consortia Y. lipolytica Y3 + Lcb. paracasei L and D. hansenii Y15A + Lacp. plantarum LP23 (0.11–0.16 mmol/100 g). Samples with lower total volatile levels showed higher olfactory acceptability due to a marked reduction in aldehydes (up to 70–95% vs. control), and a balanced accumulation of alcohols, esters, ketones, and organic acids. Overall, LAB–yeast consortia effectively enhanced the nutritional quality, safety, and sensory properties of chickpea flour, supporting its use as a functional ingredient in plant-based foods. Full article