Search Results (3,611)

Firstly, based on one-dimensional Terzaghi consolidation theory, we derived and established the analytical solution of excess pore water pressure and average consolidation degree of double-layered foundation, which can reflect the effect of fiber reinforcement. Meanwhile, the one-dimensional consolidation test of a double-layered foundation was carried out by means of a modified WG-type (product series code) consolidation instrument. The accuracy of the theoretical solution was verified by designing different consolidation parameters of the basalt fiber-reinforced solidified lightweight soil (BF-SLS) layer. Secondly, our findings suggest that the settlement rate of the double-layered foundation decreased with the increase in thickness, compression modulus and fiber mixing ratio of the BF-SLS layer. Nevertheless, the average pore pressure dissipation rate changed in the opposite trend. Both increased with increasing permeability coefficient of the BF-SLS layer. Within the thickness ratio range of 0 to 1/2 between the upper and lower layers, the thickness of the BF-SLS layer significantly influenced the consolidation process of the double-layer foundation. At equivalent T_v levels, the difference in consolidation degree exceeded 60%. Finally, a comparison of various simplified methods for calculating the average consolidation degree of double-layer foundations reveals that neither the weighted consolidation coefficient method nor the average index method yields results that are in good agreement with theoretical solutions. The difference between U_s (defined by sedimentation) and U_p (defined by pore pressure) cannot be distinguished. This research can further refine the consolidation theory of “upper hard and lower soft” double-layer foundations. Full article

The taxonomy of Tettigometra Latreille, 1804 s.l. (Hemiptera, Tettigometridae, Tettigometrini) has long remained unstable due to weak diagnostic characters, conflicting interpretations, and frequent misidentifications. Based on extensive examination of the illustrated literature and major museum collections, a new generic framework is proposed, relying primarily on comparative analyses of male genital morphology (particularly the mediodorsal aedeagal process and paired ventral anal processes) while external morphology alone is shown to be unreliable for stable delimitation. In discussing the need for a taxonomy that is both phylogenetically grounded and operational, allowing reliable identifications, preserving compatibility with past determinations despite the lack of molecular evidence, and remaining flexible enough to accommodate future results, we recognize two informal taxonomic groups and fourteen genera. The tettigometrinan group includes Tettigometra, Brachyceps, Metroplaca, Mimarada, Mediodentometra gen. nov., and Persiametra gen. nov.; the apexometrinan group includes Apexometra gen. nov., Erratometra gen. nov., Eurychila, Hystrigonia, Micracanthometra gen. nov., Mitricephalus, Stirometra, and Macrometrina. Following a conservative and operational taxonomic approach, we refrained from describing new species or accepting unsubstantiated synonymies, preferring to retain potentially distinct forms as provisionally valid species pending molecular confirmation. Each taxon is listed with its taxonomic and nomenclatural status, diagnosis, species composition, and distribution. Problematic taxa and misapplied names are clarified, and a key to genera is provided. Full article

Haruki Murakami’s Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World portrays a world where the “shadow”, the seat of memory, desire, and volition, is surgically removed, leaving behind a perfectly fluent but phenomenologically empty self. We argue that this literary structure mirrors a precise mathematical distinction in topological quantum matter. In a semisimple theory such as the semions of $\mathrm{SU}{\left(2\right)}_1$, there is a reducible component $V\left(x\right)$ of the $\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{C})$ character variety: a flat, abelian manifold devoid of parabolic singularities. By contrast, the non-semisimple completion introduces a neutral indecomposable excitation, the neglecton, whose presence forces the mapping class group from the standard braid group $B_2$ to the affine braid group ${\mathrm{Aff}}_2$ and lifts the character variety to the Cayley cubic $V\left(C\right)$, with its four parabolic loci. We propose that contemporary AI systems, including large language models, inhabit the shadowless regime of $V\left(x\right)$: they exhibit coherence and fluency but lack any bulk degree of freedom capable of supporting persistent identity, non-contractible memory, or choice. To endow artificial systems with depth, one must introduce a structural asymmetry, a fixed, neutral defect analogous to the neglecton, that embeds computation in the non-semisimple geometry of the cubic. We outline an experimentally plausible architecture for such an “artificial ombre,” based on annular topological media with a pinned parabolic defect, realisable in fractional quantum Hall heterostructures, $p+ip$ superconductors, or cold-atom simulators. Our framework suggests that consciousness, biological or artificial, may depend on or benefit from a bulk–boundary tension mediated by a logarithmic degree of freedom: a mathematical shadow that cannot be computed away. Engineering such a defect offers a new pathway toward AGI with genuine phenomenological depth. Full article

Surfactants are harmful, persistent pollutants that are often found in contaminated soils, wastewater, and industrial effluents in complex mixes. Due to their chemical diversity and persistence, they present a bioremediation challenge. Using long-read shotgun metagenomics, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, PICRUSt2 functional prediction, and physicochemical proxies (total organic carbon, dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, foaming activity, etc.), this study investigated the aerobic biodegradation of SDS, SLS, rhamnolipids, Triton X-100, and CTAB (individually/mixed, 4% w/v) by microbial consortia enriched from oil-contaminated soil for 14 days. Pseudomonadota was dominant (85–90%), with Pseudomonas (60%) driving SLS and SDS degradation, while Paraburkholderia and Bordetella were dominant in recalcitrant surfactant degradation. Among the surfactants, SLS, rhamnolipids, and the combination of all surfactants demonstrated higher degradation by virtue of total organic carbon reductions of 50%, 56%, and 50%, respectively, and a foaming activity decline of 45–64%. The combination of surfactants with CTAB showed a 21% reduction in TOC, most likely due to CTAB’s known bactericidal effects. PICRUSt2 showed differential enrichment in alkyl oxidation, sulfate ester hydrolysis, aromatic ring cleavage, and fatty acid/sulfur genes and pathways. This study establishes inexpensive, scalable proxy indicators for monitoring surfactant bioremediation when direct metabolite analysis is impractical. Full article

Comprehensive investigations of the serviceability of pearlite (R260) steel have been performed and, especially, of the serviceability of their welded joints (WJ) during long-term operation in hydrogen-containing environments for application in additive manufacturing technology. It is important to estimate the durability of these steels and their WJ in hydrogen and develop the procedures of analysis of the influence of hydrogen during long-term operation. It has been experimentally observed that hydrogen absorbed (0.4 … 0.8 ppm) by the pearlite (R260) steel while welding, and subsequent operation thereof, exercises considerable influence on fatigue and brittle fractures of the constructions from which they are manufactured. Accordingly, in hydrogen-saturated (up to 4.7 ppm) specimens, the desired fatigue crack can be obtained at a considerably lower number of cycles of the same dynamic load than in non-hydrogenated ones. Increased hydrogen content can also affect crack propagation. Tests have shown that critical fracture occurs faster in hydrogenated specimens (46.6 MPa m^0.5) than in non-hydrogenated ones. Also, hydrogenated specimens exhibit lower fracture toughness than their non-hydrogenated counterparts. Finally, it has been demonstrated that the fracture toughness of specimens taken from rail negligibly (49.7 … 50.7 MPa m^0.5) depend on their orientation (L–S or S–L). Full article

Second cheese whey (SCW), a major by-product of ricotta cheese production, poses significant environmental challenges due to its high organic load. Biohydrogen (bio-H₂) and poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production offer a sustainable reuse of SCW, that provides ideal nutrients for microbial growth. This study aimed to convert SCW into Bio-H₂ and PHB using a 5-liter tubular bioreactor in a sequential lactic fermentation and photofermentation system. Two lighting conditions were tested: white LED (WL) and selected LED (SL). Optimal results were achieved with a co-inoculum of Lactococcus lactis MK L84 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei MK L49 at pH 4.5–5.5, followed by photofermentation with Rhodopseudomonas palustris 42OL under SL condition. The process yielded an average of 0.47 L of H₂ per liter of substrate and 1.66% wPHB/wCDW. This approach successfully transformed dairy waste into high-value products, promoting circular economy principles. Full article

The hemibiotrophic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae (Pst) infects a range of plant species and causes enormous economic losses. Despite its agronomic significance, the molecular mechanisms underlying tomato–Pst interactions remain largely uncharacterized. To elucidate these mechanisms, we conducted a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis using infected tomato leaves inoculated with virulent strains Pst DC3000 at relatively early time points. RNA-sequencing of nine libraries identified stage-specific expression patterns, with DEG counts ranging from 484 to 1267 upregulated and from 560 to 844 downregulated genes. Enrichment analysis highlighted significant alterations in metabolic pathways, plant–pathogen interaction networks, and hormone signaling cascades, with marked transcriptional reprogramming observed between the pre- and post-infection stages. A longitudinal analysis of gene expression dynamics identified 15 consistently upregulated and 9 downregulated genes across all post-inoculation time points. Notably, in several candidate genes, a homologous gene of AtNSP2, SlNSP-Like was confirmed to be involved in disease resistance in tomato leaves. SlNSP-Like is localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and the transient overexpression of SlNSP-Like tomato plant exhibits significant resistance to Pst DC3000. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular dialogue between tomato and Pst, and the identified regulatory genes and pathways serve as promising targets for breeding disease-resistant tomato cultivars and developing management strategies against bacterial spot disease. Full article

Background and Aims: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, frequently diagnosed at advanced stages. High-risk features—tumor size ≥ 40 mm, cT3/cT4, nodal involvement, diffuse histology, and Borrmann type III/IV—are associated with peritoneal metastasis (PM). Staging laparoscopy with peritoneal washing (PW) is superior to conventional preoperative imaging modalities, including contrast-enhanced CT, MRI, PET/CT and endoscopic ultrasound, in detecting occult peritoneal disease. In this era of personalized medicine and expanding loco-regional strategies such as cytoreductive surgery (CRS)/Hyperthermic IntraPEritoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) and Pressurized IntraPeritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC), accurate staging is crucial. This study assessed the impact of SL and PW in high-risk GC. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 113 consecutive high-risk GC patients who underwent SL and PW between 2014 and 2024 at our institution. The primary endpoint was detection of PM or positive cytology (CY+). Secondary endpoints were treatment modification, eligibility for loco-regional therapy, and safety. Results: SL/PW identified PM or CY+ in 26 patients (23%), including 16 with CY+ only. None had radiologic signs of peritoneal disease. SL findings altered treatment in all cases: 21 patients (81%) with Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI) < 6 underwent induction chemotherapy followed by CRS + HIPEC; 5 patients (PCI > 6) were spared non-therapeutic laparotomy and treated with bidirectional systemic chemotherapy and PIPAC. In 10 patients, systemic therapy was shifted from FLOT (fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel) to FOLFOX (fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) ± nivolumab. No perioperative complications occurred; all patients were discharged within 24 h without delay in systemic treatment. Conclusions: SL with PW is safe and significantly improves staging accuracy in high-risk GC, enabling personalized therapeutic planning. Routine integration of SL should be considered essential in treatment algorithms to guide systemic and loco-regional strategies. Full article

Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) is a novel flavi-like virus first identified in 2010 in Rhipicephalus microplus in the Jingmen region of Hubei Province, China and has been reported in different Asian countries, Central and South America, Africa, and Europe. Beyond ticks, JMTV has been detected in a range of other arthropods and in vertebrate hosts. In humans, JMTV has been found in patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Kosovo and Turkey, and in febrile patients with a history of tick bites in China, suggesting it may be a novel human pathogen. To investigate the presence of JMTV in Italy, we developed a One-step real-time RT-PCR assay and applied it to individually screen 1150 ticks collected from northeastern, central, and southern Italy. JMTV RNA was detected in multiple tick species, including Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l., Dermacentor marginatus, and Hyalomma marginatum with a prevalence ranging from 0.52% to 18.42% in questing ticks. The detection of JMTV in ticks from all surveyed areas, indicates that the virus is geographically widespread in Italy. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive surveillance strategies to identify new areas of active virus circulation and to investigate the potential impact of JMTV on public health. Full article

Perennial ryegrass is a widely cultivated cool-season forage and turf grass species whose growth and development are limited by drought and high temperature. MAX2 is an F-box leucine-rich repeat (LRR) protein, which serves as a central component of strigolactone (SL) and karrikin (KAR) signaling pathways, involved in multiple growth and developmental processes as well as stress response. Here, we identified LpMAX2, a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) homolog of Arabidopsis MAX2 (AtMAX2) and rice D3. LpMAX2 can interact with AtD14 and LpD14 in an SL-dependent manner, implying functional conservation with AtMAX2. Overexpression of LpMAX2 in the Arabidopsis max2-3 mutant partially rescued leaf morphology, hypocotyl elongation, and branching phenotypes, while fully restoring drought tolerance, highlighting the evolutionarily conserved roles of MAX2 in plant growth and drought resistance. In conclusion, LpMAX2 is evolutionarily conserved in SL/KAR signaling pathways, highlighting its potential function in drought adaptation. In addition to elucidating the biological function of LpMAX2, this study identifies a promising genetic target for enhancing stress resilience in forage grasses through biotechnological approaches. Full article

Malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by the An. gambiae complex and An. funestus group, whose distribution varies across ecological settings. Secondary species occur at lower densities, but their role in transmission may differ from one locality to another depending on local conditions. Assessing Anopheles biodiversity using ecological indices is therefore essential to characterise their diversity and relative abundance. This study investigated the biodiversity and spatial distribution of Anopheles species across the three climatic zones of Burkina Faso to guide effective vector control strategies. Indoor resting mosquitoes were collected from 67 health districts across the 13 regions of Burkina Faso between September and December 2022 using pyrethroid spray catches. A total of 30,521 Anopheles mosquitoes were identified, with An. gambiae s.l. dominating (94.4%). The Sudano-Sahelian zone recorded the highest abundance, followed by the Soudanian and Sahelian zones. Biodiversity decreased from humid southern to arid northern areas, with the Soudanian zone showing the highest diversity. Molecular analysis of 2026 An. gambiae s.l. specimens revealed marked heterogeneity: An. coluzzii predominated in Sahelian (74.9%) and Sudano-Sahelian (71.2%) zones, while An. gambiae s.s. was most frequent in the Soudanian zone (53.8%). These results highlight spatial and ecological differences in Anopheles composition across Burkina Faso and emphasize the need for locally adapted malaria vector control strategies. Full article

We describe two new species of Paradraconema from subtidal sediments of Korean waters: P. tamraense sp. nov. from Jeju Island and P. gangchii sp. nov. from Dokdo Island. Although the epithet tamraense had appeared previously in the literature, it was treated as a nomen nudum and therefore lacked nomenclatural availability under the ICZN. In this study, the species is newly and validly established based on a critical reassessment of the original material, supported by new line drawings and detailed observations using differential interference contrast (DIC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Paradraconema amraense sp. nov. is characterized by a slender body; pharyngeal annules bearing weakly developed longitudinal bars with smooth margins; a narrow lateral field at midbody; abundant and relatively long somatic setae; a head capsule partially covered with vacuolated ornamentation; an amphidial fovea that is elongate loop-shaped in males and circular, unispiral in females; eleven cephalic adhesion tubes (CAT); and comparatively long sublateral adhesion tubes (SlAT) and subventral adhesion tubes (SvAT). Paradraconema gangchii sp. nov. is characterized by a slender body; cuticle ornamentation with numerous longitudinal bars bearing finely crenulated margins in the pharyngeal region; sparse and short somatic setae; a head capsule fully covered with vacuolar ornamentation (reticulate under SEM); an amphidial fovea that is elongate loop-shaped in males and circular, unispiral, slightly over one coil in females; relatively short spicules (36–46 µm); eleven CAT; and relatively short SlAT and SvAT. SEM revealed several fine morphological features not previously documented in the genus, including the precise number and arrangement of CAT and detailed structures of the cuticle ornamentation and lip region. This study provides comprehensive SEM-based documentation for Paradraconema, increases the number of valid species in the genus to thirteen, and enhances our understanding of draconematid diversity in the northwestern Pacific. Full article

Offshore wind farms (OWFs) represent an increasingly important renewable energy source, yet their environmental impacts, particularly underwater noise, require systematic study. Estimating the operational source level (SL) of a single turbine and predicting sound pressure levels (SPLs) at sensitive locations can be challenging. Here, we integrate a turbine SL prediction algorithm with open-source propagation models in a Jupyter Notebook (version 7.4.7) to streamline aggregated SPL estimation for OWFs. Species-specific audiograms and weighting functions are included to assess potential biological impacts. The tool is applied to four planned OWFs, two in the Canary region and two in the Belgian and German North Seas, under conservative assumptions. Results indicate that at 10 m/s wind speed, a single turbine’s SL reaches 143 dB re 1 µPa in the one-third octave band centered at 160 Hz. Sensitivity analyses indicate that variations in wind speed can cause the operational source level at 160 Hz to increase by up to approximately 2 dB re 1 µPa²/Hz from the nominal value used in this study, while differences in sediment type can lead to transmission loss variations ranging from 0 to on the order of 100 dB, depending on bathymetry and range. Maximum SPLs of 112 dB re 1 µPa are predicted within OWFs, decreasing to ~50 dB re 1 µPa at ~100 km. Within OWFs, Low-Frequency (LF) cetaceans and Phocid Carnivores in Water (PCW) would likely perceive the noise; National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) marine mammals’ auditory-injury thresholds are not exceeded, but behavioral-harassment thresholds may be crossed. Outside the farms, only LF audiograms are crossed. In high-traffic North Sea regions, OWF noise is largely masked, whereas in lower-noise areas, such as the Canary Islands, it can exceed ambient levels, highlighting the importance of site-specific assessments, accurate ambient noise monitoring and propagation modeling for ecological impact evaluation. Full article

The long-term safety of concrete shaft walls in deep mines faces severe challenges from the coupled effects of stress, chemical erosion, and dynamic disturbances. This study conducted coupled loading and sulfate erosion tests on concrete and investigated its dynamic response using drop-weight impact tests. The failure modes, impact force time-history curves, and strain time-history curves of concrete under different erosion ages and load levels were analyzed. The SEM observations revealed the microstructure of the concrete. Results indicate that increasing drop height exacerbates specimen failure and elevates peak impact force and strain, while simultaneously shortening the impact duration. Compared to SL20, SL40 exhibited lower peak impact force and higher peak strain under long-term combined loading and sulfate erosion. This reveals that larger loads accelerate internal damage within concrete under erosive conditions. This study provides theoretical and experimental bases for the long-term safety and impact resistance of well wall concrete. Full article

This study investigates the complex relationship between the performance of logistics and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance, drawing upon the multi-methodological framework of combining econometrics with state-of-the-art machine learning approaches. Employing Instrumental Variable (IV) Panel data regressions, viz., 2SLS and G2SLS, with data from a balanced panel of 163 countries covering the period from 2007 to 2023, the research thoroughly investigates how the performance of the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) is correlated with a variety of ESG indicators. To enrich the analysis, machine learning models—models based upon regression, viz., Random Forest, k-Nearest Neighbors, Support Vector Machines, Boosting Regression, Decision Tree Regression, and Linear Regressions, and clustering, viz., Density-Based, Neighborhood-Based, and Hierarchical clustering, Fuzzy c-Means, Model-Based, and Random Forest—were applied to uncover unknown structures and predict the behavior of LPI. Empirical evidence suggests that higher improvements in the performance of logistics are systematically correlated with nascent developments in all three dimensions of the environment (E), social (S), and governance (G). The evidence from econometrics suggests that higher LPI goes with environmental trade-offs such as higher emissions of greenhouse gases but cleaner air and usage of resources. On the S dimension, better performance in terms of logistics is correlated with better education performance and reducing child labor, but also demonstrates potential problems such as social imbalances. For G, better governance of logistics goes with better governance, voice and public participation, science productivity, and rule of law. Through both regression and cluster methods, each of the respective parts of ESG were analyzed in isolation, allowing us to study in-depth how the infrastructure of logistics is interacting with sustainability research goals. Overall, the study emphasizes that while modernization is facilitated by the performance of the infrastructure of logistics, this must go hand in hand with policy intervention to make it socially inclusive, environmentally friendly, and institutionally robust. Full article