Search Results (8,088)

Mango is an economically vital tropical fruit, but commercial production is often compromised by unstable fruit development and inconsistent quality under conventional farming practices. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are widely applied in mango production in Hainan Province and significantly influence fruit quality attributes, including fruit size, total soluble solids (TSSs), and titratable acidity (TA). This study aimed to elucidate the effects of PGRs on fruit enlargement and quality in ‘Guifei’ mango (Mangifera indica L.), identify the optimal PGR application regime, and preliminarily screen core indicators for mango fruit quality evaluation. A completely randomized design was adopted, with three mango trees per treatment as biological replicates. Different concentrations of thidiazuron (TDZ), gibberellic acid (GA₃), and 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) were sprayed individually or in combination on 8–10-year-old mango trees at 20, 35, and 50 days after full bloom. Fruit morphological characteristics and quality attributes were then determined. Coefficient of variation analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and principal component analysis were used to screen core fruit quality evaluation indicators, and Duncan’s multiple-range test was applied for mean separation to distinguish statistically significant differences from merely numerical trends. Among the individual PGR treatments, 16 mg/L TDZ, 100 mg/L GA₃, and 100 mg/L 6-BA exhibited the most favorable balance between fruit enlargement and quality maintenance. Among the combined treatments, GA₃ (100 mg/L) + 6-BA (100 mg/L) + TDZ (16 mg/L) exhibited the best overall performance, effectively promoting fruit enlargement while maintaining relatively stable fruit quality. Four indicators, namely, average single fruit weight, TSS, TA, and vitamin C content, were preliminarily identified as core indicators for evaluating ‘Guifei’ mango fruit quality. These findings provide a scientific basis for optimizing PGR application regimes and evaluating fruit quality in high-quality ‘Guifei’ mango production in Hainan. Full article

Since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), significant changes have taken place in the cross-border trade and logistics corridor systems of China’s inland provinces. Taking 18 inland provinces along the Belt and Road as the research objects, this study constructs a cross-border integrated logistics network based on the connections between inland ports and seaports established by inland provinces, together with the operating routes of the China–Europe Railway Express (CRE). The Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI) and a distributional equilibrium model are employed to identify the evolutionary stages of the network. Furthermore, node-level comprehensive attractiveness and a dynamic rewiring mechanism are incorporated into an improved Barabási–Albert (BA) model to simulate the future evolution of the network. The results show that the network exhibits a distinct evolutionary pattern characterized by “initial concentration followed by diffusion.” The HHI reached a peak of 0.100 in 2020 and subsequently declined, indicating a transition from polarized concentration toward a relatively balanced network structure. Meanwhile, the role of core hubs has gradually shifted from resource siphoning to corridor-based diffusion and regional connectivity enhancement. Cross-border corridor and port choices have also become increasingly diversified, creating opportunities for differentiated competition among small- and medium-sized ports and non-core inland provinces. The timing of the major turning points in network evolution broadly coincides with the implementation of national corridor development policies, suggesting that corridor development has played an important role in promoting network restructuring and development. Full article

To investigate the effects of different lactic acid bacteria additives on the bacterial community structure of silage prepared from fresh corn processing by-products, three treatment groups, including a non-inoculated control group (C), a Lactiplantibacillus plantarum-supplemented group (P), and a Lentilactobacillus buchneri-supplemented group (B), were set up in this study. Fermentation quality and bacterial community dynamics were measured on days 1, 3, 7, 15, and 45 of ensiling, while nutritional components, in vitro digestibility, and aerobic stability of the silage were systematically analyzed at the end of the 45-day ensiling period. The results showed that pH and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) contents in all groups gradually decreased with the prolongation of ensiling duration. Lactic acid (LA) and acetic acid (AA) contents increased progressively over the ensiling period, and their responses were significantly influenced by additives × day interactions (p < 0.05), with group P showing higher levels than group B on days 15 and 45. Propionic acid (PA) and butyric acid (BA) were not detected in any group. After 45 days of ensiling, the organic matter (OM) content in group B was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (p < 0.05). Compared with group C, the acid detergent lignin (ADL) content was significantly lower in both groups P and B (p < 0.05). Group P presented significantly higher in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), in vitro crude protein digestibility (IVCPD), and in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (IVNDFD) than groups C and B (p < 0.05). In contrast, group B showed greater in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) than group P (p < 0.05). All experimental groups maintained silage aerobic stability exceeding 72 h, with no significant differences detected among treatments. The bacterial community of sweet corn by-product silage changed substantially after ensiling. Bacterial community diversity gradually decreased as ensiling proceeded. At 45 days of ensiling, the dominant bacterial genera shifted from Weissella, Levilactobacillus, and Pediococcus to Levilactobacillus and Lentilactobacillus. On days 1, 7, and 15 of ensiling, differences in the relative abundances of specific bacterial taxa were observed among the three groups. At specific ensiling time points, inoculation with L. plantarum was associated with higher relative abundances of most dominant bacterial taxa in sweet corn by-product silage than inoculation with L. buchneri. Full article

A series of Ba-excess Ba_xCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3−δ (B_xCZYYb, x = 1.05, 1.10, 1.15) was employed as electrolytes. Multilayer microtubular protonic ceramic electrochemical hydrogen pumps (PCEHPs) with a current collector/anode/electrolyte/cathode/current collector architecture were fabricated by a triple-layer one-step co-spinning and co-sintering method. Their hydrogen separation performance was systematically investigated over the temperature range of 200–400 °C. The results show that the hydrogen pump employing the B_1.05CZYYb electrolyte delivers the optimal performance. At 250 °C and a feed H₂ concentration of 30 vol%, the hydrogen permeation flux achieves 1.01 mL min⁻¹ cm⁻², with Faradaic efficiency maintained above 95%. EDS line-scan results reveal the presence of Ni-rich precipitates on grain surfaces in the co-sintered electrolyte layer. It is speculated that, under the co-sintering conditions, excessive Ba may induce lattice distortion and reduce Ni solubility in the perovskite lattice, thereby promoting Ni exsolution at grain surfaces; the precipitated Ni could, in turn, hinder proton conduction and increase the ohmic resistance. These findings suggest that the hydrogen-permeation performance of multilayer PCEHPs is governed by the combined effect of Ba excess and Ni rather than by Ba doping alone. This work provides a valid experimental basis and theoretical reference for component optimization and structural design of high-performance co-sintered microtubular PCEHP devices. Full article

Resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) is a promising low-cost, non-invasive modality for supporting differential classification of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and healthy controls (HCs). However, it remains unclear whether the combination of different EEG feature families consistently improves classification and whether their utility varies with recording condition. We compared spectral, entropy-based, and complexity-based features, both individually and in combination, for AD-HC, AD-MCI, and MCI-HC classification under eyes-closed (EC) and eyes-open (EO) conditions using an age-matched paired subset of the CAUEEG data set. Classification was evaluated using nested leave-one-subject-out cross-validation with two-stage hierarchical LightGBM gain-based feature selection. Under the EC condition, the highest balanced accuracies (BAs) were obtained with spectral features for AD-HC (79.99%), spectral–entropy for AD-MCI (68.33%), and spectral–entropy–complexity for MCI-HC (63.15%). Under the EO condition, spectral features performed best for AD-HC (84.91%) and AD-MCI (66.90%), whereas entropy performed best for MCI-HC (70.14%). Feature fusion therefore showed task-dependent rather than consistent benefits. Although numerical EC-EO differences were observed, none remained significant after paired permutation testing. Overall, the results suggest that the relative usefulness of EEG feature families varies across diagnostic comparisons and recording conditions. Full article

The timing and nature of the Late Paleozoic tectonic transition along the western northern margin of the North China Craton (NCC) remain debated because arc-related and post-collisional magmatism overlap in the Damao–Siziwangqi region. We present zircon U–Pb ages, in situ Lu–Hf isotopes, and whole-rock geochemistry for the E’erdengaobao granitic rocks in the Damao area. Zircon U–Pb dating yields crystallization ages of 266 ± 3 and 259 ± 2 Ma, documenting Middle–Late Permian granitic magmatism. The rocks are highly evolved, silica-rich, ferroan, weakly peraluminous granites with A-type-like geochemical features. Their A-type-like geochemical affinity occurs within strongly fractionated felsic compositions, as indicated by quantitative fractionation indices and pronounced Sr–Ba–Eu depletion. Predominantly negative zircon εHf(t) values (−11.75 to +1.84; 19 of 20 analyses are negative) and Paleoproterozoic two-stage Hf model ages (1.60–2.04 Ga) indicate substantial involvement of ancient crustal material during magma generation. Together with regional magmatic records, the 266–259 Ma E’erdengaobao granites are consistent with late-orogenic tectono-magmatic reorganization in eastern Damao during the terminal evolution of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. Their ages provide a local temporal constraint on Middle–Late Permian magmatism in this sector of the northern NCC margin, although the precise geodynamic mechanism responsible for this reorganization remains uncertain. Full article

Background/Objectives: Magnetically responsive biomaterials have emerged as promising platforms for tissue engineering as they allow remote stimulation of cells and improved control over tissue regeneration. Although gelatin–alginate hydrogels incorporating iron oxide nanoparticles have been reported, the use of U-type hexaferrite particles, particularly Al³⁺-substituted compositions, remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to develop and characterize extrusion-based 3D-printed gelatin–alginate scaffolds containing U-type hexaferrite particles and to evaluate the influence of particle composition and loading on the rheological, physicochemical and magnetic properties of the resulting biomaterials, as well as their in vitro compatibility with macrophages. Methods: Gelatin–alginate inks containing two U-type hexaferrite compositions (Ba₄Co₂Fe₃₆−_xAl_xO₆₀; x = 0.0 and x = 1.0) at two particle loadings (20 and 200 mg) were prepared and processed by extrusion-based 3D printing. The scaffolds were characterized by rheological analysis, SEM-EDS, FTIR, swelling measurements, magnetic responsiveness, and in vitro biological evaluation using RAW264.7 macrophages. Results: The inks exhibited suitable shear-thinning behavior and viscoelastic properties for extrusion-based printing. Increasing particle loading enhanced the thermal resistance of the network, whereas Al³⁺ substitution modified the viscoelastic response of the polymeric network. The 3D scaffolds successfully responded to an external magnetic field and SEM-EDS confirmed the homogeneous incorporation of hexaferrite particles. The magnetic scaffolds did not compromise macrophage metabolic activity. Conclusions: U-type hexaferrite particles provide an effective strategy for producing 3D-printed magnetically responsive scaffolds with tunable rheological properties without inducing an inflammatory response. The combined modulation of particle composition and loading represents a versatile approach for designing multifunctional inks with potential applications in tissue engineering. Full article

Tropical ornamental Anthurium andraeanum requires substantial electrical heating for overwintering when cultivated in greenhouses in subtropical regions, making cold tolerance improvement a key factor for cost reduction. However, whether exogenous 6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BA) can enhance cold hardiness in Anthurium and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we conducted a controlled experiment to compare the physiological and biochemical responses of A. andraeanum ‘Alabama’ subjected to low-temperature stress following foliar application of 6-BA versus water. Our results show that, compared with water treatment, 6-BA application was associated with better preservation of subcellular structural integrity, higher proline accumulation, lower hydrogen peroxide content, decreased relative electrical conductivity, increased leaf fresh weight, dry weight, and area along with reduced water content, and lower stomatal density. These findings suggest that, under defined low-temperature conditions, 6-BA is associated with enhanced physiological performance in A. andraeanum, potentially through coordinated effects on subcellular stability, osmotic adjustment, reactive oxygen species accumulation, leaf morphology and water metabolism, and stomatal density. This work provides a theoretical basis and technical reference for cold-tolerant cultivation of Anthurium. Full article

Fire evacuation training is essential for reducing casualties during building emergencies, yet conventional approaches such as drills and instructional materials are often limited in realism, scalability, and their ability to capture human behavior. Serious games (SGs), particularly those using immersive virtual environments, have emerged as promising alternatives for interactive fire safety training. This study systematically reviews 31 peer-reviewed SG-based fire evacuation training studies identified through Scopus and Google Scholar, with searches completed on April 18, 2026. Eligible studies addressed game-based approaches to fire or general building evacuation and reported primary research involving system development, implementation, application, or evaluation. The studies were analyzed across five dimensions: simulation and environment design, interaction and game mechanics, behavioral representation, performance evaluation, and social and collaborative aspects. The review identifies three recurring limitations: simplified representations of occupant decision-making, fragmented evaluation approaches, and limited integration of social dynamics and adaptive training. Given the heterogeneity of study designs and outcomes, the overall effectiveness of SG-based fire evacuation training cannot yet be determined consistently. Based on these findings, the study proposes a roadmap for next-generation SG-based fire evacuation training systems and introduces the Behavior-Aware, Adaptive, and Socially Responsive (BAS) framework. The proposed roadmap and framework provide a conceptual foundation for designing more realistic, personalized, and behavior-aware fire evacuation training systems by integrating behavioral modeling, social interactions, multidimensional assessment, and AI-enabled adaptive learning. The review is limited by English-language inclusion, database coverage, and single-reviewer screening and coding. Full article

Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) is among the most common pathogens causing bone and joint infections (BJI), which require adequate source control combined with prolonged antimicrobial therapy. For decades, intravenous antistaphylococcal penicillins (ASP) have generally been preferred over cefazolin for MSSA bacteremia, although this practice was based more on convention and historical concerns than on robust comparative evidence. Two recent randomized controlled trials—CloCeBa (2025) and the MSSA domain of the Staphylococcus aureus Network Adaptive Platform (SNAP) trial (2026)—have now established that cefazolin is noninferior to ASP for MSSA bacteremia, with an overall more favorable safety profile. Whether these findings extend to BJI remains uncertain: osteoarticular infection was the most common focus in SNAP, yet no focus-specific analyses have been published, and direct comparative evidence in BJI is limited to a few retrospective cohorts. This narrative review summarizes the randomized and observational evidence with emphasis on osteoarticular populations and discusses the cefazolin inoculum effect, bone pharmacokinetics, the safety of prolonged therapy, outpatient practicality and current guidelines. We conclude that cefazolin is a rational first-line option for most patients with MSSA BJI, outline the remaining uncertainties in high-inoculum and implant-associated infection, and propose a focus-specific research agenda. Full article

To reveal the uranium enrichment mechanism in the Daqing Placanticline area, northern Songliao Basin, this study collected a total of 41 samples of three geological types, namely uranium ore, uranium-mineralized sandstone and host rock from the Upper Cretaceous Sifangtai Formation. Combined with 109 geochemical datasets from exploration, systematic analyses were performed on major elements, trace elements, rare earth elements (REE), total organic carbon (TOC), total sulfur and other key geochemical parameters. The results indicate that uranium ore and mineralized sandstone are generally characterized by high TOC, high total sulfur, low Th/U and low Fe₂O₃/FeO ratios, while host rocks show the opposite geochemical assemblage, suggesting uranium enrichment took place in a strongly reducing sedimentary environment. The ore-forming system is significantly enriched in trace elements including U, Pb, Mo, Ba, Zn and Y, and depleted in Cu, Co, Ni, Cr, Sr, Nb, Ta, Zr and Hf. Among these elements, Mo and Pb have an extremely close relationship with uranium mineralization and can be used as effective ore-forming indicator elements. Uranium ore, mineralized sandstone and host rock exhibit consistent REE distribution patterns, implying that the strata in the study area share uniform provenance, sedimentary environment and tectonic setting. Some high-grade uranium ores are obviously enriched in heavy rare earth elements (HREE), demonstrating fluid modification during the late mineralization stage. Combined with regional tectonic evolution and hydrocarbon migration features, this study concludes that sandstone-type uranium deposits in the Daqing Placanticline mainly underwent two stages of mineralization: supergene fluid mineralization and superimposed reworking by deep hydrocarbon-bearing reducing fluids. Full article

The selection of precursor chemistry plays a critical role in determining the crystallization behavior and microstructural evolution of oxide powders synthesized by the sol–gel route. In this study, the influence of nitrate- and chloride-based calcium and barium precursors on the phase evolution of barium-calcium silicate powders was systematically investigated. Powders with a nominal Ba:Ca:Si molar ratio of 1:2:3 were synthesized using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the silica source and calcined at 750 °C for 1 or 4 h. The obtained powders were characterized by chemical analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that precursor chemistry strongly affected the chemical composition, crystallization pathway and microstructural development of the synthesized powders. Nitrate-derived precursor systems promoted improved compositional homogeneity and the formation of Ba-containing calcium silicate powders, whereas chloride-containing systems led to residual chloride-containing compounds, heterogeneous phase composition and incomplete crystallization. The findings demonstrate that precursor selection is a key parameter controlling the phase evolution of sol–gel-derived barium-calcium silicate powders and provide useful guidance for optimizing the synthesis of this kind of compounds. Full article

Optimizing crop load through chemical thinning is essential for yield stability and fruit quality in intensive apple production, yet the relationships between tree growth, yield components, and fruit quality remain insufficiently characterized. This three-year study (2022–2024) evaluated four thinning strategies (control, ammonium thiosulfate [ATS]+ethephon, benzyladenine [BA]+ethephon, and ATS+BA+ethephon) across parameters of the apple cv. ‘Gala Schniga Schnitzer’: trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), fruit yield (Y), fruit number per tree (FNT), crop load-number (CLnm), crop load-kg (CLkg), fruit size (FS), fruit weight (FW), water-soluble solids content (SSC), and fruit firmness (FF). Chemical thinning and year significantly but differentially affected yield components and fruit quality traits. In the ATS+BA+ethephon treatment, FS in 2023, FW in 2023 and 2024, and Y in 2024 significantly exceeded the control treatment in the respective years. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships between FNT–Y, CLnm–CLkg, and FW–FS, with the strongest association observed between FW and FS (r = 0.98 in 2022 and 2023). Regression analyses confirmed significant linear relationships between FW–FS, FNT–Y, and CLnm–CLkg across thinning treatments. PCA explained 66.93, 54.89, and 50.91% of total variance by PC1 and PC2 in 2022–2024, respectively, with FS and FW showing the longest vectors in all years. The PCA structure varied among years, reflecting differences in the relative contributions of yield, crop load, tree growth, and fruit quality traits. Overall, chemical thinning should be considered not merely for reducing fruit number, but for regulating crop load and balancing productivity and fruit development, with effects varying by trait and year. Full article

Over the past few years, considerable scholarly interest has been directed toward the synergistic application of natural compounds alongside conventional antibiotics to address infections stemming from multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the efficacy of baicalin (BA), an extract obtained from Scutellaria baicalensis, when used in conjunction with oxacillin sodium (OXS). Specifically, the study evaluates their combined impact on biofilm formation and toxicity reduction in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain USA300. Furthermore, a murine peritonitis model induced by MRSA USA300 was developed to determine the therapeutic potential of this combination therapy against infection. Experimental data indicate that the co-administration of BA and OXS does not induce hemolysis in vitro. In comparison to treatments involving either BA or OXS alone, the combined regimen significantly enhances the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) within MRSA USA300. Additionally, this synergistic approach suppresses the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), decreases the overall protein content within the biofilm matrix, and impairs the metabolic functions of biofilm cells. The investigation also revealed that the synergistic application of BA and OXS intensifies the suppression of key virulence determinants, specifically lipase activity and staphyloxanthin production, while simultaneously downregulating the transcription of sarA (a global regulator of virulence). These findings substantiate the anti-virulence efficacy of the BA-OXS combination. In a murine model of peritonitis established using MRSA USA300, the healthy mice group, the MRSA USA300 group, the BA group, the OXS group, the combined group of BA and OXS, and the VAN group were set up, with eight mice in each group. The results showed that the combined therapy significantly mitigated body weight reduction, decreased the circulating counts of inflammatory cells, including leukocytes and lymphocytes, and suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, thereby demonstrating potent anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, the co-administration of BA and OXS reduced bacterial burden in the abdominal organs of infected mice and alleviated associated histopathological injuries. Importantly, the treatment regimen exhibited no hepatorenal toxicity in the peritonitis mice, effectively maintaining normal levels. In the plasma of mice suffering from peritonitis, the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of oxidative stress, was reduced, while the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were elevated. This modulation contributes to anti-infective effects. These findings offer a theoretical foundation for subsequent investigations into the synergistic application of natural compounds and conventional antibiotics against MRSA. Full article

Closed-set evaluation is the most common method in Internet of Things (IoT) sensor network botnet attack detection research. In this setting, classifiers are tested only on attack families encountered during training. As a result, they often fail to detect genuinely new (zero-day) malware in real-world environments. This study evaluates a calibrated two-tier detection pipeline combining an XGBoost gradient-boosted tree classifier for known-class prediction with a Monte Carlo (MC) dropout multilayer perceptron (MLP) as an independent uncertainty estimator, under conditions closer to real deployment than most prior evaluations. The uncertainty model is used to flag unfamiliar traffic that may represent zero-day traffic. The classifier is trained and calibrated on the Bot-IoT dataset and evaluated for zero-day generalization on N-BaIoT, which contains the previously unseen Mirai and BASHLITE malware families. During data preparation, a severe train/test duplication problem was identified. Around 97% of a naive split was found to be duplicates and was removed before splitting. The base classifier achieved 99.4% accuracy in known-class detection. However, the confidence scores were negatively correlated with zero-day traffic, producing an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.32. This indicates the overconfident misclassification of unseen attacks. The proposed uncertainty gate improved zero-day discrimination to an AUROC of 0.66, with catch rates reaching 13.75% for Mirai. An explainable AI analysis using Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) linked this gap to packet size statistics. To evaluate practical feasibility, the complete framework was deployed on an embedded Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 (CM5) edge device. The full uncertainty-gated pipeline achieved mean inference latency of 15.03 ms per sample. Overall, these findings demonstrate that uncertainty-aware gating can improve zero-day robustness over conventional closed-set classification in resource-constrained IoT sensing environments. Full article