Search Results (43,518)

The critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) population experienced a catastrophic decline from a peak in 1947 to a low in 1985, followed by exponential growth prior to 2010. However, the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill caused a demographic setback. Monitoring nesting female straight carapace length (SCL) is crucial for assessing population structure and recovery. We analyzed interannual variation in SCL of nesting females at Rancho Nuevo Sanctuary, Tamaulipas, Mexico, during the 2018–2023 nesting seasons. A total of 191 females were measured, and a comprehensive statistical analysis was performed to validate the use of parametric tests. One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in mean SCL among years (p < 0.001). The lowest seasonal SCL means were in 2020 (59.01 ± 1.79 cm) and 2022 (60.68 ± 1.47 cm), while the highest SCL means occurred in 2018 (62.77 ± 1.81 cm), 2019 (62.01 ± 1.56 cm), 2021 (62.19 ± 1.47 cm), and 2023 (61.75 ± 2.07 cm). There was no significant linear decline in mean SCL from 2018 to 2023 (p = 0.78). These results suggest short-term interannual variability rather than a consistent shift in body size structure, providing updated baseline information for post-DWH population monitoring and future recruitment assessments. Full article

To address the issues of uneven grayscale distribution, weak defect features, and small target scales on the coating surface of LCD polarizers during manufacturing, an improved YOLOv10-N-based method is proposed for surface defect detection. First, a polarizer coating defect dataset is constructed based on the LCD polarizer coating process and the characteristics of coating defects. Adaptive median filtering is then employed for image denoising, while a particle-swarm-optimization-based improved histogram equalization method is adopted for image enhancement. Next, the Scale-aware Pyramid Pooling (SCPP) module is introduced into the C2f module of the backbone network to construct the C2f_SCPP feature extraction module, thereby improving the model’s ability to detect coating defects with different morphologies through multi-scale semantic feature fusion. In addition, rotation-equivariant convolution PreCM is incorporated into the SPPF module of the backbone network to build the SPPF_PreCM module, which effectively suppresses feature redundancy and scale conflicts while strengthening the representation of tiny defects. Finally, while retaining the original Distribution Focal Loss (DFL) branch of YOLOv10, WIoU is used to replace CIoU as the IoU loss term in bounding box regression, thereby improving localization accuracy and accelerating model convergence during training. Experimental results show that, compared with YOLOv10-N, the proposed method improves mAP@0.5 and mAP@0.5:0.95 by 1.8 and 2.8 percentage points, respectively, demonstrating its effectiveness for polarizer coating defect detection. However, its generalization capability under diverse production environments, varying illumination conditions, and complex noise scenarios still requires further investigation. Full article

Accurate estimation of forest soil organic carbon (SOC) is considered critical for understanding terrestrial carbon cycling and supporting climate change mitigation strategies. However, the canopy block, intricate vertical structure of forests, and the constraints of single-source remote sensing data have presented considerable obstacles for estimating forest SOC. This study proposes a forest SOC estimation and uncertainty analysis (ForSOC-UA) framework to enhance forest SOC estimation and quantify its uncertainty in the natural secondary forests of northern China by integrating hyperspectral imagery (ZY-1F), synthetic aperture radar data (Sentinel-1), and environmental covariates (such as topography, vegetation, and soil indices). The performance of traditional machine learning models (RF, SVM, and CNN), geographically weighted regression (GWR), and a geographically weighted random forest (GWRF) model was compared across three different soil depths (0–5 cm, 5–10 cm, and 10–30 cm). The results showed that GWRF consistently outperformed all other models across all soil depth layers, with the highest accuracy achieved using multi-source data (R² = 0.58, RMSE = 27.49 g/kg, rRMSE = 0.31). Analysis of feature importance revealed that soil moisture, terrain characteristics, and Sentinel-1 polarization attributes were the primary predictors, while spectral derivatives in the red and near-infrared bands from ZY-1F also played a significant role for forest SOC estimation. The uncertainty analysis indicated a forest SOC estimation uncertainty of 37.2 g/kg in the 0–5 cm soil layer, with a decreasing trend as depth increased. This pattern is associated with the vertical spatial distribution of the measured forest SOC. This integrated approach effectively captures spatial heterogeneity and nonlinear relationships between feature and forest SOC, while also assessing estimation uncertainty, so providing a robust methodology for predicting forest SOC. The ForSOC-UA framework addresses the uncertainty quantification of SOC estimation at different vertical depths based on machine learning, providing methodological enhancements for the assessment of large-scale forest SOC and the monitoring of carbon sinks within forest ecosystems. Full article

Electrocatalytic seawater splitting is an ideal strategy for the large-scale production of green hydrogen. Compared to scarce freshwater, oceanic seawater electrolysis represents a game-changer for the hydrogen economy. Herein, we report a cost-effective one-step synthesis of binder-free, self-supported 3D nickel–manganese–cobalt (NiMnCo) coatings on titanium (Ti) substrates and evaluated their electrocatalytic performance for the hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) in alkaline media (1.0 M KOH), simulated seawater (SSW, 1.0 M KOH + 0.5 M NaCl) and alkaline natural seawater (ASW, 1.0 M KOH + natural seawater). These ternary coatings were electrodeposited on Ti substrates using an electrochemical deposition method via a dynamic hydrogen bubble template (DHBT) technique. The optimized ternary NiMnCo/Ti-2 electrocatalyst exhibited an enhanced HER activity in both alkaline and seawater media, achieving an ultra-low overpotential of 29, 59 and 66 mV to reach the benchmark current density of 10 mA cm⁻² in SSW, ASW and 1.0 M KOH, respectively. This efficient 3D ternary NiMnCo/Ti-2 electrocatalyst demonstrated stable long-term performance at a constant potential of −0.23 V (vs. RHE) and a constant current density of 10 mA cm⁻² for 50 h without any significant degradation. Furthermore, it exhibited long-term stability in alkaline electrolyte and simulated seawater during multi-step chronopotentiometric testing at variable current densities from 20 mA cm⁻² to 100 mA cm⁻² for 18 h. This superior performance can be attributed to its unique intermetallic structure and multi-component composition, which provides good Cl⁻ resistance, electrochemical stability and synergistic effects among its constituents. Therefore, the optimized NiMnCo/Ti-2 electrocatalyst is a promising candidate for practical seawater electrolysis aiming at green hydrogen production. 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

This work experimentally evaluates the geometry-driven structural efficiency and normative performance of sandwich-type composite roofing tiles composed of a miriti wood core and fiberglass-reinforced polymer faces. Trapezoidal-profile tiles were manufactured by hand lay-up and assessed according to ABNT NBR 16753, including visual inspection, fiber content, water absorption, apparent flexural behavior, deformation resistance, and impact resistance. The miriti core exhibited an extremely low mean density of 0.091 ± 0.008 g/cm³ (CV ≈ 8.8%), enabling lightweight sandwich configurations with an average overall thickness of approximately 8 mm. Fiberglass contents ranged from 27.5% to 32.1% by mass. Sealed sandwich specimens showed median water uptake values of approximately 2.5% after 2 h and 6.0% after 24 h immersion. Deformation resistance tests indicated admissible deflections of 15.0–15.75 mm (L/40), supported by applied masses between 39.6 and 104.3 kg (≈388–1023 N) without rupture or permanent damage. Apparent flexural stresses ranged from 6.7 to 9.3 MPa, with apparent moduli between 0.7 and 1.9 GPa. All tiles achieved 100% approval in deformation, impact (2–8 J), and visual criteria. The results demonstrate that geometric effects dominate structural performance, validating miriti wood as an efficient and sustainable core for normatively compliant composite roofing systems. Full article

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) after the first year post-diagnosis. This study investigated relationships between traditional risk factors, echocardiographic findings, disease activity, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in AAV patients. Aim: This retrospective single-center study aimed to evaluate the impact of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and echocardiographic parameters on the occurrence of MACE in patients with AAV. Materials and Methods: This study included adult patients with AAV who were evaluated between 2020 and 2025. Data collected included demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score version 3 (BVASv3), laboratory parameters, immunosuppressive therapy, and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) findings. MACE was defined as myocardial infarction, stroke, revascularization, cardiovascular hospitalization, or cardiovascular death. Results: The cohort comprised 32 females (61.5%) and 20 males (38.5%), with a mean age of 62.4 ± 12.4 years. MACE occurred in 38.5% of patients. Male gender (p = 0.002), overweight (p = 0.016), hyperlipidemia (p = 0.003), and prior cardiovascular disease (p = 0.002) were significantly associated with MACE in univariate analyses. Patients with MACE had larger left atrial anteroposterior dimensions on the parasternal long-axis view (median 3.9 vs. 3.3 cm, p = 0.002) and lower left ventricular ejection fraction assessed by the modified biplane Simpson’s method (median 53% vs. 60%, p = 0.002). Valvular dysfunction was not associated with MACE in a statistically significant manner. Disease activity markers (BVASv3 and CRP) showed no significant correlation with cardiovascular events or echocardiographic parameters. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that traditional cardiovascular risk factors are stronger determinants of MACE in AAV patients than disease-specific parameters. Cardiac structural changes, including left atrial dilation and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction, were significantly associated with cardiovascular outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of integrating systematic cardiovascular risk assessment and aggressive risk factor modification into standard AAV management protocols. Full article

Globally, the combined pollution of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and ground-level ozone (O₃) poses severe challenges to public health and sustainable urban development. Recent data indicate that the annual average PM_2.5 concentration in the vast majority of cities worldwide fails to meet World Health Organization safety standards, with air pollution causing millions of premature deaths annually. As a nature-based solution, the purification efficacy of vegetation remains poorly quantified due to unclear coupling mechanisms with local meteorological conditions. This study systematically reviewed and synthesized 229 empirical studies published between 2000 and 2025 from Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), aiming to clarify the quantitative relationships and regulatory mechanisms of plant–meteorological synergistic purification of PM_2.5–O₃. Following double-blind independent screening (κ = 0.85) and data extraction, a quantitative minimal feasible synthesis approach was adopted due to high data heterogeneity. The results indicated the following. (1) The median canopy purification efficiency of urban vegetation for PM_2.5 was 18.2% (IQR: 12.5–30.1%, n = 17), with a median dry deposition velocity (Vd–PM) of 0.05 cm s⁻¹ (0.02–30 cm s⁻¹, n = 15). The median dry deposition velocity (Vd–O₃) for O₃ was 0.55 cm s⁻¹ (0.12–1.82 cm s⁻¹, n = 8), with non-stomatal deposition contributing approximately 35%. (2) Meteorological factors exhibit nonlinear regulation: relative humidity (RH) > 70% significantly enhances PM_2.5 adsorption, wind speeds of 1.5–3.0 m s⁻¹ are optimal for PM_2.5 deposition, and temperatures > 30 °C generally inhibit plant uptake of both pollutants (n = 7). (3) Functional traits strongly correlate with purification efficacy: species with high leaf roughness (R² = 0.8), high stomatal conductance, and low BVOC emissions (e.g., Ginkgo biloba, Platycladus orientalis) exhibit optimal synergistic purification potential. Species with high BVOC emissions (Populus przewalskii, Eucalyptus robusta) can increase daily net O₃ pollution equivalents by up to 86 g and must be strictly avoided. Based on quantitative evidence, a green space planning decision matrix indexed by climate zone and pollution type was developed, specifying vegetation configuration patterns, functional group selection, and key design parameters (canopy closure, green belt width, etc.) for different scenarios. This study provides an actionable scientific basis for precision planning and climate-adaptive management of urban green infrastructure. Full article

Background/Objectives: Soy flour has been proposed as a functional ingredient to improve the protein and fiber content of foods; however, its metabolic and sensory effects, particularly in individuals at elevated risk for metabolic disease, remain insufficiently characterized. This randomized, repeated-measures study examined whether substituting refined wheat or corn flour with soy flour influences postprandial glucose and insulin plasma concentrations, appetite ratings, and product acceptability in adults with overweight or obesity. Methods: Participants (N = 17) attended at least three separate visits during which they consumed, in random order, a food matrix with 0% (control), 10%, or 30% soy flour substitution. Food matrices included breads (n = 10), tortillas (n = 10), and arepas (n = 8); some participants completed more than one matrix. Postprandial plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were measured at baseline and at 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min post-ingestion. Subjective hunger, satiety, and product liking were assessed using a 10 cm visual analog scale. Results: Compared with the control condition, substituting 30% of refined flour with soy flour significantly reduced the area under the concentration–time curve for postprandial glucose for breads (p = 0.03) and arepas (p = 0.04), and reduced plasma glucose concentrations at 90–120 min for tortillas (p = 0.0009). In contrast, postprandial insulin concentrations and subjective hunger and satiety ratings did not differ across substitution levels or food matrices (all p > 0.05). Importantly, even 30% soy flour substitution maintained product liking. Conclusions: Incorporating up to 30% soy flour may improve postprandial glycemic responses without compromising overall liking, supporting its potential as a practical food reformulation strategy to improve metabolic health in populations at increased risk of metabolic disease. Full article

With the growing trend toward insulator hybridization, higher requirements are imposed on the synergistic improvement of interfacial durability and pollution flashover performance. Machining annular grooves at the green-body stage and embedding silicone rubber enables the construction of an embedded structure with improved durability, forming hydrophilic/hydrophobic alternating surfaces. However, the outdoor insulation characteristics of such hybrid surfaces remain insufficiently investigated, and their engineering feasibility requires further validation. In this study, a series of hydrophilic/hydrophobic alternating surfaces were fabricated, and artificial pollution tests were conducted. The results show that the AC pollution flashover voltage exhibits a saturated increasing trend as the hydrophobic interfaces become more dispersed. When twenty 4 mm wide hydrophobic interfaces were distributed along a 16 cm creepage distance, the flashover voltage was 12.4% higher than that of a fully hydrophobic surface. These results indicate that appropriate design of hydrophobic interface distribution can achieve excellent pollution flashover performance even at relatively low hydrophobic coverage (≤50%). High-speed imaging combined with infrared thermography reveals the discharge mechanism governed by hydrophobic interface distribution from an electro–thermal coupling perspective. The coexistence of multiple dry bands induced by discrete hydrophobic interfaces is identified as the key factor enhancing flashover withstand capability. A static pollution flashover model was established to quantitatively estimate the AC flashover voltage, confirming the external insulation feasibility of the embedded hybrid concept. Full article

Strong light interference severely degrades imaging system performance. This paper presents a novel digital micromirror device (DMD)-based imaging system for robust, strong light suppression and long-distance detection. Our design strategically places the DMD at the primary image plane, utilizing a large F-number objective for extended depth of field. The relay imaging system employs a tilted image plane in a near-symmetric configuration to effectively balance DMD-induced aberrations, which avoids the off-axis layout and overall tilt of the relay system itself and greatly simplifies system alignment. Stray light analysis verifies the rationality of the structural design, and MTF tests confirm that the assembly performance of the prototype meets the design requirements. The system can achieve clear imaging of buildings at 1 km, which demonstrates its long-distance imaging capability. With an entrance pupil power density of 4.68 × 10⁻⁴ W/cm², strong light interference suppression has been successfully achieved via the DMD regional flipping method. This system offers an efficient solution for long-range imaging in strong light environments. Full article

Drought stress poses a significant challenge to food security in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly for smallholder farmers in dryland systems. Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.), an underutilised legume with inherent drought tolerance, remains underexplored in terms of its root system traits. This greenhouse study investigated the early root and shoot responses of six Bambara groundnut genotypes under well-watered (100% field capacity) and water-stressed (50% field capacity) conditions using rhizotron-based phenotyping. Significant genotypic differences (p < 0.01) were observed in root traits such as root system depth (RSD: 11.0–19.9 cm), root system width (RSW: 6.96–12.2 cm), and root dry mass (RDM: 0.42–1.27 g). The ARC genotype exhibited a strong drought-avoidance strategy, increasing RSD from 12.2 to 19.9 cm and RDM from 0.42 to 1.16 g under stress. The Tiga Nicuru DIP-C-F7471 genotype showed adaptive plasticity, maintaining deeper roots (11.0–14.5 cm), high convex hull area (CHA), and root–shoot ratio (RSR) values, despite a reduction in RDM, suggesting a resource-conserving strategy. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) captured 93.6% of the total variability among genotypes. Root traits, particularly total root length (TRL), convex hull area (CHA), root system width (RSW), and root dry mass (RDM), were the main contributors to genotype differentiation. Strong positive correlations (r = 0.88–0.97) between root and shoot traits suggest that genotypes with more developed root systems also supported greater shoot growth, highlighting the coordinated response of above- and below-ground traits under drought stress. These findings provide valuable targets for breeding and highlight the value of rhizotron-based screening for root trait selection. Future field validation and full-season studies are recommended to confirm their relevance for improving yield stability in dryland agriculture. Full article

Polymer-modified bituminous binders are widely used in road construction due to their enhanced mechanical performance; however, the effectiveness of these materials critically depends on the actual concentration of polymer modifiers, particularly styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS). This study aims to develop and validate a rapid, reproducible Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy—Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy method for the quantitative determination of SBS content in polymer-modified bitumen (PMB). Since, to date, there is no clearly defined method for controlling the quantitative content of polymers in PMB, this creates difficulties in accepting the roadway into operation. Calibration PMB samples containing 1–4% SBS were prepared, tested for physical and mechanical properties, and analyzed spectroscopically to identify characteristic absorption bands at 966 cm⁻¹ and 699–760 cm⁻¹. A first-order calibration model was constructed to relate peak intensity to polymer concentration. The results demonstrate a clear linear correlation between SBS content and IR absorption features, confirming the suitability of FTIR as an instrumental method for routine laboratory control. Application of the model allowed determination of actual polymer mass fraction with high accuracy and reproducibility. The findings also showed that increased SBS levels improve softening point, elasticity, and low-temperature resistance, with 3–4% representing a performance-optimal range. Overall, the proposed FTIR-based approach provides an objective and efficient tool for quality control of polymer-modified binders and supports broader standardization efforts in the field. Full article

Sub-15 nm line structures are key building blocks for advanced device prototyping, nanoscale electrodes, and lithography templates such as etch/deposition masks. Although ultrahigh-voltage (≥100 kV) electron-beam lithography (EBL) can more readily achieve extremely small critical dimensions, its tool and infrastructure requirements limit widespread adoption in many laboratories. In contrast, 30 kV field-emission SEM platforms are far more accessible; however, resolution-limit patterning at 30 kV is more sensitive to beam current, exposure dose, and development conditions, motivating the establishment of a reproducible process flow and a well-defined process window. Here, we investigate the resolution limit of isolated lines using a Zeiss Gemini 460 system operated at 30 kV and an in-house pattern generator with 950 k PMMA C2 resist. To demonstrate device-level applicability, we develop a stable lift-off process, and all critical dimensions are evaluated on metal lines after e-beam evaporation and lift-off. By screening beam current and scanning dose to build the dose-to-size relationship, we show that reducing beam current significantly improves the achievable minimum line width. Under 35 pA, using CD ≤ 15 nm as the criterion for sub-15 nm window extraction, the usable dose range is [700, 804.3] µC/cm², corresponding to a dose latitude of ~14.9%. The best performance is obtained at 700 µC/cm², yielding a transferred metal line width of 13.85 nm after lift-off. This work provides a practical resolution-limit process flow and a quantitative process window for performing sub-15 nm patterning on accessible 30 kV platforms, supported by product-level lift-off validation. Full article

As the key technology of space exploration, space power has been a major area of international research focus. A lot of research work has been carried out around the world for the space nuclear reactor using the heat pipe, liquid metal and gas cooling methods. With the development of molten salt reactor in the Generation IV reactor system, molten salt dissolving fissile material and acting as a coolant at the same time has become a new cooling scheme, which provides new ideas for the design of space nuclear reactors. In this study, a novel reactor, the liquid-solid dual-fuel space nuclear reactor (LSSNR) was preliminarily proposed, combining the molten salt fuel and cross-shaped spiral solid fuel to achieve the design goals of 30-year lifetime and an active core weight of less than 200 kg. Monte Carlo neutron transport code OpenMC based on ENDF/B-VII.1 library was employed for neutronics design in the aspect of fuel type, cladding material, reflector material and the spectral shift absorber. Then, the thickness of the control drum absorber was optimized to meet the requirement of the sufficient shutdown margin, lower solid fuel enrichment, and 30-effective-full power-years (EFPY) operation lifetime. Finally, UC solid fuel with U-235 enrichment of 80.98 wt.% and B₄C thickness of 0.75 cm were adopted in LSSNR, and BeO was adopted as the reflector and the matrix material of the control drum. A spectral shift absorber Gd₂O₃ was used to avoid the subcritical LSSNR returning to criticality in a launch accident. The k_eff with the control drum in the innermost position is 0.954949, and the k_eff reaches 1.00592 after 30 EFPY of operation. The total mass of the active core is 158.11 kg. In addition, the thermal-hydraulic feasibility of LSSNR using cross-shaped spiral fuel was analyzed based on a 4/61 reactor core model. The structure of cross-shaped spiral fuel achieves enhanced heat transfer by generating turbulence, which leads to a uniform temperature distribution of the coolant flow field and reduces local temperature peaks. Based on the LSSNR scheme, some neutronic characteristics were analyzed. Results demonstrate that the LSSNR has strongly negative reactivity coefficients due to the thermal expansion of liquid fuel, and the fission gas-induced pressure meets safety requirements. One hundred years after the end of core life, the total radioactivity of reactor core is reduced by 99% and is 7.1305 Ci. Full article