Search Results (21,684)

Soils with an albic horizon (characterized by a bleached, nutrient-poor eluvial layer), classified primarily as Albic Planosols and associated groups (e.g., Albic Luvisols and Retisols) in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB), are widespread in Northeast China and suffer from inherent poor nutrient availability and low crop productivity. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of novel microbial–enzyme composite biofertilizers in ameliorating Albic soils. This comprehensive assessment investigated their effects on soil nutrient availability, microbial community structure, and the activities of key enzymes involved in nutrient cycling (e.g., dehydrogenase and phosphatase). Concurrently, the impact on maize crop performance was determined by measuring changes in agronomic traits, including chlorophyll content, stem diameter, and final grain yield. A field experiment was conducted in Heilongjiang Province during the 2023 maize growing season using a randomized block design with six treatments: CF (conventional chemical fertilizer, 330 kg·ha⁻¹ NPK), OF (chemical fertilizer + 1500 kg·ha⁻¹ organic carrier), BF1 (OF + 75 kg·ha⁻¹ marine actinomycetes), BF2 (OF + 75 kg·ha⁻¹ actinomycetes + 45 kg·ha⁻¹ phytase), BF3 (OF + 75 kg·ha⁻¹ actinomycetes + 45 kg·ha⁻¹ mycorrhizal fungi + 45 kg·ha⁻¹ phytase), and BF4 (OF + 75 kg·ha⁻¹ actinomycetes + 45 kg·ha⁻¹ mycorrhizal fungi + 45 kg·ha⁻¹ phytase + 45 kg·ha⁻¹ β–glucosidase). The results showed that biofertilizers significantly increased microbial abundance and enzyme activity. The integrated treatment BF4 notably enhanced topsoil fungal abundance by 188.1% and dehydrogenase activity in the 0–20 cm layer, while also increasing available phosphorus by 92.6% at maturity. Although BF4 improved soil properties the most, BF3 produced the highest maize yield—boosting grain output by 18.3% over CF—and improved stem diameter and chlorophyll content. Strong correlations between microbial parameters and enzyme activities indicated a nutrient-cycling mechanism driven by microorganisms, with topsoil fungal abundance positively linked to alkaline phosphatase activity (r = 0.72) and subsoil bacterial abundance associated with available phosphorus (r = 0.65), demonstrating microbial–mediated carbon–phosphorus coupling. In conclusion, microbial–enzyme biofertilizers, particularly BF4, provide a sustainable strategy for enhancing Albic soil fertility and crop productivity. Full article

Leading agribusiness firms are pivotal to modernizing agricultural supply chains, yet evidence on how digital transformation translates into high-quality development remains fragmented. Using a 2024 sample of 30 Chinese national agribusiness leaders and the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework, we integrate grey relational analysis with DEMATEL to quantify interdependencies among conditions, and combine fuzzy-set QCA with necessary condition analysis to identify both configurational pathways and binding constraints. The results of the analysis indicate that high-quality development rarely stems from a single driver; it emerges from complementary bundles linking digital technologies and R&D investment with organizational readiness (e.g., talent and governance) under supportive external conditions (e.g., policy incentives and market pressure). The findings provide a configurational explanation of digital upgrading in agribusiness and inform differentiated digital strategies for managers and policymakers. Full article

Field cancerization is a fundamental paradigm in tumorigenesis, emphasizing that carcinogenesis begins long before the appearance of clinically detectable lesions and often precedes recognizable premalignant changes. A direct manifestation of this process is the molecular dysregulation observed in the peritumoral mucosa—histologically normal-appearing tissue that nonetheless exhibits genetic and epigenetic alterations similar to those of the adjacent tumor. This review summarizes current evidence on the molecular alterations shared between tumor tissue and peritumoral mucosa in HNSCC and evaluates their potential as biomarkers for defining molecular margins and improving surgical precision. A literature search was conducted in PubMed using combinations of the keywords “peritumor,” “laryngeal”, “HNSCC,” and “field cancerization.” Studies were included if they directly compared tumor tissue with peritumoral mucosa and, preferably, a third set of distant normal control samples. Only nine studies met the inclusion criteria, highlighting the scarcity of focused research in this area. Reported biomarkers exhibiting comparable dysregulation in both tumor and peritumor tissues include MDM2, E2F2, CDKN2A/p16, ETS-1, MGMT, and multiple microRNAs (e.g., miR-21, miR-96-5p, miR-145-5p). These molecular signatures demonstrate the presence of a biologically altered field extending beyond histologically defined tumor margins. Peritumoral mucosal dysregulation, as a consequence of field cancerization, underscores the need to redefine surgical margins at the molecular level. The identification and validation of biomarkers reflecting this continuum could enable the establishment of molecular margins—improving risk assessment, reducing local recurrence, and advancing personalized oncologic surgery in HNSCC. Standardizing definitions and sampling protocols for “normal adjacent tissue” remains essential for future translational research. Full article

This study proposes a circular economy strategy to recover phenolic compounds by valorizing shrimp shell waste into a chitosan biosorbent (CH-B). Its adsorption efficiency was evaluated compared to commercial activated carbon (AC) and synthetic XAD-4 resin. Kinetic analysis revealed that while both pseudo-first-order (PFO) and pseudo-second-order (PSO) models exhibited high correlations (R²$\ge$ 0.96), both CH-B and XAD-4 resin were best described by the PFO model. This aligns with diffusion-controlled processes consistent with the porous and physical nature of these adsorbents. In contrast, AC followed the PSO model. Isotherm modeling indicated that CH-B and AC fit the Temkin model, reflecting heterogeneous surfaces, whereas XAD-4 followed the Langmuir model (monolayer adsorption). Notably, CH-B exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity (q_m) of 229.2 mg/g, significantly outperforming XAD-4 (104.8 mg/g) and AC (90.2 mg/g). Thermodynamic and kinetic modeling confirmed that the adsorption mechanism was governed by a combination of electrostatic interactions, π–π stacking, and hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl/amine groups of chitosan and phenolic compounds. Optimization using Box–Behnken design for CH-B showed optimal acidic pH and moderate temperature but non-significant effect of CH-B dose in the experimental domain. Optimisation results showed unexpected high removal efficiency at low CH-B dosages. A tentative explanation may be adsorbent aggre-gation, which needs to be confirmed by further experimental evidence. Full article

Extreme summarization generates very short summaries, typically a single sentence, answering the question “What is the document about?”. Although large language models perform well in text generation, fine-tuning them for summarization often requires substantial computational resources that are unavailable to many researchers. In this study, we present an effective method for instruction-tuning open decoder-only large language models under limited GPU resources. The proposed approach combines parameter-efficient fine-tuning techniques, such as Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA), with quantization to reduce memory requirements, enabling training on a single consumer-grade GPU. We fine-tuned a pre-trained decoder-only model on the XSum dataset using an instruction-following format. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed decoder-only approach achieves competitive performance on the XSum dataset under strict GPU memory constraints. On the full test set, the proposed 2G–1R pipeline attains ROUGE-1/2/L F1 scores of 46.0/22.0/37.0 and a BERTScore F1 of 0.917, outperforming the individual generator models in lexical overlap and semantic similarity. Evaluation was conducted using traditional overlap-based metrics (ROUGE) and semantic metrics, including BERTScore and G-Eval. While remaining competitive in ROUGE compared to strong encoder–decoder baselines, the pipeline consistently produces summaries with higher semantic quality. These findings demonstrate that large decoder-only language models can be efficiently fine-tuned for extreme summarization on limited consumer-grade hardware without sacrificing output quality. Full article

Operational expenditure in wind farms is heavily influenced by unplanned maintenance, much of which stems from undetected rotor system faults. Although many fault-detection methods have been proposed, most remain confined to laboratory test. Blade-root bending-moment measurements are among the few techniques applied in the field, yet their reliability is limited by strong sensitivity to varying operational and environmental conditions. This study presents a data-driven rotor health-monitoring framework that enhances the diagnostic value of blade bending-moments. Assuming that the wind speed profile remains approximately stationary over short intervals (e.g., 20 s), a machine-learning model is trained on bending-moment data from healthy blades to predict the incident wind-speed profile under a wide range of conditions. During operation, real-time bending-moment signals from each blade are independently processed by the trained model. A healthy rotor yields consistent wind-speed profile predictions across all three blades, whereas deviations for an individual blade indicate rotor asymmetry. In this study, the methodology is verified using high-fidelity OpenFAST simulations with controlled blade pitch misalignment as a representative fault case, providing simulation-based verification of the proposed framework. Results demonstrate that the proposed inverse-modeling and cross-blade consistency framework enables sensitive and robust detection and localization of pitch-related rotor faults. While only pitch misalignment is explicitly investigated here, the approach is inherently applicable to other rotor asymmetry mechanisms such as mass imbalance or aerodynamic degradation, supporting reliable condition monitoring and earlier maintenance interventions. Using OpenFAST simulations, the proposed framework reconstructs height-resolved wind profiles with RMSE below 0.15 m/s (R² > 0.997) under healthy conditions, and achieves up to 100% detection accuracy for moderate-to-severe pitch misalignment faults. Full article

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a dynamic malignancy in which intraclonal subfractions differ in activation history and responsiveness to microenvironmental signals. Here, we investigated the expression and inducibility of IL-12 family receptor subunits (IL-23R, IL-12Rβ1, IL-12Rβ2) and the related receptor complexes in recirculating CLL cells, with a focus on CXCR4/CD5-defined fractions: the proliferative fraction (PF; CXCR4^dim/CD5^bright; most recently divided, tissue-emigrated cells) and the resting fraction (RF; CXCR4^bright/CD5^dim; older, quiescent cells). At baseline, IL-12Rβ1 was enriched in the PF and was associated with a higher proportion of cells expressing IL-23R and IL-12R receptor complexes. Concomitantly, RT-qPCR disclosed higher IL-12Rβ1 mRNA levels. Following antigen-independent activation with CpG or CpG + IL-15, there was a marked increase in IL-23R and IL-12Rβ1 but not in IL-12Rβ2 surface expression, resulting in preferential upregulation of the IL-23R complex over the IL-12R complex. Fraction-specific analyses showed stronger induction of IL-23R and IL-23R complex expression in PF compared with RF. These findings identify an intraclonal bias toward IL-23 responsiveness in the CLL cells with a phenotype of recently divided, tissue-emigrated cells and suggest the IL-23/IL-23R axis as a potential therapeutic target. Full article

Aflatoxins, particularly aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), are among the most potent naturally occurring carcinogens and remain a major food-borne hazard in parts of Asia and Africa. China has generated a uniquely cohesive body of evidence connecting aflatoxin contamination to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in settings where chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly prevalent and acts synergistically with aflatoxin exposure. Over five decades, field investigations and laboratory innovations—exemplified by long-term work in Qidong—have assembled a multi-layered causal chain spanning the following: (i) contamination monitoring in staple foods; (ii) quantification of internal dose and biologically effective dose using validated biomarkers (e.g., urinary AFB₁–N⁷–guanine, AFM₁, and serum AFB₁–lysine albumin adducts); (iii) a characteristic molecular fingerprint in tumors and circulation (TP53 R249S); (iv) reversibility demonstrated through randomized intervention trials and policy-driven natural experiments. Chemoprevention and dietary interception studies (e.g., oltipraz, chlorophyllin, and broccoli sprout beverages) showed that enhancing detoxication pathways can lower biomarker burdens in exposed populations. At the population level, a sustained dietary transition from maize to rice, together with strengthened food governance, was accompanied by marked decreases in biomarker distributions and subsequent declines in HCC mortality in endemic regions. Nevertheless, regional heterogeneity, multi-mycotoxin co-exposure, and climate variability are expected to increase exposure volatility and complicate surveillance. Here, we translate and synthesize the Chinese evidence base, highlight biomarker-enabled monitoring and policy evaluation, and propose an integrated “5+1” prevention framework spanning source control, process detoxification, tiered governance, short-course interception, precision follow-up of high-risk individuals, and climate-sensitive early warning along the climate–agriculture–storage–processing–population (CAT–CSPP) chain. Full article

Moulds of the Rhizopus oryzae species exhibit high biotechnological potential due to their significant metabolic activity, which is influenced by cultivation conditions. The study aimed to evaluate the ability of R. oryzae DSM 2199 to synthesize extracellular lipolytic and proteolytic enzymes in solid-state fermentation (SSF) using rapeseed cake as a substrate. The effectiveness of the SSF method in stimulating the synthesis of hydrolytic enzymes by R. oryzae was confirmed. The effect of an additional carbon and nitrogen source with three different dilution variants of the solid substrate on lipase and protease activity was analyzed. No significant correlation was found between enzyme activity and the applied diluents. The extracellular enzyme solution obtained from R. oryzae in SSF was lyophilized. The freeze-dried raw preparation exhibited high lipolytic activity (111.59 U/g) compared to its low proteolytic activity (0.013 U/g). Demonstrated hydrolytic activity made the biocatalyst useful for the hydrolysis and esterification reactions. Full article

A novel facultatively anaerobic, Gram-negative, curved rod-shaped bacterium was isolated from blood cultures obtained from a patient with pyogenic spondylitis in Japan. The organism was additionally detected by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis in a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded lumbar spine biopsy specimen from the same patient. The type strain, designated THUN1379ᵀ, is motile by means of a single polar flagellum and forms circular, white to translucent colonies on R2A agar and 5% sheep blood agar. The strain is oxidase-positive and catalase-negative and grows at temperatures ranging from 25 to 42 °C. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence placed strain THUN1379ᵀ within the genus Paludibacterium (family Chromobacteriaceae), showing the highest sequence similarity to Paludibacterium purpuratum KJ031ᵀ (98.6%). Whole-genome sequencing revealed a genome size of approximately 3.6 Mb with a DNA G+C content of 61.3 mol%. Phylogenomic analysis based on whole-genome sequences supported the distinct taxonomic position of strain THUN1379ᵀ within the genus. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain THUN1379ᵀ and Paludibacterium purpuratum KJ031ᵀ were 79.7% and 23.1%, respectively, which are well below the accepted thresholds for species delineation. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genomic characteristics, strain THUN1379ᵀ represents a novel species of the genus Paludibacterium, for which the name Paludibacterium flexuosum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is THUN1379ᵀ (=JCM 36560ᵀ = KCTC 8465ᵀ). Full article

Mangrove forests provide essential climate regulation and coastal protection, yet fine-scale quantification of carbon dynamics remains limited in the Sundarbans due to spatial heterogeneity and tidal influences. This study estimated canopy structural and photosynthetic dynamics from 2019 to 2023 by integrating 10 m spatial high-resolution remote sensing with a light use efficiency (LUE) modeling framework. Leaf Area Index (LAI) was retrieved at 10 m resolution using the PROSAIL radiative transfer model applied to Sentinel-2 data to characterize the canopy structure of the mangrove forest. LUE-based Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) was estimated using Sentinel-2 vegetation and water indices and MODIS fPAR with station observatory temperature data. Annual carbon uptake showed clear interannual variation, ranging from 1881 to 2862 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ between 2019 and 2023. GPP estimates were strongly correlated with MODIS-GPP (R² = 0.86, p < 0.001), demonstrating the method’s reliability for monitoring mangrove carbon sequestration. LUE-based Solar-induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) was derived at 10 m resolution and compared with TROPOMI-SIF observations to assess correspondence (R² = 0.88, p < 0.001) with photosynthetic activity. LAI, GPP and SIF exhibited pronounced seasonal and interannual variability on photosynthetic activity, with higher values during the monsoon growing season and lower values during dry periods. Mean NDVI declined from 2019 to 2023 and modeled annual carbon uptake ranged from approximately 43 to 65 Mt CO₂ eq, with lower sequestration in 2022–2023 associated with climatic stress. Strong correlations among LAI, NDVI, GPP, and SIF indicated consistent coupling between photosynthetic activity and carbon uptake in the mangrove ecosystem. These results provide a fine-scale assessment of mangrove carbon dynamics relevant to conservation and climate-mitigation planning in tropical regions. Full article

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) are produced by several toxic species of the dinoflagellate genera Alexandrium and Gymnodinium, and they pose significant threats to marine ecosystems and public health. Rapid and accurate detection of harmful algal blooms (HABs) is essential for effective management. In this study, we developed a multiplex quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeting the 28S ribosomal DNA region to simultaneously detect three PST-producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium catenella, A. pacificum, and Gymnodinium catenatum, in the East China Sea off southern Korea. Species-specific primers and hydrolysis probes labeled with distinct fluorophores were validated for simultaneous detection. The standard curves showed strong linearity (R² > 0.99) and high amplification efficiencies (95.268–99.325%). No cross-reactivity was observed among the 20 non-target microalgal species. Field application of the assay using environmental DNA (eDNA) samples collected during spring successfully detected A. catenella and A. pacificum, whereas G. catenatum was not detected during the survey period. This multiplex qPCR assay provides a rapid and reliable molecular tool for early detection and spatial monitoring of potentially PST-producing dinoflagellates, supporting sustainable HAB management in East Asian coastal ecosystems. Full article

Decarbonisation of the aviation sector is essential for achieving global-climate targets, with hydrogen propulsion emerging as a viable alternative to battery–electric systems for vertical flight. Unlike previous studies focusing on clean-sheet eVTOL concepts or fixed-wing platforms, this work provides a comprehensive retrofit evaluation of a two-seat light helicopter (Cabri G2/Robinson R22 class) to a hydrogen–electric hybrid powertrain built around a Toyota TFCM2-B PEM fuel cell (85 kW net), a 30 kg lithium-ion buffer battery, and 700 bar Type-IV hydrogen storage totalling 5 kg, aligned with the Vertical Flight Society (VFS) mission profile. The mass breakdown, mission energy equations, and segment-wise hydrogen use for a 100 km sortie are documented using a single main rotor with a radius of R = 3.39 m, with power-by-segment calculations taken from the team’s final proposal. Screening-level simulations are used solely for architectural assessment; no experimental validation is performed. Mission analysis indicates a 100 km operational range with only 3.06 kg of hydrogen consumption (39% fuel reserve). The main contribution is a quantified demonstration of a practical retrofit pathway for light rotorcraft, showing approximately 1.8–2.2 times greater range (100 km vs. 45–55 km battery-only baseline, including respective safety reserves). The Hawk demonstrates a 28% reduction in total propulsion system mass (199 kg including PEMFC stack and balance-of-plant 109 kg, H₂ storage 20 kg, battery 30 kg, and motor with gearbox 40 kg) compared to a battery-only configuration (254.5 kg battery pack, plus equivalent 40 kg motor and gearbox), representing approximately 32% system-level mass savings when thermal-management subsystems (15 kg) are included for both configurations. Full article

Corticosteroid receptor signaling in primary afferent neurons of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) has emerged as a potential target to modulate nociception via genomic and nongenomic mechanisms shown in animal pain models. However, the expression landscape of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) relative to mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) in human DRG, their association with pain-related markers, and their functional relevance remain incompletely defined. We analyzed human and rat DRG by mRNA profiling and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy to assess GR/MR expression and complemented these studies with a clinical evaluation of neuraxial corticosteroid delivery. Here, GR transcripts in human DRG were the most abundant among corticosteroid receptor-related genes examined (including MR) and were observed alongside transcripts of pain-signaling molecules. Human DRG immunofluorescence analysis revealed substantial colocalization of GR with calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a marker of nociceptive unmyelinated C-fibers and thinly myelinated Aδ-fibers, as well as with gial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker of satellite glial cells (SGCs), but minimal expression in myelinated neurofilament 200 (RT-200) immunoreactive (IR) human DRG neurons. In addition, GR immunoreactivity was primarily distributed to medium-diameter neurons (40–65 µm). Functionally, preclinical experiments showed that GR activation and MR blockade attenuate inflammatory pain via rapid, nongenomic neuronal mechanisms that counter an intrinsic mineralocorticoid receptor-mediated pronociceptive drive. Consistently, clinical analgesia over at least 3 months after transforaminal plus caudal epidural delivery of GR agonists in chronic radicular pain supports a functional role for neuronal GR signaling within spinal cord and DRG circuits. Together, these molecular, functional, and clinical findings identify GR as a key modulator of sensory neuron excitability and pain, highlight MR as a pronociceptive counterpart, and suggest that selectively enhancing GR signaling or inhibiting MR signaling may offer a potential strategy for improving corticosteroid-based analgesic therapies. Full article

The escalating incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC), particularly the alarming rise in early-onset cases, necessitates a paradigm shift from a purely genetic perspective to a broader investigation of promising pathways. This review explores the “nutri-epigenetic” interface, positioning liquid biopsy as a critical technology for translating dietary impacts into actionable clinical biomarkers. We contrast the molecular consequences of the Western dietary pattern, characterized by methyl-donor deficiency and pro-inflammatory metabolites, with the protective mechanisms of the Mediterranean diet. Mechanistically, we detail how Western-style diets drive a specific “epigenetic double-hit”: promoting global DNA hypomethylation (destabilizing LINE-1) while paradoxically inducing promoter hypermethylation of critical tumour suppressors (MLH1, APC, MGMT) and silencing tumour-suppressive microRNAs (miR-34b/c, miR-137) via methylation of their encoding genes. Conversely, we highlight the capacity of Mediterranean bioactive compounds (e.g., resveratrol, curcumin, butyrate) to inhibit DNA methyltransferases and restore epigenetic homeostasis. Bridging molecular biology and clinical utility, we demonstrate how these diet-sensitive signatures, specifically circulating methylated DNA and dysregulated microRNAs, can be captured via liquid biopsy. We propose that these circulating analytes serve as dynamic, accessible biomarkers for monitoring the molecular progression toward a carcinogenic state, thereby establishing a novel framework for personalized risk stratification and validating the efficacy of preventive nutritional strategies. Full article