Search Results (1,069)

This study examined the bioactivity profiles and secondary metabolite diversity of 64 crude extracts derived from benthic marine organisms, including 51 extracts from 34 sponge species and 13 extracts from 10 ascidian species, collected across six locations in two regions: the Gulf of Mexico (Alacranes Reef and Progreso) and the Mexican Caribbean (Cozumel, Bermejo, Mahahual, and Rio Indio) on the Yucatán Peninsula. The evaluation focused on five biological activities: cytotoxic, antialgal, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial. Results showed that 64.1% of the extracts displayed at least one activity, with 43.7% being cytotoxic, 35.9% antialgal, 25% antiviral, 15.6% antibacterial, and 14.1% antifungal. Using the Spearman correlation method, antifungal and antibacterial activities showed significant correlations in two sponge families, Agelasidae and Aplysinidae (ρ ranging from 0.99 to 0.97, p = 0.01–0.001). The Cozumel and Río Indio localities exhibited the highest number of bioactive extracts; notably, extracts of 15 species demonstrated specific biological activities. Furthermore, a dereplication strategy using ¹³C NMR spectroscopy was applied, aiding in the probable identification of secondary metabolites and clarifying the biological activities of recurrent species from different locations. Full article

Stored-product insects threaten global food security, yet the environmental mechanisms governing their responses to climate change remain poorly understood. Existing pest distribution projections rarely integrate diurnal thermal variability with agricultural land use. Here, we show that diurnal thermal variability, together with agricultural land use, is a major determinant of habitat suitability for three globally important Callosobruchus pests across the Middle East. Using optimized species distribution models integrating climate, topography, and cropland under contrasting CMIP6 climate scenarios, we demonstrate that mean diurnal temperature range and cropland consistently emerge as the strongest predictors across all species, revealing the importance of daily thermal fluctuations beyond mean warming alone. Under the low-emission scenario (SSP1-2.6), suitable habitat by mid-century expands substantially for C. chinensis and C. phaseoli, while remaining little changed overall for C. maculatus, for which comparable local expansion and contraction largely offset one another; under the high-emission scenario (SSP5-8.5), gains are reduced, and localized contractions occur, particularly for C. chinensis and C. maculatus, the latter shifting to a slight net loss in total suitable area. Persistent climatic refugia remain along Mediterranean and Red Sea coastal regions, whereas habitat losses are concentrated in the northern Gulf lowlands and Zagros foothills. Our findings identify diurnal thermal variability as an overlooked dimension of stored-product pest ecology and show that integrating agricultural landscapes with climate projections can improve forecasts of future pest risk, providing a framework for climate-informed surveillance, biosecurity, and adaptation. Full article

Offshore wind energy droughts are quantified at eight strategic sites using a Standardized Renewable Energy Production Index referenced to an 86-year-ERA5 baseline. Events are extracted via multi-threshold run theory and projected to 2100 using bias-corrected CMIP6 models under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5. Drought climatology shows that mean drought duration and severity exhibit spatial heterogeneity, peaking in the Aegean–Cretan sector. Under future warming, a robust, false-discovery-rate-controlled intensification is predominantly concentrated in the central–western basin, associated with structural shifts toward weaker, heavy-tailed wind distributions. The Sicily Channel and Gulf of Lion emerge as hotspots for drought intensification, exhibiting consistent annual total duration increases of up to 20% and 15%, respectively, under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. Winter droughts across the basin are associated with a complex interplay of the AO, NAO, EA, and EA/WR teleconnections, alongside a pronounced winter MOI influence in the west. Summer droughts in the Aegean–Cretan sector are strongly coupled with the weakening of the MOI, reflecting the collapse of the basin-scale pressure gradient that sustains the Etesian winds. The central–western Mediterranean emerges as a key region for adaptive, long-duration energy storage planning, whereas the climatology of the eastern basin remains a defensible baseline for future capacity design. Full article

Digitization is reshaping how banks operate, yet whether it improves corporate financial performance remains unsettled. This study examines how the digital transformation that banks disclose relates to the structure of their key financial performance indicators. Using a balanced panel of 73 listed Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) banks over 2020–2025 (438 bank–year observations), digital transformation is measured by a text-mined digital disclosure index (DDI, 0–100) constructed from annual reports and decomposed into nine themes. Bank fixed-effects regressions with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors, one-year-lagged specifications, and two-step system GMM are estimated across profitability, net interest margin, cost efficiency, credit risk and capital adequacy. Disclosed digitization more than doubled over the window, but its associations with performance are conditional rather than uniformly positive. Within banks, a higher DDI value is associated with wider net interest margins, yet also with lower profitability, higher cost-to-income ratios, modestly higher credit risk, and thinner capital buffers. This pattern is consistent with an investment or build-out phase in which the costs of digital transformation are visible before any efficiency or stability dividend and in which margins are the single offsetting benefit. The six-year window observes only this cost-bearing segment and not any later recovery, so the study documents the investment-phase drag rather than a completed cycle. The theme decomposition indicates that the margin association is closest to regulatory technology, cybersecurity, broad transformation and payments. Because the design is observational, the results are interpreted as within-bank associations rather than causal effects, and, although precisely estimated, these associations are economically modest. The study contributes a transparent theme-decomposed measure of bank digitization and evidence on its limits for corporate financial performance in an emerging-market banking region. Full article

Green finance has emerged as a critical mechanism for aligning capital markets with climate and sustainability objectives, particularly as economies face mounting pressure to transition away from carbon-intensive growth models. In hydrocarbon-dependent regions such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), this transition poses distinctive challenges that require integrated institutional, policy, and financial frameworks. The global transition toward sustainable finance has gathered significant momentum, with green capital markets emerging as a central mechanism for channeling investment toward climate and development objectives. Hydrocarbon-dependent economies face a distinctive challenge in this transition, as they must reconcile resource-based growth models with rising pressures for environmental accountability and low-carbon diversification. This study develops an integrated theoretical framework to examine how Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) financial systems are transitioning toward green capital markets, drawing on institutional theory, environmental policy pathway analysis, and climate-finance alignment models. Using descriptive statistics from regional stock exchanges covering 2015–2024, the study maps key trends in sustainable asset growth, institutional investor preferences, and regulatory evolution across the GCC. Findings indicate progressive alignment with global ESG norms; sustainable asset valuations grew at 23.5% CAGR (UAE) and 18.7% CAGR (Saudi Arabia). A fixed-effects panel regression with panel-corrected standard errors is estimated across all six GCC economies; regulatory framework maturity emerges as the strongest predictor of green bond issuance (β = 0.47, p < 0.01). Cumulative green bond issuances reached USD 52.6 billion (2015–2024), with renewable energy accounting for 58.1% of the sectoral allocation and green transportation recording a 55.9% CAGR (2020–2024). Policy recommendations focus on GCC-wide harmonization of mandatory ESG disclosure, adoption of a unified green bond taxonomy, and expansion of concessional green financing mechanisms. Substantial cross-country heterogeneity is documented, driven by differences in energy policy commitment, financial market maturity, and institutional capacity. The proposed framework offers specific policy guidance to accelerate green financial integration in the GCC, emphasizing regulatory harmonization, institutional capacity-building, and alignment with SDG targets 7 and 13. The study contributes to the limited evidence base on green finance in hydrocarbon-dependent economies and provides a foundation for future empirical research. Given the small panel dimensions (N = 6 cross-sectional units; T = 10 years), this study is positioned as exploratory rather than confirmatory: the panel-regression estimates and the hypothesized institutional-to-policy-to-finance sequence are interpreted as associational patterns consistent with the proposed framework rather than as definitive causal tests, and the reported coefficients are offered as indicative magnitudes to be re-examined as longer GCC green-finance time series become available. Full article

The Seville root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne hispanica (Nematoda: Meloidogynidae), is a highly specialized plant pathogen nematode, posing a significant threat to global agricultural production. Based on 18 validated global occurrence records of M. hispanica, the biomod2 ensemble model was applied to predict its potential habitat distribution under current and future climate scenarios. The global distribution records of M. hispanica were collected and combined with 19 bioclimatic variables and one environmental variable, while five key environmental factors (i.e., bio15, bio7, bio13, bio2, and elevation) were picked out for model development through principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation screening. The results indicated that the biomod2 ensemble model chooses from 13 individual algorithms (ANN, CTA, FDA, GAM, GBM, GLM, MARS, MAXENT, MAXNET, RF, RFd, SRE, and XGBoost), of which seven high-performing models were retained for the TSS-weighted ensemble that balances coverage, stability and explanatory capability, with a cross-validated TSS of 0.724 ± 0.144 and AUC of 0.892 ± 0.059 (calibration TSS = 0.923, AUC = 0.976). The current potential suitable habitats of M. hispanica are primarily concentrated in the low-latitude region between 15° N and 30° N, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, the South Asian subcontinent, and the coastal areas of Southeast Asia. Under future climate scenarios, the potential suitable habitat range of M. hispanica in China was projected to expand northward, contract westward, and remain absent from plateau regions. The North China Plain and the southern Loess Plateau would likely become new expansion areas, whereas the southwestern plateau would show a reduction in suitability. Given the limited number of occurrence records, this study should be interpreted as a preliminary, climate-based risk assessment to guide surveillance and quarantine prioritization. Full article

The molecular epidemiology and antiretroviral (ARV) drug resistance of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) remain incompletely outlined in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The aim of this retrospective molecular epidemiology study was to analyze MENA HIV-1 sequences for phylogenetic clustering and to delineate surveillance drug-resistance mutations (SDRMs) for nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) across various periods, locations, and subtypes/circulating recombinant forms (CRFs). Viral sequences were retrieved from the Los Alamos HIV Sequence Database as of 15 April 2026. Analyses were done using multiple sub-gene regions (two env regions (n = 224 and n = 60) and PR (n = 2413) and RT (n = 2103) of the pol gene). Phylogeny construction was conducted using maximum-likelihood estimation, while ARV drug resistance analysis was conducted using the Stanford HIVdb algorithm. The HIV-1 MENA sequences showed a remarkable genetic diversity, with co-circulation of multiple subtypes/CRFs, including subtype B in the Maghreb, Levant, and Egypt sub-regions, subtypes A1, G, CRF01_AE, and CRF02_AG in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Yemen sub-region, and subtypes C and D in the Horn of Africa and Sudan sub-region. The percentage of MENA HIV-1 sequences in clusters was 10.3% for env1, 8.3% for env2, 22.0% for PR and 37.2% for RT. Phylogenetic reconstruction hinted at a structured epidemic dominated by small transmission units, with most clusters comprising dyads (n = 260) or networks (n = 142) and a limited number of large clusters (n = 8) that were largely confined within national boundaries, with only occasional cross-border linkages (n = 8). Overall SDRM prevalence was 3.2% in the PR region and 14.9% in the RT region, with a higher percentage of NNRTI-associated mutations (10.0%) than NRTI-associated mutations (9.1%) and dual-class resistance observed in 4.1% of sequences. Phylogenetic clustering was not associated with the probability of harboring SDRMs; however, negative binomial models showed that non-clustered sequences had a greater burden of NRTI-associated mutations, whereas no such association was observed for NNRTI- or PI-associated mutations. The findings showed predominantly localized and fragmented MENA HIV-1 transmission dynamics. Heterogeneous ARV drug resistance dynamics indicated that resistance emergence might be shaped by broader epidemiologic and treatment-related factors rather than ongoing clustered transmission. There is a need for coordinated molecular surveillance and optimized ART strategies across the MENA countries. Full article

Tsunami hazards in the Bay of Naples are primarily driven by submarine landslides, intense seismic activity, and volcanic phenomena from nearby systems like Vesuvius and the Campi Flegrei caldera. While localized historical tsunamis have occurred, they are generally rare events. Key tsunami sources include submarine landslides, volcanic eruptions, and seismicity. In this paper we provide a review of the tsunamis in Naples Bay within a general framework of Mediterranean tsunamis based on a literature review. Underwater avalanches, particularly around the steep slopes of the Dohrn Canyon and Ischia, are considered a primary localized threat. Scientific models indicate that a major collapse (like past events like the Ischia debris avalanche) could generate significant waves that could cross the bay in minutes. Explosive eruptions where magma meets seawater (such as PDCs—pyroclastic density currents) can displace water violently. This was famously documented during the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which created submarine ash fans and tsunami waves in the gulf. Earthquakes related to bradyseism in the Campi Flegrei or regional faults can also trigger sea level oscillations or localized tidal waves. Among the historical modeled events, we focus on the A.D. 79 eruption and on the 1343 Naples tsunami. The numerical simulations are revised. Depending on the source, the modeled waves vary from minor oscillations to heights of up to 6 m in canyon areas or over 20 m in nearby islands like Ischia. Full article

The mechanistic understanding of biogeochemical dynamics in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) has historically been hindered by persistent cloud cover and reliance on static geographic boundaries. In this study, we analysed a 20-year (2003–2022) satellite-derived chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) dataset to overcome these observational limitations through a three-part spatial and machine-learning framework. First, the Data Interpolating Empirical Orthogonal Functions (DINEOF) algorithm reconstructed a gap-free climatology, demonstrating robustness under extreme simulated cloud cover (R² = 0.884). Second, a Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) clustering algorithm objectively partitioned the basin into three dynamic, physically driven bioregions: an oligotrophic gyre, river plumes, and an upwelling mega-cluster. Third, we applied an explainable Random Forest framework, supported by SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), to identify the main physical and biogeochemical predictors associated with coastal Chl-a variability using hindcast nutrients and a strict chronological split (training: 2003–2018; test: 2019–2022). The models produced conservative but meaningful independent test-period performance across coastal zones, with R²_log values from 0.437 to 0.595. Rather than revealing a new ecological paradox, the framework provides a basin-specific interpretation of a globally documented pattern: offshore oligotrophication alongside localized coastal enrichment. The open ocean and transition/upwelling sectors show negative Chl-a tendencies consistent with sea surface warming, enhanced stratification, and reduced upward nutrient supply. Conversely, coastal ecosystems are structured by local hydrological and wind-driven forcings that modulate the regional climate signal. In the Congo plume, Chl-a variability is primarily structured by haline plume dynamics and secondary nutrient constraints, whereas the Niger plume reflects coupled mixed-layer and terrigenous nutrient controls. These findings establish a spatially objective typology of the GoG, providing a regional reference framework for future high-resolution missions, monitoring, and coupled physical–biogeochemical modelling. Full article

The maritime desert boundary layer over Bahrain often supports anomalous tropospheric propagation. This includes super-refraction and surface-based ducting. These conditions increase the risk of transboundary VHF interference across the Arabian Gulf. This study presents a descriptor-based, empirically anchored propagation-sensitivity framework for assessing these propagation risks under data-limited conditions. It provides a practical alternative in regions where long-term real-world propagation measurements are difficult to obtain. Representative regional refractivity profiles are synthesized from localized thermodynamic variables. Long-term observations from Cyprus are used as an empirical benchmark for severe anomalous propagation. The simulation framework combines ITU-R P.452 anomalous-propagation screening, two-dimensional ray tracing, and wide-angle split-step Fourier parabolic-equation (PE) modeling. Validation against 95.5 MHz field-strength measurements from Limassol, Cyprus, collected during anomalous-propagation interference from Middle East transmitters, shows that matched atmospheric profiles can produce path enhancements of up to 11 dB above free-space predictions. The analysis of critical Gulf links identifies severe low-altitude trapping conditions that exceed classical waveguide thresholds. The Doha–Manama and Abu Dhabi–Manama paths show the highest interference potential. The 98.4 MHz channel emerges as the main same-channel coordination concern. The proposed framework provides a physically grounded and meteorologically bounded method for spectrum coordination and interference assessment in coastal desert environments. Full article

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) plays a vital agronomic and nutritional role in arid regions of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), where sustainable crop improvement is essential. Among the many cultivars, Sukkary, Mejhoul, and Khlass stand out for their commercial importance, adaptability, and distinctive fruit characteristics. This study investigated their metabolomic profiles during fruit development, focusing on sugars, amino acids, polyphenols, and organic acids. Distinct biochemical signatures were identified among cultivars. Mejhoul exhibited the highest Brix (~79), reflecting elevated glucose and fructose, while Sukkary and Khlass (~72) showed sucrose predominance. Sugar profiles revealed cultivar-specific patterns: Sukkary accumulated more sucrose, whereas Mejhoul and Khlass had higher invert sugars, with inositol uniquely abundant in Khlass. Amino acid analysis showed Sukkary enriched in glutamine, valine, and GABA—metabolites linked to nitrogen metabolism and stress tolerance. Mejhoul contained more tyrosine and glutamine, and Khlass was rich in methionine and urea. Organic acid profiling highlighted Sukkary’s dominance in TCA intermediates (fumaric, succinic, and malic acids), Khlass in citric and citraconic acids, and lower organic acid levels in Mejhoul. Sukkary also exhibited the highest polyphenol content, consistent with elevated phenylalanine and activation of the phenylpropanoid pathway. These metabolomic distinctions reflect cultivar-specific physiological and nutritional traits: Mejhoul suits fresh consumption and fermentation, Sukkary favors functional food and storage potential, and Khlass offers balanced sugar-acid and inositol profiles. The findings provide a biochemical basis for cultivar-specific breeding, postharvest optimization, and enhanced nutritional value under climate stress. Full article

Background: Complex wounds present significant reconstructive challenges owing to impaired healing, infections, and tissue loss. Skin grafting remains a widely used reconstructive technique; however, outcome data from the Gulf region are limited to a few studies. This study aimed to evaluate early graft outcomes and complications following skin graft reconstruction for complex wounds at a tertiary hospital. Methods: A retrospective, hospital-based study was conducted at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), including all patients who underwent split-thickness or full-thickness skin grafting between 2023 and 2025. Demographic, clinical, surgical, and wound-related data were collected. The main outcomes were graft take on postoperative days 5–7, time to complete re-epithelialization, and the occurrence of postoperative complications. Results: A total of 50 patients were included; 72% were males, with a median age of 45.5 years. Diabetes mellitus was present in 34% of patients. Trauma (28%) and infection/necrotizing causes (22%) were the most common etiologies of wounds. Complete graft take (>90%) was achieved in 90% of the patients, whereas 10% had partial graft take. The median time to complete re-epithelialization was 13 days. Complications were infrequent and minor, including postoperative infection (8%), hypertrophic scar formation (6%), and wound dehiscence (2%). No significant differences in healing time were observed between the diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Conclusions: In this descriptive institutional cohort, a combined protocol of wound-bed preparation, skin graft reconstruction, and postoperative NPWT-assisted stabilization was associated with favorable early graft take and fewer complications. These findings should be interpreted cautiously because of wound heterogeneity, unavailable wound size measurements, and limited subgroup sizes. Larger prospective studies are needed to evaluate the predictors of graft success. Full article

Over the past seven decades, rapid economic growth has been accompanied by a substantial increase in environmental degradation worldwide. Given the magnitude and transboundary nature of environmental externalities, country-specific policies may be insufficient, and regionally coordinated environmental strategies are likely to be more effective. For such frameworks to succeed, convergence in levels of environmental pressure among member countries is essential. In this study, convergence is examined using the ecological footprint (EFP), a comprehensive indicator of environmental pressure. The analysis covers the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—over 1971–2024 and tests for the stochastic convergence of per-capita footprints relative to the year-t regional average. Conventional ADF tests indicate convergence for Kuwait and Qatar—with Saudi Arabia at the 10% level—and Phillips–Perron results point in the same direction. Quantile ADF and Fourier quantile KSS tests with bootstrap inference show that adjustment is regime-dependent and country-specific: mean reversion is confined to below-average states in Bahrain, to above-average states in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and to both extremes in Qatar, while the United Arab Emirates and Oman revert to almost no quantile. The Phillips–Sul log-t procedure does not reject full-panel convergence: all six countries form a single convergence club, the result survives leave-one-country-out and cross-sectional-dependence checks, and subsample estimates date the convergence process mainly to the post-1990 period. Component-level analysis shows that aggregate convergence is carried by the carbon component (84–99% of the GCC footprint), whereas cropland, grazing, forest, and built-up components diverge. The findings support regionally coordinated energy–carbon policy combined with nationally tailored land-use policy. Full article

Coral reef degradation has accelerated the development of active restoration approaches, including the use of mid-water coral nurseries (Floating Reef Devices; FRDs) designed to enhance coral growth and survival. Although primarily used for coral propagation, the broader ecological roles of FRDs remain poorly understood. We assess the biodiversity and ecological structure of a long-term FRD deployed in the Gulf of Eilat over two decades as an active coral nursery. We surveyed naturally recruited sessile organisms and associated fish communities, quantifying taxonomic breadth and distinctness (Δ+), functional diversity, and trophic structure. The FRD supported a diverse community spanning eight phyla and 128 genera, with high taxonomic distinctness and wide functional trait representation across multiple trophic levels. Despite lower genus richness compared to natural habitats, coral and fish assemblages exhibited taxonomic and functional patterns that fell within the range observed for the adjacent natural reef. Functional analyses showed that the FRD’s coral assemblage occupied nearly the full regional trait space, while fish biomass was dominated by planktivores and secondary consumers, indicating a differently structured trophic organization. These findings demonstrate that long-term floating nursery systems can develop into structurally complex, multi-trophic communities, providing ecological and conservation values and ecosystem services beyond their original restoration role. These findings provide an ecological foundation for future studies of floating restoration systems and their associated ecological roles, while also informing their design, implementation, and evaluation as practical tools for enhancing ecosystem recovery and associated ecological functions. Full article

Sandy beaches in the Central Region of Veracruz (CRV) face constant anthropogenic pressure from port and urban activities. This study aimed to evaluate total hydrocarbon (TH) concentrations in the intertidal interstitial water of five beaches in the CRV, analyzing their variability by depth (15 and 30 cm) and seasonality (northerly winds, dry, and rainy seasons). TH determination was performed using gas chromatography (GC-FID), following the NMX-AA-117-SCFI-2001 and NOM-138-SEMARNAT/SSA1-2012 standards. Results showed concentrations ranging from 0.86 to 6.53 µg L⁻¹. Significant spatial differences were identified (p < 0.05); Antepuerto beach presented the highest levels due to its proximity to the port, while Farallón showed the lowest concentrations, confirming its role as a reference site. No significant variations were detected by depth or season (p > 0.05), indicating temporal stability associated with continuous anthropogenic inputs. Although levels comply with Mexican regulations, the continuous presence of TH represents a potential risk to benthic biota and the integrity of the Veracruz Reef System (SAV). This study provides a critical baseline for strengthening coastal ecosystem management strategies in the Gulf of Mexico. Full article