Search Results (57)

The Aït Abdellah copper deposit in the Bou Azzer-El Graara inlier of the Moroccan Anti-Atlas provides key insights into structurally and lithologically controlled mineralization in Precambrian terranes. The deposit is hosted in feldspathic sandstones of the Tiddiline Group, which unconformably overlie the Bou Azzer ophiolite, and is spatially associated with a NE–SW-trending shear zone. This zone is characterized by mylonitic fabrics, calcite veining, and an extensive network of fractures, reflecting a two-stage deformation history involving early ductile shearing followed by brittle faulting and brecciation. These structural features enhanced rock permeability, enabling fluid flow and metal precipitation. Copper mineralization includes primary sulfides such as chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrite, chalcocite, digenite, and covellite, as well as supergene minerals like malachite, azurite, and chrysocolla. Sulfur isotope values (δ³⁴S = +5.9% to +22.8%) indicate a mixed sulfur source, likely derived from both ophiolitic rocks and volcano-sedimentary sequences. Carbon and oxygen isotope data suggest fluid interaction with marine carbonates and meteoric waters, potentially linked to post-Snowball Earth deglaciation processes. Fluid inclusion studies reveal homogenization temperatures ranging from 195 °C to 310 °C and salinities between 5.7 and 23.2 wt.% NaCl equivalent, supporting a model of fluid mixing between magmatic-hydrothermal and volcano-sedimentary sources. The paragenetic evolution of the deposit comprises three stages: (1) early hydrothermal precipitation of quartz, dolomite, sericite, pyrite, and early chalcopyrite and bornite; (2) a main mineralizing stage characterized by fracturing and deposition of bornite, chalcopyrite, and Ag-bearing sulfosalts; and (3) a late supergene phase with oxidation and secondary enrichment. The Aït Abdellah deposit is best classified as a shear zone-hosted copper system with a complex, multistage mineralization history. The integrated analysis of structural features, mineral assemblages, isotopic signatures, and fluid inclusion data reveals a dynamic interplay between deformation processes, hydrothermal alteration, and evolving fluid sources. Full article

The Shionomisaki Igneous Complex is part of the Mid Miocene igneous province developed within the Shimanto Accretionary Complex in front of the volcanic front in SW Japan. The igneous rocks in this province mostly have silicic compositions. New U-Pb ages obtained for two samples from the Shionomisaki Complex at the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula (14.6 ± 0.4 Ma and 14.9 ± 0.4 Ma) fall into the range of previous age determinations (14.6 ± 0.2 to 15.4 ± 0.3 Ma). Hf isotopic compositions obtained for co-magmatic zircon (εHf(t) = −0.7 to +4.8) lie between typical values obtained for mantle-derived magmas and values obtained for old crustal rocks. They are thus consistent with previous interpretations that the magmas are mixtures of mantle and crustally derived magmas. In the modelling of the isotopic characteristics of the magmas, the sediments of the Shimanto belt are taken as the protolith of the silicic magmas. Xenocrystal zircon (i.e., zircon picked up during ascent and emplacement of the magma) found in the silicic igneous rocks exhibits a similar age pattern as detrital zircon of the Shimanto sediments. However, the age pattern obtained in this study for zircon cores, which are considered to be restitic zircon (i.e., zircon derived from the source of the anatectic melt), shows little semblance with the age pattern of Shimanto sediments. It is, therefore, tentatively suggested that the source area of the silicic magmas may not be identical with the sediments of the Shimanto Accretionary Complex. Full article

Introduction: Vascular aging is associated with a loss of aortic compliance (C_A), which results in increased left ventricular pressure–volume area (PVA), stroke work (SW) and myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO₂). Myocardial efficiency (MyoEff) is derived from the PVA and MVO₂ construct, which includes potential energy (PE). However, the SW/MVO₂ ratio does not include PE and provides a more accurate physiologic measure. Methods: We used a modified computational model (CM) to assess PVA and SW and calculate MVO₂ using a pressure-work index (e MVO₂), to derive MyoEff–PVA and MyoEff–SW metrics. Phase I evaluated five levels of human C_A from normal (N) to stiff (S) at 80 bpm, and Phase II evaluated two levels of C_A (N and S) at three heart rates (60, 100, and 140 bpm). Results: During Phase I, MyoEff–PVA increased from 20.7 to 31.2%, and MyoEff–SW increased from 14.8 to 18.9%. In Phase II, during the N setting coupled with increases in the heart rate, the MyoEff–PVA decreased from 29.4 to 14.8 to 9.5%; the MyoEff–SW also decreased from 22.5 to 10.3 to 5.9%. As expected, during the S setting, MyoEff–PVA decreased from 45.5 to 22.9 to 14.8; a similar effect occurred with the MyoEff–SW, demonstrating a decrease from 29.9 to 13.9 to 7.9%, respectively. Conclusions: The CM provided insights into a simple and clinically relevant calculation for assessing MyoEff. The agreement on the CM metrics aligns with studies conducted previously in the clinical setting. Full article

Prioritizing agricultural land use is a significant challenge for sustainable development in the rapidly urbanizing, semi-arid riverine basins of South Asia, especially under climate variability and water scarcity. This study introduces a systematic framework combining remote sensing and geospatial data with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, morphometric analysis, and VIKOR-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to effectively identify Agricultural Land Prioritization (AgLP) areas in the Upper Kansai Basin, India, while reducing the environmental impact, in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SWAT model simulation reveals varied hydrological patterns, with basin water yields from 965.9 to 1012.9 mm and a substantial baseflow (~64% of total flow), emphasizing essential groundwater–surface water interactions for sustainable agriculture. However, the discrepancy between percolation (47% of precipitation) and deep recharge (2% of precipitation) signals potential long-term groundwater challenges. VIKOR analysis offers a robust prioritization framework, ranking SW4 as the most suitable (Qi = 0.003) for balanced hydrological and morphometric features, in agreement with the SWAT outcomes. SW4 and SW5 display optimal agricultural conditions due to stable terrain, effective water retention, and favorable morphometric traits (drainage density 3.0–3.15 km/km²; ruggedness 0.3–0.4). Conversely, SW2, with high drainage density (5.33 km/km²) and ruggedness (2.0), shows low suitability, indicating risks of erosion and poor water retention. This integrated AgLP framework advances sustainable agricultural development and supports SDGs, including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Incorporating hydrological dynamics, land use, soil properties, and climate variables, this approach offers a precise assessment of agricultural suitability to address global sustainability challenges in vulnerable riverine basins of developing nations. Full article

Late Permian–Early Triassic basic rocks, which are widespread in the western margin of the Yangtze block (SW China), provide critical information for regional tectonic evolution. The Qiaoqi intrusion, distributed in the western margin of the Yangtze block, is selected as a representative for discussion in this paper. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating results show that the Qiaoqi intrusion was formed at 245 ± 1 Ma. It belongs to the medium-K calc-alkaline and tholeiitic basalt series. It is characterized by high concentrations of Fe₂O₃^T (11.53 wt. % to 15.50 wt. %), TiO₂ (1.81 wt. % to 3.20 wt. %), Al₂O₃ (11.80 wt. % to 15.60 wt. %), and low concentrations of MgO (4.51 wt. % to 8.93 wt. %). The LREE and LILE (such as Cs, Rb, Ba and Th) are enriched, with insignificant Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.92 to 1.13). The chondrite-normalized REE distribution diagram shows a right-leaning pattern, similar to ocean island basalts (OIB), displaying the geochemical characteristics of enriched mantle sources. The zircon εHf(t) values are relatively high (+12.7 to +15.5) and the single-stage Hf model ages are relatively young (t_DM = 272 to 386 Ma). Modeling further reveals that the parent magma was derived from 13% to 19% partial melting of garnet peridotite. Comprehensive analysis shows that the geochemical characteristics of the Qiaoqi intrusion bear resemblance to those of the Emeishan basalts, which are attributed to volumetrically minor melting of the fossil Emeishan plume head beneath the Yangtze crust following the eruption of the Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP). This understanding further constrains the duration of the Emeishan Large Igneous Province and provides new support for understanding the formation, evolution and distribution of the Emeishan Large Igneous Province. Full article

Osteoarthritis (OA), caused by the long-term use of joints, is a representative degenerative disease in the elderly. However, recently, the age of onset has been decreasing owing to excessive activities among young people in their 20s and 30s. Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino (GP), a perennial herb of the Cucurbitaceae family, has been used since the Ming dynasty as a medicinal material to treat various ailments, such as rheumatism, liver disease, and diabetes. In this study, we investigated the anti-arthritic effects of heat-processed Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract (Actiponin (AP)) and its derivatives, damulin A (DA) and damulin B (DB), using in vitro (primary rat chondrocytes and SW1353 cells) and in vivo (destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM)-induced OA model) systems. Histological analysis results from the in vivo study showed that the group that underwent DMM surgery induced degeneration by the loss of proteoglycan and the destruction of cartilage (OARSI score 14 ± 0.57), whereas the group that received AP daily for 8 weeks maintained an intact condition (OARSI score 5 ± 0.28 at 200 mg/kg, p < 0.001). In addition, cartilage thickness and chondrocytes were reduced in the DMM group, but were restored in the AP-administered group. Furthermore, the von Frey analysis results showed that the pain threshold of the DMM group was considerably low (54.5 g at 8 weeks), whereas that of the AP group was dose-dependently increased (65.5, 69.5, 70.3, and 71.8 at 8 weeks for 30, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively). In vitro studies showed that AP, DA, and DB reduced the expression of interleukin-1β alone-induced nitrite; inducible nitric oxide synthase; cyclooxygenase-2; matrix metallopeptidase 1/3/13; and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 4/5. They also restored the expression of collagen type II and aggrecan, which are components of the extracellular matrix. The anti-arthritic effects of AP, DA, and DB were confirmed to be mediated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell signaling pathways. Collectively, these results suggest that AP is a potential therapeutic agent for mitigating OA progression and chondroprotection. Full article

The loess–paleosol profile of Máza brickyard in SW Hungary was investigated through multivariate analyses of malacofauna and sedimentological analyses. The aim was to reconstruct the complex developmental history of both sediment and malacofauna. Three age–depth models were calculated, and the best-fit model, the OxCal P-sequence, was chosen for further analysis. The profile overlays the MIS3 and MIS2, beginning at approximately 45,000–50,000 cal BP and ending at the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary. The accumulation rates were two periods of intensive accumulation, equal to those observed in the Bácska Loess Plateau in Hungary, and two periods of decreased accumulation. Between ~38,000 and 31,000 cal BP, a decreased accumulation period was observed in Máza and other profiles from the Bácska Loess Plateau, indicating a common weak accumulation period at the end of MIS3. Correspondence and cluster analyses provided a higher-resolution paleoecological reconstruction, revealing a more detailed picture of the evolution of the studied section. The presence of thermophilous gastropod species with a high contribution to the correspondence analysis was significant in the sections. Although Granaria frumentum, Helicopsis striata, Chondrula tridens, and Pupilla triplicata were not significant species in the Máza malacofauna as a whole, their presence was associated with warming periods and the emergence of open vegetation. Full article

Background: Many studies have identified key factors affecting the rates of engagement in physical activity in older adults with chronic disease. Environmental conditions, such as weather variations, can present challenges for individuals with chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes when engaging in physical activity. However, few studies have investigated the influence of weather on daily steps in people with chronic diseases, especially those with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Objective: This study investigated the association between weather variations and daily self-monitored step counts over two years among individuals with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in Sweden. Methods: The study is a secondary analysis using data from the Sophia Step Study, aimed at promoting physical activity among people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, which recruited participants from two urban primary care centers in Stockholm and one rural primary care center in southern Sweden over eight rounds. This study measured physical activity using step counters (Yamax Digiwalker SW200) and collected self-reported daily steps. Environmental factors such as daily average temperature, precipitation, and hours of sunshine were obtained from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. A robust linear mixed-effects model was applied as the analysis method. Results: There was no association found between weather variations and the number of steps taken on a daily basis. The analysis indicated that only 10% of the variation in daily steps could be explained by the average temperature, precipitation, and sunshine hours after controlling for age, gender, and BMI. Conversely, individual factors explained approximately 38% of the variation in the observations. Conclusion: This study revealed that there was no association between weather conditions and the number of daily steps reported by individuals with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes taking part in a physical activity intervention over two years. Despite the weather conditions, women and younger people reported more steps than their male and older counterparts. Full article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and a significant concern to global public health due to the prevalence of aging populations. Donepezil is one of only a few medications approved for use as an anti-AD agent but all have adverse side effects. Reducing the dosage of AD drugs with plant extracts (phytotherapy) while maintaining efficacy is one strategy to minimize adverse side effects. We previously reported the anti-AD properties of an edible fern, Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw. (DE), which inhibited key enzymes involved in AD pathogenesis including acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and β-secretase 1 (BACE-1). This study aimed to determine whether DE exhibited a synergistic effect with donepezil. The enzyme inhibitory assay showed that DE extract and its bioactive compounds, kaempferol, and quercetin, slightly impeded AChE inhibition with donepezil, while DE extract and quercetin showed synergistic or additive effects with donepezil against BChE and BACE-1, respectively. DE extract combined with donepezil also improved eye phenotypes in a Drosophila model of AD by preventing ommatidia atrophia and bristle breakages. Furthermore, the DE extract exhibited no genotoxic activities, as determined by the Ames test. Our data revealed that DE extract showed promise when combined with donepezil during AD treatment by targeting BChE and BACE-1. Full article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that currently affects as many as 50 million people worldwide. It is neurochemically characterized by an aggregation of β-amyloid plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles that result in neuronal dysfunction, cognitive decline, and a progressive loss of brain function. TgSwDI is a well-studied transgenic mouse model of AD, but no longitudinal studies have been performed to characterize cognitive deficits or β-amyloid plaque accumulation for use as a baseline reference in future research. Thus, we use behavioral tests (T-Maze, Novel Object Recognition (NOR), Novel Object Location (NOL)) to study long-term and working memory, and immunostaining to study β-amyloid plaque deposits, as well as brain size, in hippocampal, cerebellum, and cortical slices in TgSwDI and wild-type (WT) mice at 3, 5, 8, and 12 months old. The behavioral results show that TgSwDI mice exhibit deficits in their long-term spatial memory starting at 8 months old and in long-term recognition memory at all ages, but no deficits in their working memory. Immunohistochemistry showed an exponential increase in β-amyloid plaque in the hippocampus and cortex of TgSwDI mice over time, whereas there was no significant accumulation of plaque in WT mice at any age. Staining showed a smaller hippocampus and cerebellum starting at 8 months old for the TgSwDI compared to WT mice. Our data show how TgSwDI mice differ from WT mice in their baseline levels of cognitive function and β-amyloid plaque load throughout their lives. Full article

The investigation of deformations in Quaternary deposits holds primary importance in understanding recent geological history and natural hazards in highly populated areas, such as the Po Plain. While civil excavations and trenches possess the potential to be pivotal in identifying and characterizing these deformations, they often remain underused due to the stringent regulation framework and timetables governing civil construction works. In this study, we demonstrate how digital photogrammetry and digital outcrop modelling (DOM) are useful techniques for obtaining a permanent digital representation of a trench situated in Castelletto Ticino (Po Plain–Southern Alps transition). This trench exhibits Holocene deformational structures: (i) an overall tilting of sedimentary deposits towards the SW; (ii) folds with a NE–SW trend; (iii) slumping and other soft-sediment deformations structures; and (iv) reverse faults with NE–SW and NW–SE directions. Using radiocarbon and archeological dating, we are able to confidently constrain the age of these deformations to between 8760 and 400 years BC, suggesting recent tectonic activity related to buried thrust faults. Full article

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a major obstacle to the development of effective therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This has been particularly true in the case of monoclonal antibody (mAbs) therapeutic candidates, due to their large size. To tackle this issue, we developed new nanoformulations, comprising bio-based Triozan polymers along with kinin B1 and B2 receptor (B1R and B2R) peptide agonist analogues, as potent BBB-permeabilizers to enhance brain delivery of a new anti-C1q mAb for AD (ANX005). The prepared B1R/B2R-TRIOZAN™ nanoparticles (NPs) displayed aqueous solubility, B1R/B2R binding capacity and uniform sizes (~130–165 nm). The relative biodistribution profiles of the mAb loaded into these NPs versus the naked mAb were assessed in vivo through two routes of administrations (intravenous (IV), intranasal (IN)) in the Tg-SwDI mouse model of AD. At 24 h post-administration, brain levels of the encapsulated mAb were significantly increased (up to 12-fold (IV) and 5-fold (IN), respectively) compared with free mAb in AD brain affected regions, entorhinal cortex and hippocampus of aged mice. Liver uptakes remained relatively low with similar values for the nanoformulations and free mAb. Our findings demonstrate the potential of B1R/B2R-TRIOZAN™ NPs for the targeted delivery of new CNS drugs, which could maximize their therapeutic effectiveness. Full article

Background and aim: Diagnosing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is challenging. This study intended to explore the diagnostic value of multiple technical acoustic measurements in the diagnosis of NASH, and to establish a diagnostic model combining technical acoustic measurements with clinical parameters to improve the diagnostic efficacy of NASH. Methods: We consecutively enrolled 75 patients with clinically suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who underwent percutaneous liver biopsy in our hospital from June 2020 to December 2021. All cases underwent multiple advanced acoustic measurements for liver such as shear wave dispersion (SWD), shear wave speed (SWS), attenuation imaging (ATI), normalized local variance (NLV), and liver–kidney intensity ratio (Ratio) examination before liver biopsies. A nomogram prediction model combining the technical acoustic measurements and clinical parameters was established and the model is proposed to improve the diagnostic performance of NASH. Results: A total of 75 cases were included in this study. The classification of pathological grade for NASH was as follows: normal liver, (n = 15, 20%), nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), (n = 44, 58.7%), and NASH, (n = 16, 21.3%). There were statistically significant differences in SWS (p = 0.002), acoustic coefficient (AC) (p = 0.018), NLV (p = 0.033), age (p = 0.013) and fasting blood glucose (Glu) (p = 0.049) between NASH and non-NASH. A nomogram model which includes SWS, AC, NLV, age and Glu was built to predict NASH, and the calibration curves showed good calibrations in both training and validation sets. The AUCs of the combined nomogram model for the training set and validation set were 0.8597 and 0.7794, respectively. Conclusion: There were statistically significant differences in SWS, AC, NLV, age and Glu between NASH and non-NASH. A nomogram model which includes SWS, AC, NLV, age and Glu was built to predict NASH. The predictive model has a higher diagnostic performance than a single factor model in the diagnosis of NASH and has good clinical application prospects. Full article

Vertical electrical sounding (VES) as a geoelectrical method has proven its effectiveness throughout the history of groundwater geophysical investigation. In this sense, VES was carried out 47 in the study area with the aim of determining the geometry and limits of Quaternary basaltic aquifer formations and, above all, the location of electrical discontinuities in the area located in the north of Morocco, between the center of Almis Guigou and the city of Timahdite. This area is experiencing an overexploitation of the groundwater due to excessive pumping and the development of intensive agriculture activities, resulting in a continuous decrease in piezometric levels. The processing of the diagrams by WINSEV software showed the presence of an electrically resistant surface level, attributed to basaltic formations, of the Quaternary age, whose thicknesses reach at least 150 m to the SW of the area. This level is superimposed on a moderately conductive horizon which, according to local geology, corresponds to Pliocene marl and limestone alternations. The correlation of VES interpretation models allowed us to elaborate thematic maps and geoelectrical sections which illustrate the vertical and lateral extension of the basaltic reservoir as well as its thickness, which decreases in general from the south-west to the north-east; however, the main electrical discontinuities also correspond to faults and fractures, and they show a NE–SW direction sub-parallel to the major accidents of the Middle Atlas. A prospectivity map of the local aquifer was generated, coinciding with regional fault lines and confirmed by the alignment of very good flowing water boreholes. This geophysical study by electrical sounding shed light on the geometry and extension of the aquifer and opened avenues to draw further conclusions on its physical and hydrodynamic characteristics, as well as to optimize the future siting of groundwater exploitation boreholes through the elaboration of the local aquifer prospectivity map. Full article

The subsea wellhead (SW) system is a crucial connection between blowout preventors (BOPs) and subsea oil and gas wells. Excited by cyclical fatigue dynamic loadings, the SW is prone to fatigue failure, which would lead to the loss of well integrity and catastrophic accidents. Based on the Bayesian Regularization Artificial Neuron Network (BRANN), this paper proposes an efficient probability approach to predict the fatigue failure probability of SW during its entire life. In the proposed method, the BRANN fatigue damage (BRANN-FD) model reflecting the non-linear relationship between the input and output data was developed by the limited fatigue damage analysis data, which was utilized to generate thousands of non-numerical fatigue damage data of SW rapidly. Combining parametric and non-parametric estimation methods, the probability density function (PDF) of SW fatigue damage was determined to calculate the accumulation fatigue damage during service life. Using the logistic regression, the fatigue failure probability of SW was predicted. The application of the proposed approach was demonstrated by a case study. The results illustrated that the fatigue damage of SW would be viewed as obeying the Lognormal distribution, which could be used to obtain the accumulation fatigue damage in operation conveniently. Furthermore, the fatigue failure probability of SW nonlinearly increased with the increment in the accumulation fatigue damage of SW, which could be helpful to ensure the operation safety of SW in deepwater oil and gas development, especially for aged wellhead. Full article