Search Results (291)

To overcome the limitations of insufficient driving force in traditional microbial desalination batteries, this paper constructs a microbial anode-membrane capacitive deionization (B-MCDI) coupling system. For the first time, direct coupling between extracellular electron transfer in Shewanella oneidensis and double-layer adsorption at the MCDI cathode is achieved at the circuit and material levels, realizing self-driven, low-energy desalination. High-specific-surface-area carbon felt is used as the anode, and a stable electrogenic biomembrane (output voltage >400 mV) is formed after directional domestication with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. Activated carbon is used as the cathode to construct the MCDI electrode. In the three-chamber reactor, the desalination chambers are separated by cation and anion exchange membranes. Under the drive of the bioelectric field, Na⁺ and Cl⁻ selectively permeate into the cathode and anode chambers, respectively, effectively suppressing the co-ion effect. Under optimal operating conditions (external resistance 1000 Ω, initial NaCl concentration 2.0 g/L), the system achieved a cumulative desalination rate of 85.1% after 12 h of operation, with a salt adsorption capacity of 162.1 mg/g, an average desalination rate of 13.51 mg/(g·h), and an energy consumption of only 0.58 kWh/m³. This demonstrates that bioelectric energy can effectively provide targeted power to drive capacitive adsorption and desalination. Under initial NaCl concentrations of 1.0 g/L and 3.0 g/L, the highest desalination rates reached 78% and 68%, respectively. The maximum instantaneous desalination rate occurred within 0.5–1.0 h (64 mg/h under 2.0 g/L conditions), exhibiting a three-stage kinetic characteristic of “fast-slow-equilibrium”. The energy consumption in this study was only 0.51 kWh/m³, further demonstrating the high energy efficiency of bioelectrically coupled MCDI in low-salinity treatment areas. Therefore, this B-MCDI can serve as a theoretically feasible proof-of-concept technology for desalination of brackish water that meets the requirements of self-driven, low-energy consumption, and has promising applications in decentralized water supply systems in areas with limited energy supply or no available electricity. Full article

The impact of biochar on N conversion in drought-affected soil with green manure application has not been systematically investigated. Therefore, this study examined the effects of biochar produced at 350 °C, 550 °C, and 750 °C (BC350, BC550, and BC750) on green manure (Medicago sativa L.) decomposition and N turnover in soil (Hapli-Udic Ferralosol) during a 60-day laboratory incubation experiment under different moisture conditions (45% or 65% soil water-holding capacity (WHC)). Due to low-temperature biochar (BC350) possessing hydrophilicity (thereby enhancing water retention) due to its surface oxygen-containing functional groups, while high-temperature biochar (BC750) relies on the aromatic conjugated π-electron system for electron transfer, both BC350 and BC750 promoted green manure decomposition and mineralization. Compared with green manure alone, co-application of BC350 and BC750 with green manure increased soil NH₄⁺–N content by 5.58% and 38.37%, respectively. However, a significant total N loss (>11%) occurred under drought conditions. Partial least squares path modeling was used to elucidate the key driving pathways related to C and N sequestration in drought-affected soil with green manure and biochar co-application. The results indicate that the enhanced soil N loss could be attributed to both the biochar-induced rise in soil pH (>8%) and the drought-driven suppression of stable organic matter (e.g., >20% reduction in humus acid) and macroaggregate formation. This study demonstrates that although biochar addition can promote the decomposition of green manure to release available N, it may also exacerbate total soil N loss. Only under normal moisture conditions can the N released from green manure be converted into humus-associated N. Full article

Molten salts are increasingly regarded as promising fluids for high-temperature heat transfer, thermal energy storage, and advanced reaction processes, including concentrated solar power (CSP), molten salt oxidation (MSO), and next-generation nuclear reactors. Among these materials, the ternary eutectic mixture Li₂CO₃–Na₂CO₃–K₂CO₃ (32.12–33.36–34.52 wt%) has emerged as a leading candidate due to its wide operating temperature range and favourable thermodynamic properties. Despite its relevance, substantial inconsistencies and gaps remain in the available thermophysical property data, posing challenges for reliable design, modelling, and industrial deployment. This work revisits the Li₂CO₃–Na₂CO₃–K₂CO₃ eutectic through a critical assessment of the literature from its reported melting point at 670 K (397 °C) up to approximately 1200 K (927 °C). Using a methodology inspired by IUPAC-supported strategies previously applied to common liquids such as water and hydrocarbons, we examine the quantity, quality, and coherence of existing measurements. Reference correlations are proposed only where the data are sufficiently robust to justify them. The analysis highlights a pressing need for more accurate and comprehensive measurements—particularly for heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and viscosity—to enable the development of reliable standard reference correlations. Brief recommendations are given on the measurement methods that should be used in high-temperature measurements, namely for heat capacity, viscosity, and thermal conductivity. Reliable thermophysical property data for (LiNaK)₂CO₃ remain limited and inconsistent, despite its relevance for high-temperature energy applications. Density data are comparatively robust, but heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and viscosity still require high-accuracy measurements at elevated temperatures. Addressing these data deficiencies is essential for advancing the safe and efficient use of molten carbonates in high-temperature energy technologies. Full article

Pre-hospital use of whole blood is becoming increasingly prevalent in EMS and military medicine. Technologies to store, transport, warm up, and transfuse the blood are now available, and the outcome of whole blood transfusion seems to be superior to infusion of crystalloid solutions or plasma and at least equivalent to packed cells with plasma. The auto-transfusion tourniquet (A-TT^®, Oneg HaKarmel Ltd., Tirat Carmel, Israel) is a non-invasive device that shifts the patient’s own blood from the legs to the core and blocks its reentry. The A-TT consists of an elastic ring made of a stainless-steel coil, wrapped by an elastic sleeve and pulling straps. When rolled up the leg(s), it squeezes the soft-tissues’ blood into the central circulation, and the ring stops the return of blood to the leg. The application time of the A-TT is less than 20 s per leg, and the A-TT transfers more than 500 mL of blood from each leg to the core. The auto-transfused blood is of the patient’s own type, has full oxygen carrying capacity, is normothermic, and is not anticoagulated. The device can be applied by a trained first responder, even during transport, and its use can be titrated to avoid overshooting the patient’s blood pressure. The device can be kept on the leg for up to 2 h, and as such, can serve as a bridge to blood or a bridge to definitive care. This paper is a hypothesis-generating review that defines the potential role of the A-TT in settings where blood is not available and is a call for others to help generate more data. Full article

Locally available biomass resources offer a sustainable pathway for supporting traditional health practices at the community scale. This study designed, developed, and evaluated a biomass-fueled herbal steam generation system using Melaleuca leucadendra leaves for community-based therapeutic applications in the U-Tapao River Basin, Songkhla Province, Thailand. The system was developed based on appropriate technology principles aligned with the Bio–Circular–Green (BCG) economic model, integrating a biomass combustion stove with a steam generation unit. Performance was assessed using the Water Boiling Test (WBT) to measure thermal efficiency, boiling time, and steam generation capacity. Results showed that the developed system significantly improved thermal efficiency and reduced boiling time compared with traditional methods (p < 0.01), attributable to enhanced combustion characteristics and heat transfer efficiency. Field trials across two herbal steam room configurations confirmed stable therapeutic temperatures of approximately 40 °C sustained over 30–35 min sessions. The system is technically feasible, energy-efficient, and practically viable for community-scale deployment. This work demonstrates that integrating renewable biomass energy with traditional herbal therapy can provide a replicable, sustainable model for local resource utilization and community-based economic development. Full article

Legal transplants have consolidated as a core issue of contemporary comparative law, although their study remains marked by significant theoretical and methodological tensions. This article presents a PRISMA-informed structured systematic review of 25 studies published between 2008 and 2025 and retrieved through SciSpace, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science-supported searching, with the aim of identifying conceptual frameworks, recurrent conditions of validity, and practical limitations in recent legal-transplant scholarship. The search yielded 960 exported records; after deduplication and screening, 30 articles were assessed in full text, of which 25 were available and included. The revised article identifies the 25 studies individually and links the descriptive claims to a study-by-study coding table. The findings show five recurrent theoretical lenses: positivist transfer models, culturalist critiques, diffusion mechanisms and multicausal models, communicative metaphors, and mixed transplant concepts. The corpus covers studies in Europe, China, Asia-Pacific, Vietnam, Japan, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Hungary, Brazil, Africa, Latin America, and transnational settings. The evidence does not support universal causal claims, but it consistently suggests that contextual compatibility, institutional capacity, local legitimacy, and interpretive adaptation shape the effectiveness of legal transplants, while linguistic barriers, interpretive mismatches, coercive imposition, and weak implementation capacity constrain them. The corpus remains concentrated in corporate law, intellectual property, constitutional law, criminal law, and drug policy, with a predominance of comparative, doctrinal, case-study, and conceptual methodologies. Full article

With the expansion of metro networks and the increasing integration of underground retail and transit facilities, metro-connected underground commercial spaces have become a common yet safety-sensitive urban form. In fire scenarios, evacuation in such environments is constrained not only by enclosure and limited egress capacity, but also by the interaction between smoke spread and strongly coupled pedestrian flows across connected zones. Existing studies have examined smoke propagation or evacuation performance in underground spaces, but fewer have explicitly addressed how smoke constraints reshape node-level safety and the relative effectiveness of different intervention strategies in metro-connected commercial environments. This study investigates smoke-constrained evacuation dynamics in a representative metro-connected underground commercial space in Nanjing, China. A coupled simulation framework integrating PyroSim and Pathfinder is employed to examine multiple fire-source scenarios. Available safe egress time (ASET) at critical evacuation nodes is assessed using tenability criteria including visibility, temperature, and CO concentration, and is then compared with evacuation performance to diagnose hazardous routes and node-level failures. On this basis, three intervention strategies—corridor widening, stair widening, and pedestrian diversion—are comparatively evaluated. The results show that, within the modeled case, visibility most frequently becomes the controlling tenability criterion, and stairway nodes tend to lose safety margins earlier than final exits. This indicates that smoke constraints in connected underground commercial environments can trigger an early node-failure process before overall exit capacity is exhausted. The comparison further shows that behavior-oriented pedestrian diversion is more effective than geometric enlargement alone in reducing critical-node pressure and improving system-level evacuation performance under the modeled conditions. Rather than proposing universally transferable design rules, this study provides case-grounded evidence on how smoke propagation and pedestrian convergence jointly shape evacuation vulnerability in metro-connected underground commercial spaces, and offers a structured basis for critical-node diagnosis and intervention comparison in similarly configured environments. Full article

Externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (EB-FRP) systems have been extensively investigated for tension strengthening concrete structures. Interpretation of the available evidence remains challenging because experimental methods, specimen scales, material systems, anchorage configurations, and reporting practices vary substantially across the literature. This systematic review synthesized 174 peer-reviewed studies published between 1994 and 2026, comprising 3908 experimental test results and 42 analytical formulations addressing unanchored and anchored EB-FRP systems. Review findings showed that bond performance in unanchored systems is governed primarily by FRP stiffness, bond geometry, concrete properties, adhesive behavior, surface preparation, and environmental exposure. These parameters influence bond capacity, debonding strain, effective bond length, and failure mode. Anchored configurations consistently enhanced force transfer, delayed premature debonding, and improved load-carrying capacity relative to unanchored systems. Unanchored systems dominated the available evidence base with 3162 test results, whereas only 96 multi-anchor system tests were identified, highlighting limited understanding of anchor interaction and load redistribution mechanisms. CFRP represented the dominant material system, while substantially fewer studies investigated GFRP, BFRP, and AFRP systems. Existing strength models generally captured specific failure mechanisms within their calibration ranges but demonstrated limited transferability across different geometries, loading conditions, anchorage configurations, and environmental conditions. Limited evidence remains available for scale transfer, durability degradation, anchor strip interaction, and multi-anchor load sharing under field-representative conditions. Future research should focus on standardized benchmarking procedures, large-scale validation programs, durability-informed design approaches, experimentally validated numerical modeling, and unified design provisions for EB-FRP strengthening systems. Full article

Introduction: The upper Arlanza River (Duero Basin, Burgos, Spain) hosts a genetically distinct local lineage of brown trout (Salmo trutta fario), the “Arlanza strain”, largely free from hatchery-derived introgression, alongside other native cyprinids of conservation concern, including the Iberian chub (Achondrostoma arcasii, Vulnerable—IUCN). The river also supports the Iberian desman (Galemys pyrenaicus, Endangered—IUCN) and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). Despite these values, the study reach presents multiple transverse obstacles limiting longitudinal connectivity and degraded riparian cover in critical sections due to livestock erosion, compromising habitat quality for all species. Objective: This study aimed to design engineering interventions to improve fluvial and riparian habitat in a 4 km reach of the upper Arlanza River, restoring longitudinal connectivity and thermal refuge availability while strictly preserving the genetic integrity of the native Arlanza trout strain. Methodology: The reach was characterised through electrofishing surveys, riparian quality assessment (modified RQI index), hydraulic refuge evaluation (IR index), and hydrological analysis based on a 30-year flow record. Brown trout population dynamics were modelled using dimP 1.0 software, with a comparative analysis between upstream (Quintanar de la Sierra village) and downstream (Vilviestre del Pinar village) sampling points to identify connectivity bottlenecks. Engineering works were scheduled to avoid reproductive periods of all target species. Results: The upstream population showed a rejuvenated age structure (density: ~1.40 ind/m; mean length: 12.0 cm), consistent with good spawning conditions but limited growth capacity due to cold temperatures and low summer flows. The downstream point exhibited a severely reduced population (~0.10 ind/m), indicating marked loss of connectivity and habitat degradation. Priority intervention zones were identified in the Camping and lower Prado Mayor sub-reaches. Proposed measures included weir notching to restore fish passage, livestock watering points to reduce bank erosion, and riparian restoration by planting native species (Populus tremula, Betula alba, Salix spp.) protected with fences. Conclusions: Restoring longitudinal connectivity and riparian cover in the upper Arlanza River are essential to protect the genetically valuable Arlanza trout strain, the endangered G. pyrenaicus, and other native fish species, providing a transferable framework for headwater fluvial restoration that jointly addresses biodiversity conservation and genetic resource protection. Full article

This study assesses the future availability of water resources in Lake Guiers by 2050, considering the combined impacts of climate change and human activities, using the Water Evaluation and Planning System. As Senegal’s main freshwater source, the lake faces growing pressure from agricultural expansion, aquatic plant overgrowth, competing stakeholder demands, and increasing water use. The study combines field data on hydrological flows and agricultural water use with climate projections under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. Climate data were downscaled and bias-corrected using CMhyd, multiple linear regression, and the Mann–Kendall test. Model calibration showed strong performance (NSE = 0.95; R² = 0.96). Results reveal decreasing precipitation and rising temperatures under both scenarios. Agricultural withdrawals (79,331,457.14 m³/year) already exceed crop water needs (69,115,088.03 m³/year), resulting in significant water losses estimated at over 10 million m³ per year. Scenario analysis indicates that high water demand under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways SSP8.5 could lead to critical declines in lake volume as early as 2026 (550 million m³), while moderate demand growth under SSP4.5 could maintain water availability until 2050. The proposed PREFERLO-Grand Transfer project would add further stress to the lake’s capacity. These findings emphasize the urgent need for sustainable water management and policy actions. Full article

The electrophilic allergen screening assay (EASA) uses small-molecule probes as surrogates for skin proteins to measure hapten protein carrier complex formation, Key Event (KE) 1 in the adverse outcome pathway for skin sensitization. Although multiple assays are accepted for this purpose, the EASA has higher throughput and needs less specialized equipment than other commonly used KE1 assays. This validation study assessed transferability of the EASA to naïve laboratories and within- and between-laboratory reproducibility. The predictive capacity of the assay in relation to reference data both from the murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) and, where available, human predictive patch tests, was estimated. The validation study was conducted using performance standards developed for methods that are under evaluation for inclusion in relevant test guidelines. The within- and between-laboratory reproducibility were cumulatively 96% and 85%, respectively. These scores exceeded the performance standard thresholds of 80%. Compared to reference LLNA data, the cumulative EASA results from the four laboratories had an overall sensitivity of 87%, specificity of 76%, and accuracy of 83%. The consensus results among the four laboratories had an overall sensitivity of 85%, specificity of 80%, and accuracy of 83%. For human reference data, the cumulative EASA results had an overall sensitivity of 81%, specificity of 76%, and accuracy of 70%. The EASA predicted sensitizers very well, although it had a slightly higher rate of misclassifying some negative test chemicals as positive with a specificity below the performance standards criterion of 80%. Our findings support further exploring use of the EASA in defined approaches to identify potential skin sensitizers. Full article

Honeybees are indispensable pollinators for agricultural ecosystems, and a colony’s stability and reproductive capacity depend critically on the presence of a healthy queen. Acoustic monitoring has emerged as a promising non-invasive, lighting-independent approach for long-term colony observation. However, existing studies have largely been confined to single-apiary datasets or merged datasets from multiple similar apiaries for model training. Moreover, model evaluation has relied primarily on overall performance metrics, with insufficient attention to cross-region generalization and the detection of queen loss, a rare but critical condition. This study systematically investigates three complementary strategies: noise-augmented data diversification, lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture optimization via comprehensive ablation experiments, and transfer learning with fine-tuning to bridge the domain gap between source and target apiaries. Under cross-apiary evaluation, the proposed approach achieves an accuracy of 92.79%, a negative-class F1-score of 0.7900, and a negative-class recall of 0.7834 when only limited target-domain training samples are available. With full target-domain training data, the same strategy further attains an accuracy of 95.05%, a negative-class F1-score of 0.8596, and a negative-class recall of 0.8733. t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE) visualization demonstrates that noise augmentation effectively expands sample diversity in the feature space, while Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) heatmaps confirm the successful transfer of source-domain acoustic features to the target domain. This work provides a practical approach for deploying acoustic-based queen status monitoring across diverse apiaries with minimal local data collection. Full article

Reservoir sedimentation alters sediment continuity in regulated river basins, affecting both reservoir storage capacity and downstream river and coastal systems. This study presents a basin-scale framework for reconstructing long-term sediment supply and reservoir sedimentation in the Ebro River Basin (Spain) using publicly available erosion datasets, empirical sediment delivery ratios and reservoir sedimentation observations. Three sediment supply datasets (GloSEM, RUSLE2015 and WaTEM/SEDEM) were combined with sediment delivery ratios and reservoir trapping functions to reconstruct sediment continuity patterns across the basin. Model calibration was performed using reservoir sedimentation records covering approximately 95% of the basin area. The framework reproduces the main spatial and temporal patterns of sediment accumulation observed in the basin and allows the definition of plausible sediment supply scenarios. Results indicate that current sediment fluxes at the basin outlet are reduced by more than 90% relative to natural conditions due to reservoir trapping. Most reservoirs experience moderate storage losses, although several reservoirs are projected to undergo severe long-term sedimentation. The proposed approach provides a transferable basin-scale sediment assessment methodology for supporting sediment management under data-limited conditions. Full article

Feeding and Eating Disorders (FED) require integrated, recovery-oriented care models that extend beyond clinical treatment and incorporate supportive environments capable of enhancing psychosocial well-being. Within this perspective, nature-based and socio-agricultural practices represent promising yet underexplored therapeutic resources, particularly when integrated into spatial planning frameworks. This study develops and tests a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based Decision Support System (DSS) that matches the specific therapeutic needs of individuals undergoing treatment for FED with the spatial distribution and characteristics of green and agricultural environments. The research is based on a case study involving the FED care center “Il Pellicano” in Perugia, Italy. Supply-side data were collected from 65 facilities, including 58 social farms, 6 community gardens, and the center’s private garden. Demand-side data were obtained through a questionnaire administered to patients by healthcare professionals, while supply-side attributes were collected through structured interviews with facility managers. The spatial matching process was implemented in a GIS environment using a non-compensatory multi-criteria approach that integrated thematic activities, spatial and/or organizational accessibility, confidentiality, spatial capacity, and environmental settings. The results reveal a substantial mismatch between demand and supply, with the current territorial system satisfying only 37.67% of expressed therapeutic needs. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the main constraints relate to the limited availability of medium-sized, low-attendance, and freely accessible environments. Beyond the local case study, the proposed DSS provides a transferable planning-support tool for designing personalized therapeutic pathways and strengthening the integration between green infrastructure, social farming, and healthcare systems. The study highlights the strategic role of spatial planning in promoting health equity, social inclusion, and community well-being. Full article

This perspective focuses on the field of solid waste recovery and resource utilization for end-of-life (EoL) wind turbine blades. Wind energy plays a central role in the global transition toward low-carbon energy systems owing to its technological maturity, scalability, and widespread resource availability. As global installed wind power capacity exceeded 1000 GW in 2024, improving the life-cycle energy efficiency and resource productivity of wind energy systems has become increasingly important. In this context, wind turbine blades (WTBs), the most material-intensive components with high embodied energy, are approaching large-scale end-of-life replacement, with global EoL blade waste projected to reach 2–4 million tons by 2030. Although blades may reach the end of their structural service life, they contain substantial quantities of reinforcing fibers and polymeric matrices that embody significant material and manufacturing energy. Integrating blade recycling into the wind energy value chain represents a critical opportunity to reduce dependence on energy-intensive virgin materials and lower life-cycle energy consumption and associated carbon emissions. However, the realization of energy-efficient circular utilization remains constrained by several challenges, including inefficient heat and mass transfer during blade depolymerization, limited valorization of resin-derived products, and performance degradation of recovered fibers. This perspective examines the material characteristics of blades from a life-cycle energy utilization standpoint, assesses existing recycling pathways, and identifies key technological and system-level bottlenecks. Emphasis is placed on process intensification, product upgrading, and design-for-circularity strategies to support the long-term sustainability of wind power systems. Full article