Search Results (843)

This study presents an experimental and numerical investigation into the mechanical behavior of corrugated steel–concrete composite bridge decks with composite dowel shear connectors. Four full-scale specimens were fabricated and subjected to flexural tests to obtain and analyze the load–deflection and load–strain curves. A finite element model was developed and validated against the experimental results. The validated model was subsequently applied to analyze the load-carrying process and to perform parametric sensitivity analysis. The effects of the concrete strength grade, steel strength, corrugated steel plate thickness, concrete slab thickness, and corrugated steel plate height on the ultimate bearing capacity were evaluated. The results indicate that corrugated steel–concrete composite bridge decks were subjected to concrete shear failure. The ultimate bearing capacity of the bridge deck reached approximately 3.36 times the design value, demonstrating a high safety reserve. Throughout the entire flexural failure process, the shear connectors performed effectively, with only minimal relative slip observed at the steel–concrete interface. At the instance of failure, only partial areas of the corrugated steel plate yielded. To fully exploit the structural potential, the key design parameters require rational coordination. Full article

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are bioactive polymers with significant potential for human health. This study aimed to isolate and systematically evaluate the in vitro probiotic properties of high exopolysaccharide-producing LAB strains from traditional Sayram yogurt. From fifteen strains, six strains with high exopolysaccharide production were identified using 16Sr DNA sequencing. We assessed their probiotic potential by testing acid resistance, bile salt tolerance, tolerance to artificial gastrointestinal fluid, self-aggregation, hydrophobicity, safety, antibacterial activity, and antioxidant capacity. Results showed these six strains exhibited a strong tolerance to acid, bile salts, and artificial gastrointestinal fluids, and had high self-aggregation abilities and surface hydrophobicity. The isolated strains exhibited varying degrees of sensitivity to the tested antibiotics, with no hemolysis, suggesting good safety. In addition, their cell-free supernatants significantly inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and showed stronger antioxidant activity than cell lysates. In conclusion, the six LAB strains screened in this study possess excellent in vitro probiotic properties and have potential value for further development, providing a preliminary strain reserve and theoretical reference for subsequent research and related product development. Full article

Alternative energies are essential for meeting the global demand for environmentally friendly energy, especially as the use of fossil fuels is being reduced. In recent years, largely due to diminishing fossil fuel reserves, Portugal has been actively promoting investment in renewable energies to reduce its reliance on energy imports and fossil fuels. However, despite the country’s high daily sunshine hours and utilization of wind and hydropower, energy production remains unstable due to climate variability. Climate instability leads to fluctuations in the energy supplied to the grid and can even partially withstand blackouts such as the one that occurred on 28 April 2025 on the Iberian Peninsula. To address this problem, energy storage systems are crucial to guarantee the stability of the supply during periods of low production or in situations such as the one mentioned above. This paper analyzes the feasibility of implementing an energy storage system to increase the profitability of a wind farm located in Alto Douro, Portugal. The study begins with a demand analysis, followed by simulations of the system’s performance in terms of profitability based on efficiency and power. Based on these assumptions, a modular lithium battery storage system with high efficiency and rapid charge/discharge capabilities was selected. This battery, with less autonomy but high capacity, is more profitable, since a 5% increase in efficiency results in high profits (€84,838) and curtailment (€70,962) using batteries with lower autonomy, i.e., 2 h (power rating of 5 MW combined with 10 MWh energy storage). Therefore, two scenarios (A and B) were considered, with one more optimistic (A) in which the priority is to discharge the batteries whenever possible. In the more realistic scenario (B), it is assumed that the batteries are fully charged before discharge. On the other hand, in the event of a blackout, it enables faster commissioning of the surrounding water installations, because solar and battery energy have no inertia, which facilitates the back start protocol. Full article

During exercise, increased oxygen consumption results in elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). If the antioxidant system is unable to counteract this surge in ROS, oxidative stress occurs. Physical activity modulates both the generation and clearance of ROS through dynamic interactions between metabolic and antioxidant systems, and also influences the oxidative burst activity of phagocytes, a key component of the innate immune response. To investigate the acute physiological responses to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), we assessed the effects of a single HIIT session on oxidative stress markers and the oxidative burst activity of phagocytes in young professional athletes and non-athlete individuals. Blood samples were collected before and after a HIIT session from eleven male athletes (mean age: 22.1 ± 4.5 years) and ten male non-athlete university students (mean age: 21.6 ± 2.3 years). Participants performed a single treadmill HIIT session of ten 45-s intervals at 75–85% of heart rate reserve, separated by 45-s low-intensity recovery periods, with target intensities individualized using the Karvonen formula. Total antioxidant capacity, activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase enzymes, total serum nitrite/nitrate levels, lipid peroxidation products, and oxidative burst activity of phagocytes were evaluated before and after exercise. In athletes, a significant increase was observed in the activity of superoxide dismutase (from a median of 2.09 to 2.21 U/mL; p = 0.037) and catalase (from a median of 32.94 to 45.45 nmol/min/mL; p = 0.034) after exercise, whereas no significant changes were found in the control group. Total serum nitrite/nitrate levels significantly increased in both groups after exercise (athletes: from a median of 8.70 to 9.95 µM; p = 0.029; controls: from a median of 10.20 to 11.50 µM; p = 0.016). Oxidative burst capacity of peripheral blood phagocytes was significantly higher in athletes both before (median: 10,422 vs. 6766; p = 0.029) and after (median: 9365 vs. 7370; p = 0.047) the HIIT session compared to controls. Our findings demonstrate that training status markedly influences oxidative stress responses, with athletes exhibiting more effective long-term antioxidant adaptations. These results emphasize the necessity of tailoring exercise regimens to baseline fitness levels in order to optimize oxidative stress management across different populations. Full article

Chemotherapy causes primordial follicle apoptosis, resulting in premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and infertility. In this study, we found that intraperitoneal injection of retinoic acid (RA) and calcitriol partially reversed the cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin treatment-induced decrease in primordial follicles in neonatal mouse ovaries. Furthermore, RA and calcitriol co-treatment reversed cyclophosphamide treatment-induced PI3K/Akt activity and FOXO3a nuclear export in the oocytes within primordial follicles, suggesting that the oocyte transcriptional activity was decreased, which in turn reduced the binding of chemotherapeutic drugs to DNA. Consistent with these findings, RA and calcitriol co-treatment reversed cyclophosphamide treatment-induced changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage response proteins (γH2AX, p-CHK2, p-p53, PUMA, BAX, Cleaved Caspase-3, and cPARP), and antioxidant proteins (NRF2, HO-1, and GPX4). Moreover, RA and calcitriol co-treatment preserved fertility in cyclophosphamide-treated mice without impairing cyclophosphamide’s antitumor efficacy in MCF-7 tumor-bearing mice. Thus, RA and calcitriol protect mouse primordial follicles from cyclophosphamide treatment-induced apoptosis by inhibiting cyclophosphamide treatment-induced oocyte transcriptional activity and enhancing antioxidant capacity. Our results suggest a potential strategy for preserving ovarian reserve during chemotherapy in female cancer patients. Full article

Food systems operate as socio-ecological systems (SES) in which governance, markets, and biophysical constraints interact through feedback. However, how resilience capacities accumulate across sequential shocks, particularly in hyper-arid, import-dependent rentier states, remains under-traced. We analyze Qatar’s food-system SES across three distinct stress tests: the 2017–2021 blockade, the COVID-19 pandemic (multi-node logistics and labor shock), and the post-2022 Russia–Ukraine war (global price and agricultural input-cost shock). Using a qualitative longitudinal case-study design, we combine documentary review with process tracing and a two-layer coding scheme that maps interventions to SES components (actors, governance system, resource systems/units, interactions, outcomes/feedback) and to predominant resilience capacities (absorptive, adaptive, transformative). The results indicate path-dependent capability building: the blockade activated rapid buffering and rerouting alongside early adaptive investments; COVID-19 accelerated adaptive reconfiguration via digitized logistics, e-commerce scaling, and targeted controlled-environment agriculture; and the Russia–Ukraine shock validated an institutionalized portfolio (fiscal buffering, reserves, procurement diversification, and upstream linkages). Across episodes, supply continuity was maintained, but resilience gains also generated water–energy–food tradeoffs, shifting pressures toward energy-intensive cooling/desalination and upstream water demands linked to domestic buffers. We conclude that durable resilience in eco-constrained, import-dependent systems requires explicit governance of these tradeoffs through measurable performance criteria, rather than crisis-driven expansion alone. Full article

Exercise-induced fatigue involves oxidative stress and metabolic dysregulation. While the anti-aging protein α-Klotho regulates metabolism and oxidative stress, its role in exercise fatigue is unexplored. This study investigated whether α-Klotho supplementation mitigates cumulative exercise-induced fatigue and elucidated the underlying tissue-specific mechanisms. Male C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups (n = 10 per group), the control group, fatigue treated with saline, or α-Klotho (0.2 mg/kg, i.p. daily) group. Fatigue was induced by a 6-day exhaustive swimming protocol (5% body weight load). Tissues were collected 24h post-final exercise. Assessments included daily exhaustion time, grip strength, serum creatine kinase (CK), urea nitrogen (BUN), oxidative stress markers (H₂O₂, MDA, SOD, GSH/GSSG), tissue glycogen, and pathway protein expression (Western blot). α-Klotho supplementation prevented exercise-induced weight loss and restored grip strength. While exhaustive exercise markedly increased serum CK and BUN levels, α-Klotho selectively normalized CK without effecting serum BUN. α-Klotho attenuated oxidative damage by reducing hydrogen peroxide levels while enhancing antioxidant capacity, accompanied by activation of the NRF2/HO-1 pathway and further upregulation of PGC-1α. Notably, α-Klotho induced striking hepatic glycogen supercompensation through activation of the AKT/GS signaling pathway and upregulation of GLUT4, whereas muscle glycogen levels remained unchanged. In conclusion, α-Klotho ameliorates cumulative exercise-induced fatigue through dual recovery-phase mechanisms: NRF2/HO-1-mediated antioxidant protection in skeletal muscle and AKT/GS-triggered hepatic glycogen supercompensation, thereby facilitating oxidative stress resolution and enhancing energy reserve restoration. Full article

Background: Recent observational studies suggest that coronary sinus reducer (CSR) implantation may have a beneficial effect on microcirculatory indices in patients with coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). However, to date, there is no comprehensive summary of the evidence regarding the impact of CSR in this population. Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 Statement. The following databases were searched: PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Studies assessing microcirculatory indices or primarily involving patients with CMD undergoing CSR implantation were included. Results: After the selection process, 17 studies or trials were included in this systematic review. Across observational studies and case series, CSR implantation was associated with significant improvements in coronary microvascular function, including reductions in the index of microvascular resistance and an increase in coronary flow reserve. These physiological changes were accompanied by consistent improvements in angina severity (CCS class), exercise capacity, and quality-of-life measures, particularly in patients with more severe baseline CMD. Evidence was derived mainly from non-randomized studies involving small patient cohorts, with low procedural complication rates. Ongoing randomized trials are expected to clarify the magnitude of benefit and its clinical relevance in this population. Conclusions: CSR implantation may offer clinical and physiological benefits in patients with refractory angina due to CMD. However, the lack of randomized evidence and uncertainty regarding long-term effects warrant further adequately powered trials. Full article

Urban rivers are critical ecological and cultural assets facing accelerating biodiversity loss. This study examines the integrated redevelopment of the Jadro River spring in Solin, Croatia, where a protected ichthyological reserve intersects layered heritage and urban edges to enhance conservation and public value. Using a single-case study design that combines archival project documentation, participant observation by the architect–authors, and a post-occupancy review three years after completion, the analysis synthesizes ecological, social, and design evidence across planning, delivery, and operation phases. The project delivered phased visitor and interpretation centers, accessible paths and bridges, habitat-compatible materials, and formalized access management that relocated parking from riverbanks, reduced episodic pollution sources, and prioritized inclusive, low-impact use. Governance and programming established a municipal management plan, curriculum-ready interpretation, and carrying capacity monitoring, transforming an underused picnic area into an educational, recreational, and conservation-oriented public landscape while safeguarding sensitive habitats. A transferable design protocol emerged, aligning blue green infrastructure, heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, and social–ecological system (SES)-informed placemaking to protect the endemic soft-mouth trout and strengthen a sense of place and community stewardship. The case supports SES-based riverpark renewal in which conservative interventions within protected cores are coupled with consolidated services on resilient ground, offering a replicable framework for ecologically constrained urban headwaters. Full article

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is one of the world’s most important food crops, with tuber sink strength and starch deposition determining yield, quality, and processing performance. While starch is the dominant carbohydrate reserve, its accumulation is tightly linked with protein metabolism. Patatin, the major soluble storage protein, constitutes up to 40% of total tuber protein. In addition to serving as a nitrogen and carbon reserve, patatin exhibits lipid acyl hydrolase (phospholipase A₂-like) activity, suggesting roles in membrane remodeling and stress signaling. This dual identity places patatin at the intersection of storage, metabolic regulation, and defense. A structured review of studies published between 1980 and 2025 was developed using PubMed, Web of Science, Frontiers, and MDPI databases. Prioritized research included molecular, physiological, and multi-omics analyses of patatin expression, regulation, and function under optimal and stress conditions. Evidence indicates that patatin contributes to carbon–nitrogen balance and sink strength by affecting sucrose import, vacuolar osmotic capacity, and starch biosynthesis. Under drought, salinity, and pathogen stress, patatin transcript levels, protein stability, and enzymatic activity shift, leading to reduced starch deposition, altered sugar accumulation, osmoprotection, and reallocation toward defense responses. Despite these insights, major knowledge gaps remain. These include isoform-specific roles, integration into sugar–hormone regulatory networks, and field-scale responses under fluctuating environments. Future progress will require integrated multi-omics, fluxomics, and proximity-labeling approaches, combined with CRISPR-based isoform editing and promoter engineering. Targeting patatin as both a biomarker and an engineering node offers opportunities to develop climate-ready potato cultivars with improved starch yield, tuber quality, and stress resilience. Full article

The mass rearing of natural enemy insects is a cornerstone of effective green pest control, making the development of optimized artificial diets critical for sustaining large populations. However, existing artificial diets often have limitations, including inhibitory effects on the reproductive development of natural enemies. In this study, we innovatively incorporated 20% catalpol into the artificial diets for Harmonia axyridis, aiming to comprehensively assess the effects of such dietary regimens on larval development, reproductive performance, and the regulation of energy metabolism in H. axyridis. Our results demonstrated that catalpol supplementation significantly shortened the duration of the 4th instar larval and pupal stages and increased pupal weight. Furthermore, catalpol treatment enhanced reproductive capacity, as evidenced by increased fecundity, improved hatching rate stability, and enhanced ovarian development. This effect was directly correlated with the significant upregulation of the vitellogenin genes Vg1 and Vg2 and their receptor gene VgR at 3 days post-emergence. Regarding energy metabolism, catalpol supplementation led to increased glycogen reserves and glucose content. The expression of the membrane-bound trehalase enzyme gene TRE2 was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the expression level of the soluble trehalase enzyme gene TRE1 also showed a significant increase. These findings indicate that catalpol effectively optimized energy metabolism, thereby accelerating developmental processes and enhancing reproductive capacity. In this study, we elucidated the mechanism by which catalpol regulates physiological metabolism in predatory natural enemy insects. For the first time, catalpol was incorporated into the artificial diet of H. axyridis as a synergistic component, significantly enhancing its growth, reproductive capacity, and energy metabolism. These findings provide a scientific basis for developing efficient artificial feeding systems and improving the field adaptability of natural enemy insects. Full article

The paper introduces a real-time digital-twin controller that manages evacuation routes while operating GEEM for emergency energy management during building fires. The system consists of three interconnected parts which include (i) a physics-based hazard surrogate for short-term smoke and temperature field prediction from sensor data (ii), a router system that manages path updates for individual users and controls exposure and network congestion (iii), and an energy management system that regulates the exchange between PV power and battery storage and diesel fuel and grid electricity to preserve vital life-safety operations while reducing both power usage and environmental carbon output. The system operates through independent modules that function autonomously to preserve operational stability when sensors face delays or communication failures, and it meets Industry 5.0 requirements through its implementation of auditable policy controls for hazard penalties, fairness weight, and battery reserve floor settings. We evaluate the controller in co-simulation across multiple building layouts and feeder constraints. The proposed method achieves superior performance to existing AI/RL baselines because it reduces near-worst-case egress time ($T_{95}$ and worst-case exposure) and decreases both event energy $E_{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{v}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{t}}$ and CO₂-equivalent ${{CO}_2}_{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{v}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{t}}$ while upholding all capacity, exposure cap, and grid import limit constraints. A high-VRE, tight-feeder stress test shows how reserve management, flexible-load shedding, and PV curtailment can achieve trade-offs between unserved critical load $U_{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{g}\mathrm{y}}$ and emissions. The team delivers implementation details together with reporting templates to assist researchers in reaching reproducibility goals. The research shows that emergency energy systems, which integrate evacuation systems, achieve better safety results and environmental advantages that enable smart-city integration through digital thread operations throughout design, commissioning, and operational stages. Full article

Paleogene lacustrine shale is a key source rock for large oil reserves in China and a major target for shale oil exploration. However, differences in the chemical characteristics of felsic and carbonate shales during burial and thermal evolution remain poorly understood. This study evaluates hydrocarbon generation and expulsion efficiency in these shale types using pyrolysis experiments on lower Paleocene Kongdian Formation samples (Type I) from the Eastern China Sedimentary Basin. Results show that felsic shale has higher hydrocarbon generation capacity than carbonate shale. During pyrolysis, carbonate shale retained ~119 mg/g more oil but expelled 184 mg/g less than felsic shale. Felsic shale reached peak oil generation and retention faster but with lower retention efficiency. The larger volume of residual hydrocarbons in felsic shale facilitated earlier expulsion onset, higher yields of gaseous hydrocarbons, and superior gas expulsion efficiency. While both shales exhibited similar thermal evolution trends for hydrocarbon gases, methane proportions and gas-oil ratios (GOR) differed significantly. Carbon loss was comparable during the oil window, but felsic shale lost more carbon overall. At higher temperatures, n-alkanes in residual oil decreased sharply, with lighter oil retained at advanced maturity, increasing GOR and reducing heavy hydrocarbons. These findings demonstrate the effective hydrocarbon potential of medium-high TOC felsic and carbonate shales. Full article

Understanding how intrinsic brain networks adapt to cognitive demands is central to neuroscience. The aim of this study was to examine how eyes-open and eyes-closed resting-state network integration, derived from electroencephalography before and after a visual oddball task, relates to task performance in young adults. Task engagement reduced global integration in theta, lower alpha, and beta bands, independent of eye condition, indicating a transient shift toward a less demanding post-task configuration. Eyes-open resting states consistently exhibited higher integration than eyes-closed in the upper alpha band, both before and after the task, reflecting enhanced inter-regional communication and sensory readiness. Importantly, higher pre-task beta-band integration during eyes-open resting state predicted faster reaction times and larger post-task decreases in integration, highlighting baseline network organization as a determinant of cognitive efficiency and neural flexibility. These findings support the concept of neural reserve, where intrinsic network efficiency and adaptability underpin both performance readiness and dynamic reorganization. Overall, the results demonstrate that resting-state network integration—modulated by both eye condition and task engagement—captures fundamental aspects of the brain’s capacity for efficient and flexible cognitive function. Full article

The upstream oil and gas (O&G) industry faces persistent challenges, including volatile oil prices, declining reserves, and the increasing prominence of renewable energy sources. In response, the Indonesian government has set an ambitious target to increase national O&G production by 70% by 2030. This goal requires upstream O&G producers to adopt innovative approaches that enhance performance and resilience. This study emphasizes organizational agility as a critical capability for organizations in VUCA environments to remain resilient and competitive. This study examines the influence of relevant agility enablers on Indonesian upstream O&G, ensuring that no critical factors are overlooked in the implementation of agility. The human–technology–organization (HTO) framework was used to conceptualize and examine its role in supporting organizational agility. Data were collected from 103 managerial-level respondents representing 27 producer companies representing more than 75% of Indonesia’s overall O&G production. PLS-SEM was employed to examine whether relationships existed among predictor variables and organizational agility. The results highlight HTO, leadership, and innovation capacity as significant enablers of organizational agility. This study contributes theoretically and practically by integrating the HTO framework into the agility discourse and offering a comprehensive view of agility enablers that foster transformation, resilience, and sustainability of Indonesia’s upstream O&G sector. Full article