Search Results (5,860)

Emmer (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum) is attracting renewed interest as a nutrient-dense ancient wheat for sustainable cereal foods; however, product-level evidence for region-specific landraces remains limited. This study characterizes pasta produced exclusively from 100% Triticum dicoccum semolina cultivated in Ardahan (Türkiye) by integrating proximate composition, cooking performance, and instrumental texture (TPA). The emmer pasta contained 12.70% protein, 4.93% total dietary fiber, and 1.68% ash, with an energy value of 366.25 kcal/100 g. Cooking tests revealed 10.86% cooking loss, 219.98% water absorption, and 101.62% volume increase, indicating limited cooking tolerance consistent with a weaker starch–protein matrix. In comparison with conventional T. durum pasta, cooked emmer pasta exhibited comparable hardness, gumminess, and chewiness, but higher adhesiveness and springiness alongside lower resilience and cohesiveness. These results highlight Ardahan-grown T. dicoccum as a nutritionally valuable pasta raw material, albeit with technological constraints (particularly cooking loss) that warrant further optimization for industrial use. Full article

To address the lack of contact and breakage parameters in the discrete element method (DEM) simulation of potato seed cutting and sorting processes, this study took the ‘Atlantic’ potato seed as the research object and constructed a crushable potato model using EDEM. Through physical experiments, the mean average diameter, moisture content, density, Poisson’s ratio, and elastic modulus were measured. The coefficients of collision restitution, static friction, and rolling friction between the potato seed and the Q235 steel plate were determined as 0.576, 0.559, and 0.073, respectively. Using the actual repose angle of 22.89° as the response target, and combining the steepest ascent test with the Box–Behnken design, the non-cohesive contact parameters between potato seed particles were calibrated. The resulting coefficients of collision restitution, static friction, and rolling friction between particles were determined as 0.404, 0.412, and 0.0156, respectively. Finally, based on physical shear tests (maximum shear force 23.56 N), significant influencing factors were identified through Plackett–Burman screening as the bonding radius ratio r and the normal stiffness per unit area Kn. Using the steepest ascent test and the Box–Behnken response surface method, the key bonding parameters of the Bonding V2 model were calibrated as follows: r = 1.098, K_n = 8.597 × 10⁷ N·mm⁻³, tangential stiffness per unit area K_t = 3.250 × 10⁶ N·mm⁻³, critical compressive stress σ_n = 5.500 × 10⁵ Pa, and shear strength τ_t = 3.000 × 10⁴ Pa. The relative error between the simulated and actual maximum shear forces was 0.89%, which is small. The calibrated flexible model accurately represents the physical characteristics of potato seeds and provides a reliable reference for the design of mechanized potato seed cutting and sorting equipment. Full article

Effective collective motion hinges on the seamless transfer of local information, yet vision-based mechanisms, while potent for generating rapid consensus, are inherently fragile. Visual links can be severed instantly by occlusions, leading to a phenomenon characterized as “sensory amnesia.” Seeking to fortify this vulnerability, Pheromone-Modulated Body Orientation Change (PM-BOC) is introduced as a dual-channel framework that fuses transient visual cues with a persistent environmental memory. Rather than treating these inputs in isolation, motion salience is quantified via BOC and mapped onto a decaying virtual pheromone field, dynamically modulating interaction weights by coupling instantaneous visual projections with local pheromone concentrations. This strategy effectively constructs a temporal buffer, bridging the informational voids left by blind spots. Validation, spanning from systematic physics simulations to high-fidelity simulations with a swarm of 50 UUVs, reveals that PM-BOC sustains superior cohesion in obstacle-laden environments where baseline visual models falter. Notably, this coupling suppresses high-frequency sensory noise while inducing resilient, scale-free velocity correlations that scale linearly with system size. By reconciling the trade-off between the immediacy of visual responsiveness and the robustness of environmental memory, this study offers a scalable paradigm for engineering resilient swarm systems capable of navigating the uncertainties of perception-limited environments. Full article

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is attractive for high-frequency communications but adheres very poorly to other materials due to its very low surface energy. Conventionally, surface treatments of PTFE are used to increase the polarity of the PTFE surface and enable bonding to materials with increased surface free energy. However, surface treatments are difficult to scale, can damage surfaces, and often lack reproducibility. Therefore, developing a material that can make PTFE adhere well to other materials without surface treatment is highly desirable. In this study, we aimed to develop a new material with strong adhesion to PTFE. We synthesized three polymer gels from dodecyl acrylate (DA) and 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl acrylate (DMAE): the homopolymer gels PDEAE and PDA, and the copolymer gel P(DEAE-co-DA). The copolymer gel P(DEAE-co-DA) exhibited high pressure-sensitive adhesion to PTFE, recording the highest adhesive strength (F = 430.0 N/m) and the highest peel energy (G = 713.4 J/m²) compared to the homopolymer gels PDEAE and PDA. Mechanical testing showed PDEAE had the greatest strength and toughness, PDA balanced stiffness and extensibility, and P(DEAE-co-DA) was the most flexible and extensible. The P(DEAE-co-DA) with the smoothest surface (Sz ≈ 0.176 µm) showed the highest F and G, implying that surface roughness did not contribute significantly to the interfacial adhesion between the gels and the PTFE. Based on the surface free energy ${\sigma }_s$ and work of adhesion $W_a$ values, the adhesive strength to PTFE was predicted to be PDEAE > P(DEAE-co-DA) > PDA, but the measured G in peel tests contradicted this, indicating that the gels’ viscoelastic deformation and energy dissipation dominate the measured F and G. The frequency-dependent viscoelastic data and relaxation times τ and activation energies $E_a$ suggested optimal adhesion requires a balance of adhesion (mobility for energy dissipation (short τ, low $E_a$)) and sufficient cohesion (high G′). P(DEAE-co-DA) achieved this balance, explaining its high measured F and G. With precise control of polymer chain mobility, the adhesion of P(DEAE-co-DA) gels can likely be improved further. Future work will employ block copolymerization and monomer-ratio control to tune molecular motion and enhance adhesion to PTFE. Full article

This study develops an integrated computational model to illuminate the micro-dynamics through which transient emotional contagion evolves into stable social identity within organizations, with a specific focus on hybrid work environments. Drawing on organizational psychology and employing an agent-based modeling approach, we formalize a four-stage process—Emotional Cycle, Emotional Memory Accumulation, Cognitive Formation, and Enhancement Effect—that captures how fleeting affective experiences coalesce into enduring group identification. Our simulations reveal that cognitive heterogeneity moderates this pathway, leading to slower but more robust identity formation. Gender differences emerge as significant, with females demonstrating higher susceptibility to emotional contagion, while males’ identification is more strongly influenced by issue relevance. Crucially, exploratory simulations contrasting high- and low-hybridity configurations demonstrate that dispersed, digitally mediated work attenuates the emotional feedback loop, slows consensus formation, and heightens the risk of sub-group silos, thereby fundamentally reshaping the identity formation pathway. This research provides a mechanistic explanation of the emotional foundations of organizational culture and offers managers an evidence-based, dynamic framework for strategically cultivating collective identity in an increasingly hybrid world. Full article

Intrinsic and extrinsic factors compromise skin barrier function and dermal density over time. While Brassica vegetables are known for their bioactive glucosinolates, clinical data regarding their specific effects on skin structure are limited. This prospective, open-label exploratory study evaluated the anti-aging efficacy of Purebkale™, a Brassica oleracea dry aqueous extract. Fifty healthy women with mild-to-moderate signs of aging ingested the supplement daily for 56 days. Instrumental assessments included transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum cohesivity (protein content), skin firmness, elasticity, wrinkle depth, and dermis density. This study met its primary objectives, indicating a significant improvement in barrier function: TEWL decreased by 7.5% and protein removal via tape-stripping was reduced by 27.8% (p < 0.001). Furthermore, dermal density increased by 12.8%, while wrinkle depth was reduced by 15.1%. Biomechanical parameters also showed significant improvements, with firmness increasing by 17.4% and elasticity by 9.7%. Although oxidative stress markers remained stable, participants’ self-assessments reported high satisfaction with skin quality. These findings suggest that oral supplementation with Brassica oleracea extract effectively supports skin barrier integrity and dermal structure, offering a viable healthy aging strategy for skin. Full article

Temperate forests play a key role in biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, and the provision of ecosystem services. However, land-use changes and urban expansion have intensified landscape fragmentation processes, reducing ecological connectivity and ecosystem functionality. Despite the importance of community-owned forests in northern Mexico, evaluations of landscape configuration within these territories remain limited. This study compared land-use and land-cover patterns and fragmentation metrics in four community-managed ejidos in Durango, Mexico, using Landsat imagery from 2000 and 2020. Land-cover maps were produced through supervised classification with a Random Forest algorithm and validated using standard accuracy metrics. Landscape composition, configuration and connectivity were assessed at class and landscape levels using a set of spatial metrics calculated with FRAGSTATS. The results reveal contrasts among ejidos. Ciénega de los Caballos and Navajas show greater representation of secondary vegetation accompanied by changes in patches and edge densities. San retains a more cohesive configuration with comparatively higher aggregation and connectivity, whereas El Tunal y Anexos exhibit stronger subdivision and lower connectivity. These outcomes emphasize the value of spatial metrics for identifying differences in landscape structure between observation years and for supporting comparative assessment in community-managed forest territories. The study provides spatially explicit information that may assist territorial planning and forest management at this scale. Full article

Olfaction plays a central role in mammalian social behavior, yet its contribution to group coordination remains poorly understood. Here, we show that olfactory impairment in adult C57BL/6J mice (Mus musculus) leads to the spontaneous emergence of structured group behavior not observed in controls. Mice with disrupted olfactory input consistently engaged in close-contact interactions that increased over time. We quantified these events and found that aggregation occurred significantly more often than expected by chance, with olfaction-impaired mice exhibiting coordinated dyadic, triadic, and quartet configurations that were spatially enriched, temporally stable, and showed consistent patterns of progression between the states. Unsupervised behavioral modeling revealed that these formations were preceded by structured approach and stationing behaviors. Our findings suggest that olfactory input is a key contributor to maintaining typical social dynamics, and that its absence may lead to altered patterns of group interaction potentially driven by reduced sensory input. This work positions olfaction as a key scaffold for social structure and offers a novel framework for understanding how animals adapt to sensory loss in complex group settings. Full article

Extreme rainfall events often trigger landslides, debris flows, and sediment-laden floods that cause severe damage in built-up areas, yet sediment deposition is rarely quantified in hazard assessments. This study evaluates the capability of the physically based catchment model LISEMHazard to reconstruct sediment generation, transport, and deposition during Hurricane Maria (2017) in two catchments in Dominica (Coulibistrie and Grand Bay). Simulations were performed at 10 m resolution using rainfall, topography, soil, and land-use data. Model calibration and validation used mapped landslides and debris flows, field measurements of deposition height, and DEMs of Difference (DoDs). LISEMHazard reproduced the general magnitude of sediment volumes and the frequency–area distribution of medium and large landslides but showed poor ability to predict their exact locations and overestimated landslide depth and deposition height. Agreement between modeled and observed debris-flow patterns was good in major channels but weak in minor ones. Sensitivity analysis indicated that soil depth and cohesion dominate uncertainties, whereas saturated hydraulic conductivity and surface roughness exert minimal influence. Despite substantial data and model limitations, physically based modeling remains a practical approach for spatial estimation of sediment deposition needed for risk assessment, structural damage evaluation, and cleanup cost estimation. Full article

The taxonomic status of Arbutus pavarii Pamp., a rare and geographically restricted species endemic to northeastern Libya, has long been debated, with some treatments considering it a synonym of A. unedo. To resolve this uncertainty, we applied an integrative molecular framework that combined multilocus DNA barcoding, phylogenetic inference, and multivariate statistical analyses. Five barcode loci—nrITS, matK, rbcL, trnH–psbA, and rps16—were analyzed using barcode-gap diagnostics, TaxonDNA identification tests, and single-locus and concatenated phylogenetic analyses. Barcode-gap analyses based on Kimura 2-parameter distances revealed clear and reproducible separation between intra- and interspecific variation for A. pavarii, particularly for nrITS and the concatenated multilocus dataset, whereas conserved plastid loci showed limited discriminatory power when used individually. Phylogenetic reconstructions consistently recovered A. pavarii as a strongly supported monophyletic lineage, distinct from A. unedo and other Mediterranean congeners, with congruent topologies across the nuclear, plastid, and combined datasets. Multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis and heatmap clustering, further corroborate the genetic cohesion and distinctiveness of A. pavarii samples. Collectively, these results provide robust molecular evidence supporting the recognition of Arbutus pavarii as a distinct evolutionary lineage, rather than an intraspecific variant of A. unedo. This study established a reproducible multilocus framework for species delimitation in Arbutus and highlighted the importance of integrating nuclear and plastid markers to resolve complex taxonomic relationships. The clarified taxonomic status of A. pavarii has important implications for biodiversity assessment and conservation planning in the Mediterranean region, particularly in the Cyrenaican floristic province. Full article

The integration of wearable inertial measurement units (IMU) in animal welfare Internet of Things (IoT) systems has become crucial for monitoring animal behaviors and enhancing welfare management. However, the vulnerability of IoT devices to network and hardware attacks poses significant risks, potentially compromising data integrity and misleading caregivers, negatively impacting animal welfare. Additionally, current animal monitoring solutions often rely on intrusive tagging methods, such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or ear tagging, which may cause unnecessary stress and discomfort to animals. In this study, we propose a lightweight integrity and provenance-oriented security stack that complements standard transport security, specifically tailored to IMU-based animal motion IoT systems. Our system utilizes a 1D-convolutional neural network (CNN) model, achieving 88% accuracy for precise motion recognition, alongside a lightweight behavioral fingerprinting CNN model attaining 83% accuracy, serving as an auxiliary consistency signal to support collar–animal association and reduce mis-attribution risks. We introduce a dynamically generated pre-shared key (PSK) mechanism based on SHA-256 hashes derived from motion features and timestamps, further securing communication channels via application-layer Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) combined with Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols. In our design, MQTT/TLS provides primary device authentication and channel protection, while behavioral fingerprinting and per-window dynamic–HMAC provide auxiliary provenance cues and tamper-evident integrity at the application layer. Experimental validation is conducted primarily via offline, dataset-driven experiments on a public canine IMU dataset; system-level overhead and sensor-to-edge latency are measured on a Raspberry Pi-based testbed by replaying windows through the MQTT/TLS pipeline. Overall, this work integrates motion recognition, behavioral fingerprinting, and dynamic key management into a cohesive, lightweight telemetry integrity/provenance stack and provides a foundation for future extensions to multi-species adaptive scenarios and federated learning applications. Full article

This study evaluates the stability and failure probability of rock slopes at Mount Uhud, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, with particular attention to a representative slope in the densely populated southern part. A combined deterministic–probabilistic approach was adopted using a two-dimensional, nonlinear elastoplastic finite element model to capture realistic slope behavior. Uncertainty in key geomechanical parameters—slope angle, cohesion, and internal friction angle—was quantified through Li’s Point Estimate Method, resulting in $n^3$ probabilistic simulations. Slope performance was assessed in terms of both factor of safety (FoS) and probability of failure (Pf). Deterministic analysis yielded a factor of safety of 0.813, while probabilistic simulations produced a factor of safety range between 0.468 and 1.052, with a mean value of approximately 0.73. The corresponding probability of failure was estimated at about 5.16%. Sensitivity analysis indicates that cohesion and internal friction angle exert the strongest influence on stability outcomes. Although the slope shows noticeable sensitivity to reductions in these parameters, the overall probability of failure remains relatively low under current conditions. The results demonstrate that integrating deterministic and probabilistic analyses provides a robust basis for evaluating rock slope reliability in complex geological environments, particularly in rapidly urbanizing mountainous areas such as Mount Uhud. Full article

This study developed a combined computational-experimental approach to investigate crack kinking in thick adhesively bonded Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composite joints, focusing on the adhesive joints found at wind turbine blade trailing edges. Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) tests were performed on composite joints with a 10-mm thick epoxy adhesive, representative of trailing-edge joints. Finite Element (FE) models included cross-ply GFRP composites and an adhesive layer. Subsequently, both the composite/adhesive interfaces and voids were explicitly modelled, allowing separate and combined evaluations of their effects on crack kinking. A cohesive zone model was used to capture the fracture along the composite/adhesive interfaces, while a Drucker-Prager plasticity model combined with a ductile damage model was used for the adhesive. The numerical findings indicated that crack kinking in FE simulations with explicit interfaces was primarily governed by the lower fracture resistance of the composite/adhesive interface relative to that of the bulk adhesive. Voids with a total volume fraction of approximately 1% were modelled by randomly deleting cubic 1 mm C3D8R elements in the adhesive layer to reproduce the voids typically observed in thick adhesive joints. The predicted crack paths closely matched experimental results. Simulations with voids revealed that voids above or below the adhesive midplane caused crack deflection toward the nearest interface. In models combining both features, cracks were consistently redirected toward the composite/adhesive boundary near voids, reproducing experimental observations. These results provide new insights into trailing-edge adhesive joint failure and establish a foundation for better modelling and design. Full article

Texture perception in extruded snacks is commonly evaluated using force-based measurements, although crispness-related oral sensations arise from fracture, sound emission, and lubrication during mastication. This study developed a mechanistically grounded framework for texture characterization of fiber-enriched extruded snacks by integrating instrumental and sensory analyses within an oral-processing context. Extruded snack samples containing soybean residue (okara; 0%, 29%, and 40%) and commercial benchmarks were evaluated using synchronized mechanical–acoustic testing (five-blade Allo-Kramer shear and three-point bending tests), oral tribology, and sensory evaluation combining intensity rating and ranking. Increasing okara content shifted fracture behavior from brittle, sound-emitting failure toward damped, progressive deformation with approximately 3–5-fold lower acoustic envelope amplitudes and smoother force–time profiles. These changes corresponded to lower perceived Crunchiness and Sound Intensity, reflecting diminished crispness-related perception, and higher Hardness and Grittiness/Coarseness attributes (increases of ~25–45%). Oral tribology revealed cohesive, poorly lubricated boli for okara-rich snacks, requiring higher entrainment parameters (Uη₀ ≈ 1.0 × 10⁵–3.5 × 10⁵) to transition from boundary to mixed lubrication compared with commercial benchmarks (Uη₀ ≈ 7.0 × 10⁴–2.0 × 10⁵). Convergent multivariate analyses established instrumentally defined texture phenotypes that translate mechanical–acoustic and tribological signatures into sensory-interpretable texture categories, providing a practical framework for discriminating and optimizing nutritionally enhanced extruded snack products. Full article

Urban retail environments are social and economic manifestations of a city, enhancing economic growth and social cohesion. However, they increasingly face challenges from economic downturns, changing consumer preferences, and spatial dynamics, making their ability to adapt and remain viable a critical concern. In this context, retail resilience refers to the capacity of urban retail environments to absorb disturbances, adapt to change, and sustain their economic and social functions over time. Despite growing interest in urban resilience, the operationalization of retail resilience through spatially explicit and measurable indicators remains limited, as many assessments focus on city or regional scales and overlook variations at the neighborhood level. Thus, this paper aims to develop a geospatial multi-criteria model yielding a composite Urban Retail Resilience Index (URRI) to analyze and interpret retail resilience in Saida’s urban retail environment through an adaptive cycle lens. The URRI combines indicators related to diversity, spatial proximity, and socioeconomic conditions, and is applied using two weighting scenarios—baseline and stakeholder-based weights—to test the model’s robustness and reflect local priorities. The results reveal distinct spatial variations in retail resilience across the study area, enabling the identification of hotspots for interventions and highlighting the role of accessibility and diversity in shaping the adaptive capacity. These findings confirm that Saida’s retail resilience is closely linked to walkability and socio-cultural characteristics. The proposed geospatial multi-criteria model provides a robust and replicable framework for assessing retail resilience, offering practical insights for urban planners and policymakers. Full article