Search Results (5,093)

This study systematically investigates the lithofacies, sedimentary microfacies, vertical evolution, and spatial distribution of the braided river delta–shallow lacustrine carbonate mixed sedimentary rocks of the Upper Ganchaigou Formation in the Huatugou Oilfield of the Qaidam Basin, China. This study integrates data from field outcrops, core observations, thin section petrography, laboratory analyses, and well-logging interpretations. Based on these datasets, the sedimentary characteristics are identified, and a comprehensive sedimentary model is constructed. The results reveal that the study area contains five clastic facies, three types of mixed sedimentary facies, and ten sedimentary microfacies. Two distinct modes of mixed sedimentation are recognized: component mixing and stratigraphic mixing. A full lacustrine transgression–regression cycle is formed by the two types of mixed sedimentation characteristics, which exhibit noticeable differences in vertical evolution. Component mixing, which occurs in a mixed environment of continuous clastic supply and carbonate precipitation during the transgression, is the primary characteristic of the VIII–X oil formation. The mixed strata that make up the VI–VII oil formation show rhythmic interbedding of carbonate and clastic rocks. During the lacustrine regression, it shows the alternating sedimentary environment regulated by frequent variations in lacustrine levels. The planar distribution is affected by both intensity of sediment from the west and the changes in lacustrine level. During the lacustrine transgression, it is dominated by littoral-shallow lacustrine mixed beach bar and mixed sedimentary delta. On the other hand, during the lacustrine regression, it is dominated by laterally amalgamated sand bodies in the braided-river delta front. Based on this, a mixed sedimentary evolution model controlled by the coupling of “source–lacustrine level” is established. It offers a guide for reconstructing the sedimentary environment in basins that are similar to it and reveals the evolution path of mixed sedimentation in the short-axis source area of arid saline lacustrine basins. Full article

This paper presents a new, quick method for testing the content of magnetic forms of iron in organic soils. These forms are an important marker of changes occurring in the environment. This method is based on impedance spectroscopy of a measuring coil inside which the tested material is placed—the material serves as the core of the coil. Unlike EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy), the new method does not use electrodes, is sensitive to magnetic forms of iron, and is non-contact (the measuring current does not flow through the tested material). The results of research on three materials, including brown peat and silt with plant detritus, are presented in this paper. The results showed that changes in the standardized components of the measuring coil impedance in the frequency range of 100–135 kHz enable the determination of the content of ferromagnetic iron oxide (Fe₃O₄). The proposed method is very sensitive to soil oxide content in the range of 0% to 8%. Additionally, elemental composition analysis was performed using ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectroscopy), which allowed for comparison of iron and other metal content with impedance measurement results. The final results confirm the usefulness of impedance spectroscopy as a non-destructive method for studying sedimentary environments and assessing their mineral properties. Full article

Introduction: Magnetic nanoparticles are widely investigated as multifunctional platforms for drug delivery and theranostic applications, yet their biomedical implementation is hindered by aggregation, limited colloidal stability, and insufficient biocompatibility. Hybrid biopolymer coatings can mitigate these issues while supporting drug incorporation. Aim: This study aimed to develop casein–pullulan-coated Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites loaded with xanthohumol, enhancing stability and enabling controlled release for potential theranostic use. Methods: Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized through co-precipitation and incorporated into a casein–pullulan matrix formed via polymer complexation and glutaraldehyde crosslinking. A 3² full factorial design evaluated the influence of casein:pullulan ratio and crosslinker concentration on physicochemical performance. Nanocomposites were characterized for size, zeta potential, morphology, composition, and stability, while drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and release profiles were determined spectrophotometrically. Molecular docking was performed to examine casein–pullulan interactions. Results: Uncoated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles aggregated extensively, displaying mean sizes of ~292 nm, zeta potential of +80.95 mV and high polydispersity (PDI above 0.2). Incorporation into the biopolymer matrix improved colloidal stability, yielding particles of ~185 nm with zeta potentials near –35 mV. TEM and SEM confirmed spherical morphology and uniform magnetic core incorporation. The optimal formulation, consisting of a 1:1 casein:pullulan ratio with 1% glutaraldehyde, achieved 5.7% drug loading, 68% encapsulation efficiency, and sustained release of xanthohumol up to 84% over 120 h, fitting Fickian diffusion (Korsmeyer–Peppas R² = 0.9877, n = 0.43). Conclusions: Casein–pullulan hybrid coatings significantly enhance Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle stability and enable controlled release of xanthohumol, presenting a promising platform for future targeted drug delivery and theranostic applications. Full article

Landfills serve as a primary disposal method for municipal solid waste in China, with over 20,000 operational sites nationwide; however, long-term operations risk leachate leakage and groundwater contamination. Amid intensifying climate change and human activities, understanding contaminant evolution mechanisms in landfills has become critically urgent. Focusing on a representative plain-based landfill in North China, this study integrated field investigations and groundwater monitoring to establish a monthly coupled groundwater flow–solute transport model (using MODFLOW and MT3DMS codes) based on site-specific hydrogeological boundaries and multi-year monitoring data, analyzing spatiotemporal plume evolution under the coupled impacts of precipitation variability (climate change) and intensive groundwater extraction (human activities), spanning the historical period (2021–2024) and future projections (2025–2040). Historical simulations demonstrated robust model performance with satisfactory calibration against observed water levels and chloride concentrations, revealing that the current contamination plume exhibits a distinct distribution beneath the site. Future projections indicate nonlinear concentration increases: in the plume core zone, concentrations rise with precipitation, whereas at the advancing front, concentrations escalate with extraction intensity. Spatially, high-risk zones (>200 mg/L) emerge earlier under wetter conditions—under the baseline scenario (S0), such zones form by 2033 and exceed site boundaries by 2037. Plume expansion scales positively with extraction intensity, reaching its maximum advancement and coverage under the high-extraction scenario. These findings demonstrate dual drivers—precipitation accelerates contaminant accumulation through enhanced leaching, while groundwater extraction promotes plume expansion via heightened hydraulic gradients. This work elucidates coupled climate–human activity impacts on landfill contamination mechanisms, proposing a transferable numerical modeling framework that provides a quantitative scientific basis for post-closure supervision, risk assessment, and regional groundwater protection strategies, thereby aligning with China’s Standard for Pollution Control on the Landfill Site of Municipal Solid Waste and the Zero-Waste City initiative. Full article

The article focuses on the design and construction of a 3D printer capable of printing both traditional cement and alkali-activated cement (AAC). Research into alkali-activated cements, commonly known as geopolymers, has progressed beyond the basic research stage, with the current challenge being the implementation of practical applications. These include solving the shaping issues of AAC paste and forming the final shape of a given product. One of the most advanced methods for achieving this is through 3D printing. The printer was created by modifying the open-source RatRig V-Core 3D printer ecosystem design to fit this purpose. Based on these modifications, an appropriate material composition was determined, and printing tests were conducted, allowing development conclusions to be drawn. A three-dimensional model of the structure was first created using Autodesk Inventor 2024 CAD software, and critical load-bearing components were validated through simulation. Special attention was given to cost-effective manufacturability, with custom parts produced using 3D printing, while additional components (e.g., bearings, fasteners) were selected from commercial catalogs. Finally, test prints using the specified material composition were performed to examine potential construction improvements for the 3D printer and assess material properties. The core concept of the cement printer lies in the material deposition method, specifically, in achieving effective extrusion of the paste. Five different versions of this were tested, which will be discussed in detail. Full article

This paper presents a novel hypersector-based method with Fuzzy Learning Vector Quantization (FLVQ) for the real-time classification of wind turbine blade defects using data acquired by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Unlike conventional prototype-based FLVQ approaches that rely on Euclidean distance in the feature space, the proposed method models each defect class as a hypersector on an n-dimensional hypersphere, where class boundaries are defined by angular similarity and fuzzy membership transitions. This geometric reinterpretation of FLVQ constitutes the core innovation of the study, enabling improved class separability, robustness to noise, and enhanced interpretability under uncertain operating conditions. Feature vectors extracted via the pre-trained SqueezeNet convolutional network are normalized onto the hypersphere, forming compact directional clusters that serve as the geometric foundation of the FLVQ classifier. A fuzzy softmax membership function and an adaptive prototype-updating mechanism are introduced to handle class overlap and improve learning stability. Experimental validation on a custom dataset of 900 UAV-acquired images achieved 95% classification accuracy on test data and 98.3% on an independent dataset, with an average F1-score of 0.91. Comparative analysis with the classical FLVQ prototype demonstrated superior performance and noise robustness. Owing to its low computational complexity and transparent geometric decision structure, the developed model is well-suited for real-time deployment on UAV embedded systems. Furthermore, the proposed hypersector FLVQ framework is generic and can be extended to other renewable-energy diagnostic tasks, including solar and hydropower asset monitoring, contributing to enhanced energy security and sustainability. Full article

A multifunctional diagnosis and treatment carrier, ZIF-8@CDs, based on carbon quantum dots (CDs) and the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) metal–organic framework which serves as a core structure for constructing the responsive delivery platform, is developed in this paper. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) and Survivin oligo (siRNA) are loaded to form a ZIF-8@CDs/DOX@siRNA dual loading platform. CDs of 5–10 nm are synthesized by the solvent method and combined with ZIF-8. Electron microscopy shows that the composites are nearly spherical particles of approximately 200 nm, and the surface potential decreases from +36 mV before loading CDs to +25.7 mV after loading. The composite system shows unique advantages: (1) It has Fenton-like catalytic activity, catalyzes H₂O₂ to generate hydroxyl radicals, and consumes glutathione in the tumor microenvironment. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the ZIF-8@CDs group is significantly higher than that in the control group. (2) To achieve visual diagnosis and treatment, its fluorescence intensity is superior to that of the traditional Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled vector; (3) It has a high loading capacity, with the loading amount of small nucleic acids reaching 36.25 μg/mg, and the uptake rate of siRNA by liver cancer cells is relatively ideal. The ZIF-8@CDs/DOX@siRNA dual-loading system is further constructed. Flow cytometry shows that the apoptosis rate of HepG2 cells induced by the ZIF-8@CDs/DOX@siRNA dual-loading system is 49%, which is significantly higher than that of the single-loading system (ZIF-8@CDs/DOX: 34.3%, ZIF-8@CDs@siRNA: 24.2%) and the blank vector (ZIF-8@CDs: 12.6%). The platform provides a new strategy for the integration of tumor diagnosis and treatment through the multi-mechanism synergy of chemical kinetic therapy, gene silencing and chemotherapy. Full article

A well construction plan includes a drilling program, drilling fluids, casing-setting-depth selection, casing-grade-combination design, bit selection, cementing, and a wellhead design. Casing-setting-depth selection techniques are an integral part of the construction of oil and gas wells, where setting-depth selection methods rely on both safety and economics. In this study, a new casing-setting-depth selection method is developed. This new method is based on the estimation of the fracturing pressure using the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion. To validate this new casing-setting-depth selection method, ten core samples, representing ten underground formations in the Saudi lithological column, were tested for uniaxial compressive and tensile strengths. The results were utilized to establish rock failure criteria and estimate casing setting depth using a newly proposed casing-setting-depth selection method based on the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion and compared to other traditional casing-setting-depth estimation methods. The results demonstrated that the Hubbert & Willis method provided a very narrow safe mud window compared to the other methods, while the leak-off, Eaton, Mathews & Kelly, and other methods provided more economical results. On the other hand, the Mohr–Coulomb method provided the widest and most economical safe mud window compared to all other traditional methods. One of the main requirements of the Mohr–Coulomb casing-setting-depth selection method is that it either requires appreciable core samples from various depths to be tested in the laboratory for their mechanical properties and failure criteria, or that core-calibrated well logs be used. Additionally, relying on Mohr–Coulomb casing-setting-depth selection methods requires the use of filtration loss control materials to seal any microcracks that may form. Economical comparisons in terms of casing string number and length yielded that Eaton, leak-off, and Mathews and Kelly methods reduced casing cost by 31% compared to Hubbert and Willis methods. On the other hand, the new casing-setting-depth selection method based on the Mohr–Coulomb method reduced casing costs by 41% compared with the Hubbert and Willis methods and by 10% compared with the leak-off and Mathews and Kelly methods. Therefore, this study provides a new proof of concept for developing an efficient method for selecting the casing setting depth for oil and gas wells. Full article

Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder globally, relies primarily on dopamine replacement therapy for conventional treatment. This approach fails to reverse core pathological processes and is associated with long-term side effects. Recent research on the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) has revealed that PD pathology may originate in the gut, forming a vicious cycle from the gut to brain through α-synuclein propagation, gut dysbiosis, intestinal barrier disruption, and neuroinflammation. This offers a novel perspective for managing PD through dietary interventions that modulate the gut microbiome. However, single probiotic or prebiotic interventions show limited efficacy. This review systematically introduces the novel concept of “synbiotics combining medicinal plant polysaccharides with probiotics,” aiming to integrate traditional “medicinal food” wisdom with modern microbiome science. The article systematically elucidates the pathological mechanisms of MGBA dysfunction in PD and the intervention mechanisms of probiotics and emphasizes the structural and functional advantages of medicinal plant polysaccharide as superior prebiotics. The core section delves into the multifaceted synergistic mechanisms between these two components: enhancing probiotic colonization and vitality, optimizing microbial metabolic output, synergistically reinforcing the intestinal and blood-brain barriers, and jointly regulating immune and neuroinflammation. This approach targets the MGBA to achieve multi-level intervention for PD. Full article

In post-Soviet Georgia, the renewed visibility of religion in the public sphere has generated ambivalent effects, fostering both social cohesion and identity-based exclusion. This article focuses on the work I Am the Way by Georgian Orthodox thinker Zurab Kiknadze to explore how a non-instrumental, ethics-based conception of public religion can be sociologically conceptualized. Drawing on a qualitative, hermeneutic-narrative method, the analysis identifies two core motifs in Kiknadze’s thought—“spiritual journey” and “silent witness”—and interprets them through the lenses of public religion theory (Casanova), lived religion paradigms (McGuire, Ammerman), and post-secular debates (Habermas). The findings indicate that Kiknadze understands faith not as a marker of dogmatic or ethno-political belonging but as a practice contributing to ethical continuity and the reconstruction of social trust. Within this framework, “silent witness” is defined as a form of faith grounded in consistency, humility, and action-oriented conviction; it is proposed as a transferable sociological mechanism that supports trust, reconciliation, and inclusive citizenship in transitional societies. Centering on the Georgian case, this article offers a conceptual contribution to rethinking the public role of religion in post-authoritarian contexts within an ethical framework. Full article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping how cultural heritage institutions design and deliver digital visitor experiences, particularly through adaptive Augmented Reality (AR) applications. However, most existing AR deployments in museums and galleries remain static, rule-based, and insufficiently responsive to visitors’ contextual, behavioral, and emotional diversity. This paper presents ARIA (Augmented Reality for Interpreting Artefacts), a conceptual and architectural framework for AI-supported, adaptive AR experiences in cultural heritage settings. ARIA is designed to address current limitations in personalization, affect-awareness, and ethical governance by integrating multimodal context sensing, lightweight affect recognition, and AI-driven content personalization within a unified system architecture. The framework combines Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for controlled, knowledge-grounded narrative adaptation, continuous user modeling, and interoperable Digital Asset Management (DAM), while embedding Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Fairness, Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics (FATE) principles at its core. Emphasis is placed on accountable personalization, privacy-preserving data handling, and curatorial oversight of narrative variation. ARIA is positioned as a design-oriented contribution rather than a fully implemented system. Its architecture, data flows, and adaptive logic are articulated through representative museum use-case scenarios and a structured formative validation process including expert walkthrough evaluation and feasibility analysis, providing a foundation for future prototyping and empirical evaluation. The framework aims to support the development of scalable, ethically grounded, and emotionally responsive AR experiences for next-generation digital museology. Full article

To improve traditional cement manufacturing, which generates a large amount of greenhouse gases, blending calcareous green algae and fly ash as cement replacement materials is expected to achieve nearly zero carbon emissions. As a calcareous green alga, Halimeda macroloba is a significant producer of biogenic calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), sequestering approximately 440 kg of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per 1000 kg of CaCO₃, with CaCO₃ production reported in relation to algal biomass. To assess the new low-carbon/low-waste cement production process, the proposed scenarios (2 and 3) are validated via Python-based modeling (Python 3.12) and Aspen Plus^® simulation (Aspen V14). The core technology is the pre-calcination of algae-derived CaCO₃ and fly ash from coal combustion, which are added to a rotary kiln to enhance the proportions of tricalcium silicate (C₃S) and dicalcium silicate (C₂S) for forming the desired silicate phases in clinker. Through the lifecycle assessment (LCA) of all scenarios using SimaPro^® (SimaPro 10.2.0.3), the proposed Scenario 2 achieves the GWP at approximately 0.906 kg CO₂-eq/kg clinker, lower than the conventional cement production process (Scenario 1) by 47%. If coal combustion is replaced by natural gas combustion, the fly ash additive is reduced by 74.5% in the cement replacement materials, but the proposed Scenario 3 achieves the GWP at approximately 0.753 kg CO₂-eq/kg clinker, lower than Scenario 2 by 16.9%. Moreover, the LCA indicators show that Scenario 3 has lower environmental impacts on human health, ecosystem, and resources than Scenario 1 by 24.5%, 60.0% and 68.6%, respectively. Full article

To reveal the physical evolution of methanol spray under different environmental conditions and injection strategies, this study focuses on the atomization and evaporation behavior of low-pressure methanol spray. The coupled effects of temperature, pressure, and injection parameters are systematically investigated based on constant-volume combustion chamber experiments and three-dimensional CFD simulations. The formation, evolution, and interaction mechanisms of the liquid column core and cooling core are revealed. The results indicate that temperature is the dominant factor influencing methanol spray atomization. When the temperature increases from 255 K to 333 K, the spray penetration distance increases by approximately 70%, accompanied by a pronounced shortening of the liquid-core length and enhanced evaporation and air entrainment. Under low-temperature conditions, a stable liquid-core structure and a strong cooling core are formed, characterized by a high-density, long-axis morphology and an extensive low-temperature region, which suppress fuel–air mixing and ignition. Increasing the ambient pressure improves spray–air mixing but reduces penetration; at 255 K, increasing the ambient pressure from 0.05 MPa to 0.2 MPa increases the spray cone angle by approximately 10% while reducing the penetration distance by about 50%. Furthermore, optimizing the injection pressure or shortening the injection pulse width effectively enhances atomization performance: increasing the injection pressure from 0.4 MPa to 0.6 MPa and reducing the pulse width from 5 ms to 2 ms increases the penetration distance by approximately 30% and reduces the mean droplet diameter by about 20%. Full article

Achieving optimal daylighting is a cornerstone of sustainable architectural design, impacting energy efficiency and occupant well-being. Fast and accurate prediction during the conceptual phase is crucial but challenging. While physics-based simulations are accurate but slow, existing machine learning methods often rely on restrictive parametric inputs, limiting their application across free-form designs. This study presents a novel, geometry-agnostic framework that uses only building facade unfolding diagrams as input to a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN). Our core innovation is a 2D representation that preserves 3D facade geometry and orientation by “unfolding” it onto the floor plan, eliminating the need for predefined parameters or intermediate features during prediction. A Pix2pixHD model was trained, validated, and tested on a total of 720 paired diagram-simulation images (split 80:10:10). The model achieves high-fidelity visual predictions, with a mean Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) of 0.93 against RADIANCE/Daysim benchmarks. When accounting for the practical time of diagram drafting, the complete workflow offers a speedup of approximately 1.5 to 52 times compared to conventional simulation. This work provides architects with an intuitive, low-threshold tool for rapid daylight performance feedback in early-stage design exploration. Full article

The Wenchang Oilfield’s high-porosity and high-permeability reservoirs are planned to be developed using synthetic-based drilling fluids. However, the induced reservoir damage problems caused by existing synthetic-based drilling fluids in high-porosity and high-permeability reservoirs are still unclear. Currently, through the analysis of reservoir core porosity and permeability characteristics, physical and chemical property analysis, reservoir sensitivity evaluation, and solid-phase and filtrate invasion experiments, the mechanism of reservoir damage is systematically explored, and a synthetic-based drilling fluid specifically for high-porosity and high-permeability reservoirs is developed to reduce reservoir damage. The results show that the average pore radius of this reservoir is 29.4 μm, with well-developed pores and strong permeability; the mineral composition is mainly quartz (with an average content of 55.6%), and the clay mineral content is 21.5%. It has water-sensitive, salt-sensitive, and stress-sensitive damage characteristics. Filter fluid invasion and solid-phase blockage are the core factors causing reservoir damage. Based on its damage mechanism, through the optimization of the plug-forming agent formula and the selection of a sealing agent, a low-harm synthetic-based drilling fluid (hereinafter referred to as KS-9) was developed. Performance evaluation shows that the KS-9 drilling fluid maintains stable rheology after 110 °C/16 h thermal rolling, with an upper temperature limit of 150 °C, and can resist 10% NaCl, 1% CaCl₂, and 8% inferior soil pollution; in the core contamination experiment, its static permeability recovery value exceeds 88%, and it has good reservoir protection performance, which can provide technical support for the safe drilling and completion of high-porosity and high-permeability reservoirs in the Wenchang Oilfield. Full article