Search Results (3,026)

Amid the ongoing acceleration of climate change over recent decades, extreme precipitation events have become more frequent and intense on a global scale, triggering severe natural hazards and considerable socioeconomic damage. Nevertheless, how extreme precipitation has evolved at the national level over long time spans, and what role atmosphere–ocean teleconnections play in driving regional differences, remains insufficiently explored. This study addresses that knowledge gap by conducting a comprehensive assessment of eight ETCCDI-based extreme precipitation indices (PRCPTOT, CWD, R20, R95p, R99p, RX1day, RX5day, and SDII) across six climatic sub-regions of China (Northeast, North, East, Central South, Northwest, and Southwest) over 1960–2020, drawing on daily records from 695 quality-controlled meteorological stations. Key atmospheric and oceanic circulation drivers were further diagnosed and their joint influence was quantified via multiple wavelet coherence (MWC). The analysis shows that five of the eight indices (CWD, R95p, R99p, RX1day, and RX5day) underwent statistically significant fluctuating changes (p < 0.05) throughout the 61-year record. Seven indices, all except CWD, demonstrated upward tendencies, with mutation points clustering after 2010, most notably between 2011 and 2016. Wavelet power spectra indicates elevated energy concentrations at multiple time scales, although only CWD exhibited a statistically significant periodicity of approximately 8–10 a (p < 0.05 against red noise). In terms of spatial patterns, index magnitudes generally increased along a northwest-to-southeast gradient. Stations registering significant upward shifts were concentrated in East and Central South China, whereas significant downward shifts appeared mainly in North China and the northern portion of East China. An altitude-dependent pattern was also detected: CWD rose with elevation, while the remaining indices declined sharply below 1288 m, fluctuated in the 1288–2090 m band, and dropped again above 2090 m. Wavelet coherence analysis uncovered significant resonance between extreme precipitation and four circulation indices—SCSMMI, WPSHI, PNA, and NAO. MWC further identified three driver combinations—ENSO-PNA, SCSMMI-WPSHI, and ENSO-NAO-EASMI—as the most influential, acting both individually and synergistically. These results furnish an empirical basis for forecasting, preventing, and managing precipitation-related disasters across China under future climate scenarios. Full article

Ocular surface inflammation is a major disruptor of corneal epithelial homeostasis and a key driver of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Limbal stem cells (LSCs), residing within the specialized limbal niche, maintain corneal transparency through continuous epithelial renewal and by preventing conjunctival encroachment onto the corneal surface. Chronic or severe inflammatory insults—stemming from systemic autoimmune disorders, ocular surface diseases, infections, trauma, or environmental stressors—can damage both LSCs and their microenvironment, ultimately leading to limbal insufficiency. This review synthesizes current insights into the mechanisms by which inflammation impairs LSC survival, including cytokine-mediated cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, immune cell infiltration, and disruption of essential signaling pathways such as Wnt, Notch, and BMP. The distinction between LSC depletion and LSC dysfunction is highlighted, as residual stem cells may persist even in clinically advanced disease and can regenerate the corneal surface once the inflammatory milieu is corrected. Clinical manifestations, staging systems, and diagnostic markers—including p63α, ABCG2, and additional emerging molecular indicators—are summarized to support accurate assessment of LSCD severity. Current therapeutic strategies, ranging from anti-inflammatory medical management to surgical approaches such as SLET, CLET, and allogeneic transplantation, are reviewed alongside evolving regenerative and cell-based therapies. By integrating mechanistic understanding with clinical implications, this review underscores the critical interplay between inflammation and limbal niche failure and emphasizes the importance of early recognition and targeted intervention to preserve or restore LSC function. Full article

Reinforced concrete (RC) buildings are the most common structural system in urbanising regions. In many cases, architectural constraints and uneven distribution of structural elements often create eccentricity between the centre of mass (CM) and the centre of rigidity (CR). This eccentricity may induce torsional effects during earthquakes that can significantly influence structural response and increase seismic vulnerability. This study investigates the impact of in-plan irregularity on the seismic performance of RC buildings using nonlinear numerical analyses. Three-dimensional models of four- and six-storey RC buildings with moment resisting frames were developed in OpenSees, where different levels of irregularity were introduced by artificially shifting the lumped mass to generate controlled eccentricities without modifying the structural configuration. Seismic performance was evaluated using nonlinear incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) based on forty ground motion records under bidirectional excitation. The results indicate that increasing CM–CR eccentricity amplifies inter-storey drift demands and elevates the probability of damage due to intensified torsional stresses. The adverse effect is most pronounced when eccentricity aligns with the direction of lower stiffness, whereas eccentricity in the stiffer direction has a limited impact on severe damage states, particularly for taller buildings. These findings provide valuable insights for risk-informed assessment, retrofitting, and prioritisation of existing plan-irregular RC buildings. Full article

Teeth may retain forensic value after chemical exposure, yet the effects of commercially available corrosive agents remain insufficiently characterized. This study evaluated short-term alteration patterns in human teeth exposed to household acidic and alkaline products available on the Romanian market. Five extracted mandibular third molars were analyzed, including four experimental teeth and one control. Each experimental tooth was fully immersed for 48 h in a different agent: hydrochloric acid descaler, sodium hypochlorite bleach, mixed hydrochloric/sulfuric acid descaler, or sodium hydroxide. Morphometric changes, mass, and pH were monitored serially, while stereomicroscopy, SEM-EDX, and hard tissue ground sections were used for structural and compositional assessment. Acid-exposed teeth showed the greatest damage, with major mass loss in the hydrochloric acid and mixed-acid samples, enamel loss, and marked microstructural disruption. The mixed-acid specimen exhibited the most severe collapse and near-complete calcium/phosphorus depletion. Sodium hypochlorite produced mainly superficial and root-level alterations with relative preservation of gross morphology, whereas sodium hydroxide caused minimal dimensional change and a calcium-rich adherent surface deposit. These findings show that household corrosives produce distinct, forensically recognizable dental alteration patterns within 48 h and support an integrated pattern-recognition approach in suspected chemical concealment scenarios. Full article

High-resolution, commercially acquired satellite imagery has been shown to be a powerful tool for documentation and analysis of damage to archaeological sites, particularly in conflict zones where ground-based observations are impractical or dangerous. Using this approach, previous investigations have reported widespread looting and other forms of damage to archaeological sites in Syria during the early years of the civil war (2011–2016). Relying on an expanding suite of satellite imagery resources, this paper presents a renewed analysis of looting and archaeological site damage in Syria over the past decade. The results reveal: (1) severe damage to many sites in northern Syria from a novel form of mechanized looting, (2) intensified impacts from the establishment of military facilities or refugee camps on many prominent sites, and (3) rampant incidents of small-scale looting across all areas of the country. These results highlight the importance of ongoing imagery-based heritage monitoring efforts and will support emerging mitigation, stabilization, and damage assessment efforts in Syria going forward. Full article

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare inherited metabolic disorder characterized by progressive musculoskeletal damage, chronic pain, and functional heterogeneity. To better quantify this variability, we introduced the concept of the functional age gap, defined as the difference between chronological age and a data-derived estimate of functional age. The study included 134 patients with AKU from the ApreciseKUre database. Functional age was calculated by mapping Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) values to age-referenced normative data. Most patients (94.8%) showed a positive functional age gap, with a mean difference of 15 years, which indicates a functionally older profile than expected for their chronological age. A bagging ensemble of decision trees was then used to explore relationships between clinical variables and functional age gap severity. The model achieved moderate but stable classification performance across repeated stratified cross-validation (64%), consistent with an exploratory analysis in a small rare-disease cohort. SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis identified age, AKUSSI spinal pain, AKUSSI joint pain, Schober test, and hip and knee activity as the most influential predictors. These findings support the functional age gap as an interpretable, hypothesis-generating descriptive metric for functional assessment in AKU, while its predictive utility for individual patient stratification will require validation in larger and longitudinal cohorts. Full article

Background: Neuropathy and neuropathic pain (NP) are globally prevalent, remain difficult to manage, and are often exacerbated by underlying lifestyle factors. Alcohol use, particularly in the context of chronic consumption or dependence, is a recognized contributor to peripheral nerve damage, yet its association with neuropathy/NP has not been systematically evaluated. This systematic review synthesizes the current evidence on alcohol exposure, including quantity, frequency, and dependency, and its association with the incidence, prevalence, and severity of neuropathy/NP. Methods: This systematic review included observational studies assessing alcohol consumption patterns or dependence in relation to neuropathy/NP outcomes and was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Exposure types were analyzed independently, and pooled odds ratios and relative risks were generated when sufficient data were available. The review was registered with PROSPERO number CRD42023484158. Results: Following de-duplication and exclusions, 76 studies were included, comprising cohort (n = 15), case–control (n = 12), and cross-sectional (n = 49) designs. While associations varied by study design and exposure category, alcohol dependence and consumption were more consistently linked with increased neuropathy incidence and severity, including electrophysiological evidence of compromised function. Notably, in studies examining alcohol cessation, abstinence was linked to clinical improvements in neuropathy/NP symptoms such as hypoesthesia and muscle weakness. While heterogeneity and risk of bias were present, largely due to the subjective classification of alcohol exposure and a lack of universally applied objective neuropathy measurement tools, multiple pooled estimates reached statistical significance. Conclusions: Evidence from observational studies supports an association between alcohol use, especially dependence, and the development and progression of neuropathy/NP, although causality remains unproven. Abstinence may offer therapeutic benefit, though further abstinence- and/or harm reduction-related interventional studies are required to clarify causality and guide low-cost, adjunctive strategies for alcohol-related neuropathy/NP. Full article

Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disease that leads to the intracellular accumulation of glycosphingolipids in many tissues and fluids, including the kidneys. We report a single family with Fabry disease that includes seven patients carrying the pathogenic variant c.797A>C in the GLA gene, with remarkable variability in kidney involvement, assessed based on clinical, biological, and histological data. The patients were monitored for 2–9 years, and all received enzyme replacement therapy. Kidney involvement was variable and included severely decreased GFR with significant proteinuria, mildly to moderately decreased GFR with proteinuria, mildly decreased GFR with microalbuminuria or normoalbuminuria, hyperfiltration with normoalbuminuria, and preserved kidney function. All patients who underwent kidney biopsy presented with Fabry-specific lesions and, in some cases, chronic histological damage. This study provides valuable insights into kidney involvement evaluated through kidney biopsy, personalized management strategies for family members according to their phenotype, and long-term follow-up of kidney function. We underscore the importance of molecular screening of the GLA gene in all family members for early identification of the disease and early initiation of specific treatments that can prevent or delay the progression of this disease. Full article

This paper presents a field case study of a mechanical failure that occurred in the bottom-hole assembly (BHA) during composite plug milling after hydraulic fracturing operations. The failure sequence was reconstructed using field hook load and torque records, operational documentation, and inspection of the damaged components recovered from the borehole. The results indicate that the critical condition developed progressively and was associated with increasing resistance to drill string movement, insufficient hole cleaning, and repeated attempts to continue milling and release the partially immobilized assembly. The observed damage pattern, together with the presence of residual cuttings and metallic debris in the borehole, supports the conclusion that the loss of the BHA section at the hydraulic safety sub resulted from the interaction of several adverse operational factors acting simultaneously, particularly the combined action of pull-up force and rotation under deteriorating borehole conditions. A supporting strength assessment of the hydraulic safety sub was used to relate characteristic operating points to the admissible working range of the connector. The study shows that hook load and torque data provide the greatest practical value when interpreted jointly and in their operational context rather than as isolated peak values. The findings support safer planning and execution of plug-milling and stuck-pipe remediation operations in highly deviated wells. Full article

Moisture damage is a common hidden distress in asphalt pavements in hot and rainy regions, where it can rapidly develop into severe surface deterioration if not detected in time. To address this issue, this study proposes an automated framework integrating ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data and the YOLOv13 model for multi-scale moisture damage detection on the Jingang Expressway in Cambodia. A total of 1672 GPR images containing moisture damage were collected through field surveys using a 2.3 GHz GPR system. Based on field statistical analysis, the detected damage was classified into three scale levels: large-scale (>2 m), medium-scale (0.8–2 m), and tiny-scale (<0.8 m). Several recent YOLO variants were compared, and YOLOv13s was identified as the optimal model, achieving the best balance between detection accuracy and inference efficiency, with an mAP@0.5 of 85.3% and an FPS of 48. The proposed method was further validated through laboratory and field tests. The results indicate that the developed framework can effectively detect and localize multi-scale moisture damage under practical engineering conditions, providing a non-destructive and efficient approach for pavement condition assessment in hot and rainy regions. By enabling early-stage detection of moisture damage deterioration, the proposed framework may contribute to more sustainable pavement maintenance and long-term transportation infrastructure management. Full article

National and provincial surveillance of pine wood-boring pests in China is designed to detect damaging taxa, map occurrence, assess risk and loss, and support early warning, zoning and control decisions. Province-scale comparisons of alternative monitoring devices remain rare, especially under the operational conditions required by such programs in climatically and topographically heterogeneous forests. Using data from the 2025–2026 systematic survey of pine wood-boring pests in Yunnan Province, China, we integrated several monitoring datasets to compare baited logs, lure traps, and flight-intercept traps. The harmonized database comprised 2603 standard monitoring subcompartments and 3519 installed sites, including 4080 baited-log piles, 4807 lure-trap units, and 373 flight-intercept traps. Main performance analyses focused on active sites with at least one collection event (570 baited-log sites, 63 flight-intercept sites, and 496 lure-trap sites), whereas installed site summaries were retained to characterize operational coverage. Because the study was observational and the three devices have different sampling mechanisms, we interpreted detection probability as the primary early warning metric, and catch, operational taxon richness, standardized yield, and cost metrics as supporting indicators of diagnostic and operational return. Site-level comparisons were complemented with paired analyses of 21 co-located subcompartments, a more comparable subset defined within county × elevation band × host group strata represented by all three methods, county-clustered regression, and a taxonomic-resolution sensitivity analysis. Lure traps consistently had the highest detection probability (0.73), the greatest cumulative catch (8617 individuals), and the broadest operational taxonomic coverage (45 operational taxa). In county-clustered models, lure traps had higher odds of detection (odds ratio = 11.25, 95% CI: 5.64–22.43) and higher catch rates (incidence rate ratio = 5.97, 95% CI: 2.26–15.76) than baited logs after adjustment for elevation band, host group, and collection effort. The same ranking persisted in the more comparable subset and after exclusion of unresolved family-, subfamily-, genus-, and unknown-level records. Standardized yield peaked at 1500–2200 m. Scenario-based costing showed that lure traps had the lowest cost per captured and resolved captured individual, whereas detection cost estimates were interpreted together with absolute detections and operational taxonomic output. Overall, the results support a tiered surveillance architecture in which lure traps serve as the primary routine early warning tool, baited logs provide targeted complementary information, and flight-intercept traps are reserved mainly for exploratory or faunistic surveys. Full article

This study presents a probabilistic seismic fragility assessment of a jointed rock slope by integrating field characterization, incremental dynamic analysis (IDA), and numerical modeling. Dominant joint sets are identified through field mapping, and key discontinuity parameters are estimated for the Barton–Bandis non-linear shear strength criterion. Dynamic simulations are performed using the distinct element method with the continuously yielding (C-Y) joint model to capture progressive shear degradation. Twenty real earthquake ground-motion records are scaled incrementally to perform IDA, with critical block displacement and cumulative joint slip adopted as engineering demand parameters (EDPs). A probabilistic seismic demand model (PSDM) is developed to correlate peak ground acceleration (PGA) with EDPs. Kinematic analysis indicates that planar failure along joint set 1 is the most likely failure mechanism (90% probability), followed by wedge failure along the intersection of joint sets 1 and 2 (52%). Fragility curves are derived for three displacement-based damage states: minor (1 cm), moderate (5 cm), and severe (15 cm). The results demonstrate that seismic deformation is strongly controlled by discontinuity geometry and progressive joint slip, with the slope exceeding the severe damage state at PGA levels as low as 0.4 g, indicating high seismic vulnerability. This highlights the importance of integrating field characterization with dynamic numerical modeling for reliable seismic stability assessment of such discontinuous rock mass. Future work should incorporate larger datasets, in situ testing, and 3D modeling to enhance assessment reliability. Full article

Damage caused by Frankliniella intonsa to sunflower seeds results in the emergence of rusty speckling on the seedcoat, severely compromising seed quality in recent years. Although chemical control has remained the primary management strategy, its application during the flowering period—when F. intonsa is the most active—poses significant risks to pollinating insects and natural enemies, highlighting the urgent need for effective and environmentally sustainable control alternatives. Previous studies have shown that F. intonsa is attracted by buckwheat and that it could be a promising trap crop for F. intonsa. Thus, the attractiveness of Fagopyrum esculentum and F. tataricum to F. intonsa was compared, and the preference of F. intonsa between two buckwheat varieties was examined. Furthermore, the behavioral responses of F. intonsa to volatiles emitted by these plants in different developmental stages were assessed. The study results indicated that F. intonsa had a clear preference for F. tataricum over F. esculentum. In cage trials, the selection rates of 2nd instar nymphs and adults of F. intonsa for F. tataricum were 61.63% and 60.19% at the seedling stage, and 60.74% and 62.50% at the full-bloom stage, all significantly surpassing those of F. esculentum. Olfactory bioassays further confirmed that flowers of F. tataricum were notably more appealing to both 2nd instar nymphs and adults of F. intonsa, with selection rates of 64.17% and 61.67%, respectively. Twenty distinct floral volatiles of two buckwheat varieties were detected through the phytochemical analysis. Orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) identified seven key compounds that accounted for the observed behavioral differences. Both 2nd instar nymphs and adults of F. intonsa demonstrated a significant selection for Δ-Cadinene, with the highest selection rates of 75.00% and 76.67% recorded at a concentration of 0.1 μg/μL. Furthermore, F. intonsa exhibited a marked attraction to higher concentrations of Verbenone, which was unique to F. tataricum, and (S)-2-Methyl-1-butanol, which was unique to F. esculentum. Field intercropping experiments confirmed that F. tataricum outperformed F. esculentum in trapping F. intonsa within sunflower plots. In conclusion, the results indicated that F. tataricum possessed considerable potential as a trap crop for the integrated management of F. intonsa in sunflower cultivation systems. Full article

Marine invertebrates are characterized by high species diversity, a wide distribution, ease of culture, low cost, short life cycles and high sensitivity to pollutants, which makes them excellent models for observing toxic effects and elucidating underlying mechanisms. This paper reviews representative species from three phyla—Arthropoda, Mollusca, and Echinodermata—under both single emerging contaminant exposure and combined exposure scenarios, and analyzes the reproductive and neurotoxic impacts of these contaminants on marine invertebrates. Neurotoxicity is mediated by several key mechanisms: inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity; disruption of neurotransmitter balance, oxidative stress; and cellular damage, interference with embryonic neural development and axis specification, and impairment of neural cell differentiation and migration. Reproductive toxicity impairs reproductive development by disrupting endocrine signaling, inducing oxidative stress, downregulating reproduction-related genes and damaging gonadal structure. Studies have shown that, besides environmental factors, contaminant concentration is closely correlated with toxic potency and differing concentration ratios can lead to either antagonistic or synergistic effects in combined toxicity. Current research has largely focused on single or binary contaminant systems, whereas studies on multi-contaminant mixtures and their interactions with multiple environmental factors remain limited. Future research should prioritize combined exposure to multiple contaminants, long-term multigenerational observations and the development of comprehensive ecological risk assessment models and monitoring standards, thereby providing a scientific basis for marine ecological conservation. Full article

This study examined alterations in serum redox biomarkers before and one month after administration of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) booster (third) doses across four vaccine regimens. A longitudinal cohort of 410 adults was analyzed following homologous Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinopharm [Vero Cell]-Inactivated, Sputnik V, or heterologous Sinopharm/Pfizer vaccination. Serum total proteins, albumin, total thiols, nitrites, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity were measured, with DPPH interpreted as an ex vivo surrogate of serum radical-scavenging capacity. Additional analyses included stratification by prior severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, multivariable regression, correlation analysis, effect-size estimation, and sensitivity testing. Booster vaccination was associated with modest but consistent decreases in DPPH activity, albumin, and total proteins, whereas FRAP, nitrite, and total thiol levels remained stable. This pattern supports a transient shift in antioxidant buffering capacity but, by itself, does not exclude oxidative stress, as direct oxidative damage markers were not assessed. The most pronounced changes were observed in Sinopharm-based regimens, particularly in the heterologous Sinopharm/Pfizer group. Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection did not materially alter the qualitative response pattern, whereas older age and comorbidities were associated with greater declines in DPPH activity and albumin. Overall, the findings indicate a modest, transient redox-associated response following booster-induced immune activation and suggest that host-related factors, such as age and comorbidity burden, may accentuate short-term changes in antioxidant buffering capacity. Full article