Search Results (37,314)

To study the fracture performance of the concrete-epoxy mortar interface (CEMI) pre-coated with epoxy solutions with different concentrations, a total of nine specimens were fabricated to be subjected to four-point bending tests. DIC technology was used to monitor the deformation of the pure bending region of specimens. A triple-fold stiffness model was developed based on the test results of applied load–displacement curves. A generalized method for determining the parameters of the bilinear softening model was proposed and validated by the test results. Additionally, the fracture performance and crack extension of CEMI specimens were deeply analyzed using the double-K fracture criterion. The fracture initiation toughness K_ICⁱⁿⁱ was calculated by introducing the cohesive fracture toughness, and the crack extension resistance K_R curves of the CEMI specimens were calculated by combining the linear-elastic fracture mechanics and the proposed bilinear softening model. It was indicated that the initiation locations and extension paths of interfacial cracks could be effectively identified by the DIC technique, with an error of less than 8% between test results and predictions. The bridging effect was strengthened by pre-coating with an epoxy solution of the CEMI specimens by filling the microscopic defects on the concrete surface, thereby improving K_ICⁱⁿⁱ, delaying unstable crack extension, and enhancing interfacial fracture resistance. Full article

Earth-based materials are promising candidates for balancing thermal performance, hygrothermal regulation, and environmental sustainability. The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the hygrothermal behavior of two earthen materials, structural cob and lightweight insulating earth, against conventional reference concrete, taking into account not only their insulating properties but also their ability to regulate coupled heat and moisture transfers. Experimental tests show a significantly higher hygroscopic buffering capacity for earth-based materials, with an MBV of 2.23 g/(m²∙%RH) for the structural material and 1.21 g/(m²∙%RH) for the insulation material, compared to less than 0.5 g/(m²∙%RH) for concrete. The sorption isotherms confirm distinct water storage behaviors, with an average sensitivity to relative humidity of 10.47% for the insulation material, compared to 3.8% for concrete and 2.25% for the structural material, in addition to an average reduction of 26% in the adsorption capacity between 23 °C and 45 °C for both earthen materials. Coupled heat–moisture simulations in COMSOL quantitatively demonstrate the hygrothermal superiority of bio-based materials over conventional concrete, as concrete promotes interstitial moisture accumulation due to its low vapor permeability. The parametric sensitivity analysis highlights the effect of hygrothermal properties, where diffusivity controls transport kinetics and sorption governs water storage, while thermal conductivity modulates the spatial redistribution of thermo-hygric fields. The next and final step made it possible to link the phenomena observed at the material scale to the actual energy performance of the building, confirming the potential of the double-wall cob + lightweight earth system to reduce heating and cooling requirements and maintain stable indoor comfort, where the annual heating demand is reduced by approximately 24% compared to the conventional prototype. Full article

Background: Benzimidazole (BZ) resistance in the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus is a major constraint to sheep production worldwide. However, data on the prevalence and molecular mechanisms of resistance in Yili Prefecture, Xinjiang—a key livestock region in Northwestern China—remain limited. This study aimed to determine the frequency of BZ resistance-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in H. contortus populations from Zhaosu and Tekesi counties. Methods: Adult male worms (n = 150) were collected from naturally infected sheep at local abattoirs. Species identity was confirmed morphologically by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2) region. A 385 bp fragment of the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene was amplified and sequenced to detect SNPs at codons 167 (F167Y), 198 (E198A), and 200 (F200Y). Results: The F167Y mutation was absent in all individuals. In contrast, the E198A mutation occurred at exceptionally high frequencies, with resistant allele frequencies (RAF) of 64.7% in Zhaosu and 52.7% in Tekesi. The F200Y mutation showed clear geographical variation: it remained low in Zhaosu (RAF = 9.3%) but was substantially higher in Tekesi (RAF = 33.3%). Haplotype analysis revealed that resistance in Zhaosu was driven primarily by the E198A mutation, whereas the Tekesi population exhibited complex patterns of co-selection of both E198A and F200Y, with a high proportion of double-heterozygous individuals (29.3%). Conclusions: This study provides comprehensive molecular evidence of severe BZ resistance in H. contortus populations from Zhaosu and Tekesi counties, Yili Prefecture. The marked predominance of the E198A mutation, together with the emergence of multi-locus resistance in Tekesi, indicates a rapid escalation of resistance beyond historical levels. These findings suggest that benzimidazoles are likely ineffective in this region and highlight the urgent need to revise local parasite control strategies. Full article

Background: L-tyrosine, classified as a dispensable amino acid, is widely consumed as a component of commonly consumed foods and as a dietary supplement. However, 4-week safety data on supplementation with this amino acid remain limited. Methods: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of L-tyrosine supplementation over a 4-week period and to estimate the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL). In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial, 30 healthy adult men received L-tyrosine at graded daily doses (0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 g/day). Each participant received four of the five doses in a randomized sequence, with each intervention period separated by a 2-week washout period. The primary endpoints were clinical laboratory parameters, and the secondary endpoint was the incidence of adverse events. Anthropometric and dietary parameters were also assessed. In addition, plasma amino acid concentrations following L-tyrosine supplementation were evaluated as exploratory outcomes. Results: No clinically meaningful or statistically significant dose-related abnormalities were observed in hematological, biochemical, or electrolyte parameters at any dose. Anthropometric and dietary parameters remained unchanged. No serious adverse events occurred, and the incidence of mild-to-moderate adverse events was comparable to that observed with placebo. At the end of each supplementation period and under fasting conditions, plasma L-tyrosine concentrations modestly increased at the highest dose (4 g/day), whereas concentrations of other amino acids remained unchanged. Conclusions: Four-week supplementation with L-tyrosine at doses up to 4 g/day was well tolerated in healthy adult men and was not associated with biochemical and clinically relevant adverse effects under the conditions of this study. These findings suggest that 4 g/day represents the highest tested intake level without observable adverse effects and may serve as the NOAEL under the present 4-week study conditions. Full article

With the shift in advanced packaging toward 3D integration and flexible electronics, it is becoming critical to produce high-quality silicon nitride films under low thermal budgets. To overcome the limitations of low-temperature deposition, this study compares two gas mixtures—SiH₄/NH₃/N₂ and SiH₄/N₂—in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of silicon nitride coatings. We systematically evaluated how the NH₃ precursor affects deposition kinetics, chemical bonds, non-uniformity, optical properties, and internal stress at different RF powers and electrode gaps. The test results show that NH₃, with its lower dissociation energy, avoids the high activation barrier associated with pure N₂ plasma, leading to a higher reactive nitrogen flux and a doubled deposition rate. In the SiH₄/NH₃/N₂ system, raising RF power from 300 W to 900 W reduced hydrogen content from 23.58% to 12.25%. This suppression of hydrogen promoted structural densification, shifting the mechanical stress from 173.3 MPa to −989.7 MPa. At a larger electrode gap of 19 mm, NH₃’s better diffusion characteristics offset the electric field sensitivity typical of N₂ systems, reducing large-area film non-uniformity by 28.7% compared to a 13 mm gap. This work offers a practical, mass-production-friendly approach for depositing robust, low-hydrogen, highly uniform silicon nitride films at low temperatures. Full article

To improve the foamability and steam-chest molding performance of polypropylene (PP) bead foams, ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) was introduced into PP via melt blending. The role of EPR in the complete bead-foaming-to-molding process was systematically investigated by correlating phase morphology, crystallization behavior, melt viscoelasticity, CO₂ dissolution and diffusion, cellular structure, inter-bead welding, and the mechanical properties of molded foam products. The incorporation of EPR refined the PP crystalline morphology, reduced the apparent crystallinity, and markedly enhanced the melt viscoelasticity, thereby broadening the foaming temperature window. The dispersed EPR phase functioned simultaneously as a CO₂ reservoir and a high-diffusivity pathway of CO₂, which promoted cell growth while suppressing excessive nucleation. The enhanced melt viscoelasticity and improved CO₂ affinity promoted bead expansion and optimized the cellular structure. At 150 °C, the expansion ratio increased from 18.7 for neat PP to 21.1 with 10 wt% EPR. EPR also regulated the cellular structure. At 150 °C, the cell diameter increased from 83 to 176 μm as the EPR content increased from 0 to 20 wt%. EPR markedly changed the double-melting behavior of PP bead foams. The low-temperature melting enthalpy increased from 28.5 J/g for neat PP to 37.8 J/g with 10 wt% EPR, which served as an effective interfacial binder, significantly promoting inter-bead welding. Consequently, the optimized PP/EPR foam containing 10 wt% EPR exhibited a tensile strength of 1.13 MPa and an elongation at break of 22.1%. More importantly, excellent molding quality was achieved at a reduced steam pressure of 2.2 bar, demonstrating the great potential of PP/EPR bead foams for the energy-efficient manufacturing of high-performance lightweight products. Full article

Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has shown considerable potential in local path planning for autonomous robots. However, existing DRL methods still suffer from limited training efficiency, poor generalization, and weak sim-to-real transferability in complex environments. To address these issues, this paper proposes a Multi-Level Attention Dueling Double Deep Q-Network (MLA-D3QN) framework, which progressively enhances feature extraction, spatial perception, and modality fusion through three attention levels: rule-based attention for obstacle contour extraction, implicit neural multi-scale spatial attention for environment perception, and bidirectional cross-attention for multi-modal feature alignment. Simulation results show that MLA-D3QN outperforms baseline and comparison methods in terms of convergence speed and average reward. Real-world experiments are conducted on a Scout mini platform with 50 trials in simple task scenarios (sparse obstacles, short distance) and 50 trials in complex task scenarios (dense obstacles, long distance). The proposed method achieves success rates of 98% in simple tasks and 94% in complex tasks. Compared to CNN-D3QN and D3QN, MLA-D3QN improves success rates by 10 percentage points (vs. CNN-D3QN) and 38 percentage points (vs. D3QN) in simple tasks, and by 34 percentage points (vs. CNN-D3QN) and 84 percentage points (vs. D3QN) in complex tasks. Path costs are reduced by 24.0% (vs. CNN-D3QN) and 59.9% (vs. D3QN). These results validate the effectiveness of MLA-D3QN in improving generalization and sim-to-real transferability for local path planning in complex environments. Full article

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been widely used for gene editing in various species; however, mosaicism remains a significant challenge. This study aimed to improve gene editing efficiency and reduce mosaicism in porcine embryos by exploring double electroporation pre- and post-in vitro fertilization combined with zona pellucida (ZP) removal. We evaluated the effects of these treatments on the development and mutation rates of oocytes/zygotes edited with guide RNAs (gRNAs) targeting GGTA1, CMAH, or B4GALNT2 genes. Double electroporation significantly increased the total and biallelic mutation rates in ZP-intact zygotes but not in ZP-free zygotes edited using GGTA1-targeted gRNAs. All blastocysts from ZP-free zygotes exhibited biallelic mutations following double electroporation. For the CMAH gene, all blastocysts exhibited mutations (biallelic mutations ≥ 80%); however, double electroporation and ZP removal did not affect their mutation rates or efficiency. For the B4GALNT2 gene, double electroporation significantly increased total mutation rates in ZP-intact zygotes, whereas all blastocysts from ZP-free zygotes showed biallelic mutation. These findings suggest that double electroporation, particularly with ZP removal, may enhance gene-editing efficiency, reduce mosaicism and improve the success of genetic modifications. Full article

Purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is a medicinal plant widely recognized for its richness in bioactive compounds; however, its production in semi-arid regions is often constrained by soil and/or irrigation water salinity. Micronutrient fertilization may contribute to plant stress alleviation under salinity, since elements such as Mn, Mo, and Zn are involved in essential processes related to photosynthetic metabolism and physiological adjustment. This study aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of Mn, Mo, Zn, and their combinations on growth, gas exchange, and relative chlorophyll indices of purple basil plants subjected to severe NaCl stress under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions for 30 days in a randomized block design with nine treatments and four replicates: a non-saline control without micronutrients, a saline control without micronutrients, and plants exposed to 100 mM NaCl with substrate application of Mn, Mo, Zn, MoMn, ZnMo, ZnMn, or ZnMoMn. Micronutrient sources were applied to the substrate at 3.5 g kg⁻¹ according to each treatment. Fertilization with Mn, Mo, Zn, and their combinations enhanced plant stress alleviation under salinity compared with the saline control without micronutrients, with positive responses in growth and physiological performance, including increases in chlorophyll indices. The double combinations MoMn, ZnMo, and ZnMn attenuated the effects of NaCl, especially by increasing leaf area. Mn stood out for increasing net photosynthesis and water-use efficiency, whereas Mo and ZnMo were associated with higher relative chlorophyll indices. Although the triple combination ZnMoMn improved some traits compared with the saline control, its lower efficacy relative to selected single or double applications may indicate that the simultaneous supply of the three elements reduced specific synergistic effects, possibly due to nutritional imbalance or antagonistic interactions among micronutrients under severe salinity. Overall, micronutrient fertilization, particularly through specific double combinations, may contribute to short-term mitigation of NaCl-induced stress responses under controlled greenhouse conditions. Full article

The northward shift in climate zones and the urban heat island effect demand passive cooling for building roofs in northern regions. Artificial turf is a lightweight candidate, but existing studies treat it as homogeneous material, overlooking blade morphology and roof-scale thermal performance. This study conducted a scaled indoor experiment using a 1 m³ building model. Three artificial turfs with different blade lengths (Type A long, Type B medium, Type C short) were compared against concrete and XPS roofs under simulated summer solar radiation. Results show that blade morphology governs thermal performance. Type A exhibited the lowest peak surface temperature (48.9 °C vs. 53.4 °C and 60.6 °C), and its interface temperature (37.0 °C) was 15.1–19.0 °C lower than Types B and C, attributed to a static air insulation layer and enhanced convection. Its cooling rate (0.98 °C/min) was 1.69–2.33 times faster. Compared to concrete and XPS, Type A had lower surface temperature, less downward heat conduction, and a 29.3 °C drop in 30 min (concrete: 22.3 °C; XPS: 21.7 °C), showing urban heat island mitigation potential. Its heat flux reduction ratio reached 42.9%, with equivalent thermal resistance of ~0.40 m²·K/W, reducing summer peak indoor temperature by 3–6 °C in aging buildings. Double-layer stacking underperformed a single long-blade layer due to heat accumulation. Optimised long-blade turf challenges the view that low albedo inevitably causes high temperature, offering dual benefits of insulation and rapid dissipation for passive cooling in urban renewal. Full article

Endogenous gene tagging using CRISPR has changed the understanding of the role played by different proteins due to the ability to track and study proteins in their natural state. With CRISPR-based gene tagging, it is possible to insert fluorescent, luminescent, epitope, affinity, and proximity labels into the target protein at its endogenous genomic location without affecting its physiological expression and dynamics. Here, we discuss the DNA-repair mechanisms employed in endogenous gene tagging, including homology-dependent repair, NHEJ-based integration, and alternative approaches that can be used with challenging cell types. Key aspects of efficient CRISPR tagging experiments are also described. Additionally, we review recent advances in the increasing array of protein tag technologies, including fluorescent proteins, split-reporter technologies, NanoLuc/HiBiT, peptide epitopes, and proximity biotinylation enzymes. Lastly, we review the scalability of endogenous tagging approaches using multiplex editing, atlas-scale proteome tagging, iPSC-based disease modeling, and drug discovery platforms for assessing target engagement, protein degradation, phenotype screening, and mechanism of action of compounds. Although difficult in primary and pluripotent cells, new methods based on avoiding double-strand breaks, such as prime editing, PASTE, and CRISPR associated transposases, will drive the future expansion of endogenous tagging approaches. Such developments firmly set up CRISPR gene tagging as a fundamental technology in quantitative cell biology and translational pharmacology. Full article

Recent studies have investigated whether the rate of global warming has changed since the 1970s, with particular attention to the role of natural variability and its removal from temperature time series. In particular, Foster and Rahmstorf analyzed global mean surface temperature series, adjusted for natural variability. However, their procedure might produce spurious changepoints, since it does not appropriately handle the autocorrelation present in the residuals of the models considered. In this study, we revisit the same adjusted temperature series using a different methodology (the Quandt likelihood ratio test) while properly accounting for the presence of autocorrelation. We find evidence that global temperature has departed from its previous path since around 2013–2014. Our results provide robust proof of a clear recent increase in the temperature trend for adjusted time series, at a rate of warming that has doubled since that date. Full article

Background/Objective: Ultraviolet A and B (UVAB) radiation is a major environmental factor that induces DNA damage and upregulates programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in skin cells, thereby contributing to immune evasion and impaired tissue repair. This study evaluated the protective effects of two purified compounds, Cinnamtannin B1 (CTB-1) and Cinnamtannin D1 (CTD-1), as well as cinnamon extract, in UVAB-irradiated human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Methods: HaCaT cells were exposed to low (20 kJ/m² UVA, 1.3 kJ/m² UVB), medium (30 kJ/m² UVA, 2 kJ/m² UVB), and high (40 kJ/m² UVA, 2.7 kJ/m² UVB) UVAB doses of UVAB radiation. Dose-dependent effects of CTB-1 and CTD-1 (0, 5, 10, 25, and 50 µg/ mL) and cinnamon extract (0, 5, 10, 50, and 100 µg/mL), as well as time-dependent effects (12, 24, and 72 h), were evaluated by measuring PD-L1 expression, cell viability, and DNA damage. Results: CTD-1 was the most effective compound, significantly reducing UVAB-induced PD-L1 expression and DNA double-strand breaks without compromising cell viability. CTB-1 also demonstrated protective effects at specific doses and time points; however, higher concentrations reduced cell viability. Cinnamon extract was protective at low concentrations but cytotoxic at higher doses. Conclusions: CTD-1, CTB-1, and cinnamon extract attenuated UVAB-induced cellular damage in HaCaT cells, with CTD-1 demonstrating the most favorable protective profile. These findings support the potential of cinnamon-derived compounds as therapeutic candidates for preventing UVAB-induced skin damage and immune dysregulation. Full article

Pulsator tests are used to characterize the bending fatigue strength of the tooth root. In these tests, the tooth root is loaded not by meshing with another gear but by applying a pulsating load to the tooth flank via a testing machine. This leads to a different S-N curve with respect to the ones obtained through meshing gear tests. This study aims to investigate the impact of cracks in the tooth root on the results of pulsator and meshing tests. Here, we address the issue of load sharing modification during meshing due to the presence of a crack, and its influence on crack propagation. This approach is applied to a real-life example: estimating the finite life of meshing gears based on pulsator tests. This study aims to present an initial procedure for obtaining S-N curves for meshing gears based on those obtained from pulsator tests. The S-N curves obtained from the pulsator test are compensated for by adding the difference in the propagation speed between the two tests calculated by applying the Paris law with parameters extracted from FE simulation; the time spent in propagation is almost doubled in the meshing conditions. Full article

Environmental taxation constitutes a key instrument of climate policy and plays an increasingly important role in decentralised governance systems. Using Spain as an empirical setting characterised by high fiscal decentralisation and pronounced territorial heterogeneity, we analyse the determinants of regional environmental taxation, accounting for both internal regional conditions and cross-regional policy interaction. Employing spatial panel econometric techniques, we provide robust evidence of spatial interaction and temporal persistence in regional environmental taxation at both the intensive and extensive margins. We also find that regional environmental taxation depends not only on domestic economic, institutional, and political characteristics, but also on those of neighbouring regions. These patterns are consistent with key theoretical mechanisms in fiscal federalism and public economics, including tax competition, yardstick competition, the double dividend hypothesis, NIMBY-type responses, and development–environment dynamics. Fur-ther analysis at the intensive margin reveals adjustment patterns consistent primarily with upward dynamics, although some evidence of downward responses is also found. In particular, upward adjustments appear to be more systematic, while downward responses are limited to regions with relatively lower environmental taxation. This asymmetry sug-gests that competitive pressures do not operate uniformly across jurisdictions. From a sustainability and governance perspective, the findings show that environmental tax policies in decentralised systems are shaped by strategic inter-regional interdependence, influencing the trajectories of regional sustainability transitions rather than reflecting isolated policy choices. Full article