Search Results (65,004)

The scope of actual pro-environmental initiatives, programs, interventions, and campaigns is limited. Therefore, spillover effects from these activities to other domains of economy, the private sphere, and society are crucial to achieve a transformation of society towards sustainability. Starting from the known literature and using Google Scholar as a platform for searching additional studies, this explorative, traditional narrative review analyses behavioural spillover effects, where either one behaviour influences the likelihood of another behaviour, or an intervention shows an impact on an environmentally significant behaviour, which it did not primarily address. In the scientific literature, spillover is classified by direction (environmentally positive versus negative), involved behaviours (similar or cross-behavioural), timing (short or long term), context (e.g., work to private life), and social scope (personal, interpersonal, intra- and inter-organisational, intergroup, or international). Positive spillover can result from cognitive dissonance reduction, consistent self-perception, pro-environmental values, norms, self-identity, action-based learning, and habit formation. Negative spillover emerges through rebound effects, moral licensing, and psychological reactance. Stronger spillover is observed between similar behaviours, while cross-domain spillover is generally weaker. According to previous research, a facilitated participatory approach with strong pro-environmental orientation appears recommendable for practitioners to foster the value change required for effective and sustained positive spillover. Full article

Adult neural stem cells (NSCs) maintain lifelong neurogenesis, a fundamental process for neuroplasticity, memory and brain homeostasis. Despite decades of research, translating basic NSC biology into effective clinical therapies remains a central challenge. Here we present a narrative review that provides a comprehensive update on the current landscape of adult NSC research, associating molecular mechanisms with the emerging translational technologies. First, we analyze the biological features and neurogenic sequences within canonical niches such as the subventricular lateral zone and the subgranular zone, emphasizing phylogenetic and migratory differences between rodent models and humans. Second, we integrate these mechanisms with the influence of environmental and pathological modulators, describing how aging, metabolic changes, chronic stress and neuroinflammation disrupt NSC quiescence and lineage progression. Finally, we highlight recent technological advances driving the field toward clinical applications. By examining current NSC isolation strategies, induced pluripotent stem cell modeling, direct somatic reprogramming and the use of CRISPR-Cas9-based gene-editing therapies, this review delineates the pathways to overcome existing methodological limitations. Ultimately, we provide an integrated context that connects the modulation of the neurogenic niches with advanced in vitro technologies, offering new perspectives for regenerative medicine and the treatment of neurological disorders. Full article

Iodoacetic acid (IAA), a highly cytotoxic disinfection byproduct commonly detected in drinking water, poses a potential risk to female reproductive health. The direct molecular mechanisms underlying its effects on the reproductive system epithelium remain unclear. This study demonstrates that IAA induces glycational stress in primary porcine uterine (UECs) and oviduct epithelial cells (OECs), representing an early event contributing to extensive cellular toxicity. IAA exposure inhibited Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (GAPDH) enzymatic activity and promoted the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), triggering mitochondrial dysfunction, redox imbalance, calcium dyshomeostasis, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. These disturbances activated a dysregulated signaling network involving the p38 MAPK, AKT, and NF-κB pathways, ultimately causing G1/S cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Notably, pretreatment with the AGE inhibitor pyridoxamine reduced CML accumulation, restored mitochondrial function, and alleviated apoptotic cell death. These findings identify glycational stress as a key initiating mechanism for IAA-induced reproductive epithelial toxicity, providing mechanistic insight into the potential health risks of environmental disinfection byproducts. Full article

Coastal port ecosystems serve as critical interfaces between marine environments and anthropogenic activities, yet zooplankton community dynamics in these transitional zones remain poorly understood. This study investigated seasonal variations in zooplankton assemblages and their environmental drivers in the coastal waters surrounding Lanshan Port, northern Yellow Sea, through quarterly field surveys spanning spring to winter. A total of 33 zooplankton species and 16 planktonic larval categories were identified, with Hydromedusa, Copepoda, and planktonic larvae comprising the three dominant groups. Marked seasonal disparities were observed in species richness (spring: 21 species and 11 larvae categories; winter: 8 species and 3 larvae categories), biomass (autumn: 333.7 mg/m³; winter: 34.0 mg/m³), and abundance (spring: 185.3 ind/m³; winter: 25.7 ind/m³). Notably, Aidanosagitta crassa maintained perennial dominance across all seasons. Principal component analysis of dominant zooplankton taxa across seasons indicated that the first two principal components explained 70.05% and 15.97% of the total variance in zooplankton community structure, respectively, with distinct seasonal clustering of sampling sites along PC1 reflecting pronounced seasonal succession in community composition. Redundancy analysis revealed seasonal-specific correlations between dominant taxa and nutrients: nitrate concentration was negatively correlated with the relative abundance of Sergestidae in both spring and summer, whereas ammonium concentration was negatively correlated with Hydromedusa; by contrast, the abundances of Chaetognatha and Tunicata exhibited a significant positive correlation with nitrate. We also found water temperature only drove communities in autumn, while salinity had little effect. These findings elucidate the mechanisms structuring zooplankton communities in temperate coastal port ecosystems and underscore the necessity of seasonally resolved monitoring frameworks for effective marine environmental management. Full article

Heavy metal contamination of foods remains a persistent global challenge for food safety and public health, driven by industrialization, mining activities, intensive agriculture, and ongoing environmental degradation. This scoping review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature on the occurrence of priority toxic metals—arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel—in food matrices, with emphasis on contamination pathways, analytical detection strategies, and documented human health effects. The reviewed studies reveal widespread accumulation of heavy metals in staple foods, including cereals, vegetables, seafood, and processed products, with concentrations frequently approaching or exceeding international regulatory limits, particularly in regions exposed to strong anthropogenic pressure. Conventional laboratory-based techniques, such as atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma methods, remain the reference standards for quantitative determination and regulatory compliance; however, their application to large-scale or continuous monitoring is often constrained by cost, infrastructure, and operational complexity. Consequently, increasing attention has been directed toward emerging detection approaches, including portable X-Ray fluorescence, Raman/SERS spectroscopy, electrochemical biosensors, electronic tongues, and in situ magnetic measurements, as complementary tools for rapid screening and field-based surveillance. Among these, environmental magnetism and in situ magnetic techniques stand out as non-destructive, low-cost proxies capable of identifying metal-associated particulate contamination linked to food production systems. Chronic dietary exposure to heavy metals is consistently associated with neurotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and oxidative stress, underscoring the need for integrated, multi-tiered monitoring frameworks to support early detection, risk assessment, and prevention. Full article

Wear remains a dominant cause of performance loss and premature failure in mechanical components, motivating the development of environmentally benign surface-engineering solutions. Among thermal spray systems, high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF)-sprayed WC-Co coatings are widely applied under severe wear conditions. The development of nanophase coatings offers the potential for enhanced mechanical performance. However, retaining the nanostructure and limiting decarburization during deposition remain key challenges. In this study, nanophase WC-12Co feedstocks with two particle size ranges, together with Al-modified nanophase powders, were used to deposit coatings under optimized HVOF spraying conditions (spray distance 200 mm, reduced O₂/fuel ratio, and high particle velocity) and were benchmarked against a conventional WC-12Co (12 wt.% Co) coating. The coatings were characterized in terms of microstructure and phase constitution (OM, SEM/EDS, XRD) as well as thickness, porosity (0.5–3.6%), adhesion strength (up to 65 MPa), and microhardness (~1040–1210 HV). Tribological behavior was assessed by ASTM G99 pin-on-disk testing and counterbody wear was quantified via geometric volume loss estimations. The use of larger nanophase particles enabled effective nanostructure retention with limited decarburization, whereas reducing particle size intensified decarburization, promoting increased W₂C formation, and markedly reduced coating cohesion, despite lower porosity and higher hardness. Aluminum additions enhanced coating microhardness and suppressed Co₃W₃C formation, indicating improved phase stability with minimal additional decarburization. Although coating wear remained negligible for all systems, Al-containing coatings exhibited increased friction (up to 35%) and significantly higher counterbody wear (up to sevenfold) compared to the Al-free nanophase coating, which was found to correlate with coating microhardness. Overall, the results demonstrate that optimizing nanophase WC-Co coatings requires balancing competing mechanisms between microstructural stability, cohesive integrity, and tribological response, highlighting the critical role of feedstock design in tailoring coating performance. Full article

Sunset Yellow is a water-soluble synthetic dye resistant to degradation and stable under various conditions, posing an environmental challenge. In the present study pure chitosan hydrogel (PCH) films were synthesized, followed by the assessment of sorption capacity and recyclability compared to chitosan-based films doped with niobium oxide (CHN) or activated carbon (CHC). The aim was to promote the application of sorption methods for Sunset Yellow dye using these films as a treatment option for the pollutant, with the analysis of the effectiveness of the method and its behavior using adsorption kinetic models and thermodynamic analysis. Equilibrium was reached at 240 min for all films tested, with the adsorbed amounts ranging from 18.58 to 18.79 mg g⁻¹ at 30 °C, when the highest kinetic rate constants were observed. The pseudo-first-order kinetic model best described the experimental data, with the lowest Bayesian information criterion, Akaike information criterion, and mean absolute error values. Thermodynamic analysis indicated a spontaneous, exothermic process, with interactions ranging from electrostatic interactions in CHC and PCH to physisorption in CHN. Recycling tests showed 80% efficiency after the third cycle for all three films. These findings highlight the potential of chitosan-based films as an efficient option for removing Sunset Yellow dye from water, thus improving water quality and enhancing wastewater treatment. Full article

The widespread residual ciprofloxacin (CIP) poses severe environmental and health risks, demanding efficient detection methods. Herein, a Zr–Tb bimetallic MOF (ZTM) was green-synthesized via a room-temperature aqueous route with disodium terephthalate as ligand, and developed as a ratiometric fluorescent probe for CIP detection. Structural characterization confirmed Tb³⁺ was successfully incorporated into the Zr-MOF framework, endowing ZTM with high stability and excellent luminescence. The absorption edge of ZTM (320–330 nm) overlapped with CIP’s 330 nm absorption peak, so 327 nm was selected as the excitation wavelength. Under this excitation, ZTM showed a strong Tb³⁺ emission at 657 nm; upon CIP addition, the 657 nm peak was quenched, while the 491 nm emission was enhanced, realizing a distinct ratiometric response. The ratio I₄₉₁/I₆₅₇ was linear with CIP concentration (0.5–25 μM, R² = 0.992), with a limit of detection far below the statutory 30 μM limit (0.16 μM). ZTM also exhibited excellent selectivity, good pH tolerance (5.0–8.0) and rapid response (1 min). Mechanism analysis revealed that the response was mainly due to the inner filter effect (IFE) between ZTM and CIP. This work provides a green-synthesized MOF probe for sensitive and selective CIP detection in environmental samples. Full article

Drought in Angola is a recurrent and cyclical natural phenomenon that poses significant environmental, economic, and social challenges, affecting water resources, agriculture, ecosystems, livestock, and vulnerable communities. This study investigates the temporal evolution and spatial behavior of drought in the provinces of Cunene, Huila, and Namibe over the period 1980–2024. Drought conditions were assessed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standard Precipitation–Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) at multiple time scales. Trends were evaluated using the Modified Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator, while drought intensity was analyzed using run theory. The results reveal a clear intensification of drought conditions in the last decade, characterized by an increase in frequency and intensity, particularly after 2010. Extreme drought events were identified in the early 1980s, the mid-1990s, and more recently in 2019 and 2021. Despite some regional variability, the three provinces exhibit consistent temporal patterns, with drought events generally occurring simultaneously over the study period. These findings highlight the increasing pressure on water and environmental systems and underscore the need for improved drought monitoring and forecasting approaches to support more effective adaptation and decision-making. Full article

The detection and monitoring of asbestos–cement roofing remain a critical public health and environmental challenge, especially in urban and suburban areas where asbestos-containing materials are still widespread due to their extensive use in the 20th century. Although hyperspectral and high-resolution multispectral remote sensing have proven effective for mapping asbestos–cement roofs, many existing approaches rely on proprietary software, limiting transparency, reproducibility, and large-scale adoption. This study presents a fully reproducible, cost-free Python-based workflow for the detection and temporal monitoring of asbestos–cement roofing using high-resolution multispectral WorldView-3 imagery. The workflow integrates atmospheric correction (using the Py6S radiative transfer model), spatial preprocessing, supervised pixel-based classification, postprocessing, and building-level aggregation within an open framework. A Maximum Likelihood Classifier is applied to VNIR and SWIR data using empirically defined roof typologies to enhance class separability. Pixel-level results are aggregated to the building scale through adaptive thresholding enabling the translation of spectral classifications into meaningful building-level information. Tested over the city of Mantua (Italy), the approach achieved reliable classification performance and enabled multi-temporal comparison to identify changes potentially due to roof remediation. Evaluation metrics (precision, recall, and F1-score) highlight the importance of carefully choosing the building-level threshold. By relying exclusively on open-source tools, the workflow enhances transparency, reproducibility, and scalability for long-term monitoring. Full article

Laser fiber-based collimation straightness measurement can eliminate the intrinsic drift of the laser source while offering a simple configuration and simultaneous measurement of straightness in two orthogonal directions. As a high-precision optoelectronic sensing method, it has been widely used for the measurement of straightness, parallelism, perpendicularity, and multi-degree-of-freedom geometric errors. However, two common issues remain in practical applications. One is the nonlinear response of the four-quadrant detector, the core position-sensitive sensor, which is caused by detector nonuniformity and the quasi-Gaussian distribution of the spot. The other is the degradation of measurement performance by atmospheric inhomogeneity and air turbulence along the optical path, particularly in long-distance measurements. To address these issues, a two-dimensional planar calibration method is first proposed to replace conventional one-dimensional linear calibration. A polynomial surface-fitting model is introduced to correct the nonlinear response and inter-axis coupling errors of the four-quadrant photoelectric sensor. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method significantly reduces the standard deviation of calibration residuals and improves measurement accuracy. In addition, based on our previously developed common-path beam-drift digital compensation method, comparative experiments were carried out on double-pass common-path and single-pass optical configurations employing corner-cube retroreflectors, and theoretical simulations were performed to analyze the influence of air-turbulence disturbances on measurement stability. Both theoretical and experimental results show that the double-pass common-path configuration exhibits more pronounced temporal drift. Therefore, a real-time digital compensation method for beam drift in long-distance single-pass common-path measurements is proposed. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively suppresses drift induced by environmental air turbulence and thereby improving the accuracy and stability of long-travel geometric-error and related straightness measurement for machine-tool linear axes. Full article

The increasing agricultural and industrial use of rare earth elements (REEs) has raised growing concerns about their environmental accumulation and ecotoxicity, yet the molecular and epigenetic basis underlying their dose-dependent effects on crops remains poorly understood. In this study, soybean plants were foliar treated with Cerium (Ce) at 0, 5, 10, and 50 mg·L⁻¹. Growth, elemental uptake, genome wide DNA methylation, and gene expression were analyzed using ICP-MS, WGBS, and qRT-PCR. Low dose Ce (5 mg·L⁻¹) showed a hormetic effect, promoting growth and grain quality, whereas high dose Ce (50 mg·L⁻¹) markedly inhibited growth. Foliar absorbed Ce was poorly translocated to roots and seeds, thus reducing food chain contamination risk. Ce significantly altered methylation levels of CG, CHG, and CHH contexts in soybean leaves. Low Ce increased CG methylation, while high Ce decreased CHH methylation. Differentially methylated genes (Low-dose Ce induced 52 hypermethylated DMGs and 23 hypomethylated DMGs, while high-dose Ce induced 76 hypomethylated DMGs and 17 hypermethylated DMGs) were enriched in oxidation–reduction, DNA repair, and cell cycle pathways. qRT-PCR confirmed that Ce mediated toxic responses and growth by regulating methylation related enzymes, oxidative detoxification, and DNA repair genes. This study provides novel genome-wide bisulfite sequencing evidence linking foliar Ce exposure to context-specific DNA methylation reprogramming in a major legume crop. These results demonstrate that the dose-dependent phytotoxicity of Ce in soybean is associated with context-specific changes in genome-wide DNA methylation, supporting the safety evaluation and rational agricultural application of rare earth elements. Full article

Cement stabilized macadam (CSM) bases are prone to cracking and void damage under long-term traffic loading and environmental actions, which accelerates structural deterioration. Although grouting is an effective method for treating such concealed defects, laboratory-based evaluation of repair effectiveness remains limited. In this study, field-cored CSM specimens were recombined in a cylindrical mold to simulate four void conditions (1/4, 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4), and repaired using an inorganic cementitious composite grouting material based on ultra-fine cement and high-belite sulphoaluminate cement (HBSAC), and modified with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) latex, wollastonite (WO) whiskers, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers. The repair effectiveness was evaluated through ultrasonic testing, capacitance measurement, uniaxial compression with acoustic emission (AE) monitoring, and computed tomography (CT). The results show that the longitudinal wave velocity of all repaired groups increases continuously with curing time, with a maximum increase of 21.98% at 28 days. The normalized capacitance response exhibits clear time- and layer-dependent variation, with the 4/4 group showing the most pronounced spatial heterogeneity. In the uniaxial compression tests, the peak load increases from 181 kN in the control group to 201–286 kN in the repaired groups, while the tensile-related AE event proportion increases from 77.35% in the 1/4 group to 89.38% in the 4/4 group. CT analysis shows that the proportion of micropores smaller than 1 mm³ increases from 66.3% to 82.7%, whereas the proportion of pores larger than 100 mm³ decreases from 46.5% to 21.6% after repair. These results demonstrate that the composite grouting material provides effective filling, structural reconstruction, and mechanical enhancement for void-damaged CSM, and that the proposed multi-source characterization framework is suitable for evaluating grouting repair performance. Full article

Although bacterial secretion systems (BSSs) are well known to mediate antifungal effects, current evidence remains fragmented, and a framework linking antifungal strategies in bacterial–fungal warfare is still absent. In this context, we survey Type I to XI secretion systems, integrating experimentally validated activities with mechanism-based predictions of antifungal potential. On this basis, we highlight that the antifungal activity of BSSs operates through two different layers: direct fungicidal attack, via effector-mediated disruption of fungal cellular integrity, and ecological competition, through nutrient competition, physical niche occupation, and coordinated population-level activities. Nevertheless, the mechanistic understanding of bacterial antifungal strategies remains limited by simplified experimental models, incomplete effector repertoires, and poorly characterized regulatory networks and environmental cues. Addressing these gaps will require integrated experimental models, advanced high-throughput platforms, and comprehensive multi-omics-guided analyses to elucidate how bacteria suppress fungi and to support future applications. In addition, BSSs represent versatile and programmable platforms for the development of sustainable antifungal interventions in both agricultural and biomedical settings. Full article

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) contamination in agricultural soils poses a significant risk to environmental and food safety owing to its high mobility and acute toxicity. To investigate possible mitigation strategies, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted using sandy loam and silty loam soils spiked with Cr(VI) at 30 mg kg⁻¹ and amended with natural clinoptilolite and modified HDTMA-Br (hexadecyl-trimethyl-ammonium-bromide) zeolite, while celery (Apium graveolens) was cultivated to assess chromium bioavailability and plant accumulation. Hexavalent chromium concentrations declined in all treatments (up to 88.2% in sandy loam and 73.5% in silty loam), indicating progressive reduction to Cr(III), although amendment effectiveness varied by soil type. In addition, celery accumulated extremely high chromium concentrations, particularly in sandy loam soil, where root Cr(VI) reached 1776 mg kg⁻¹, indicating substantial safety concerns. Translocation factor values were below 1 across treatments, indicating limited relocation of Cr from roots to shoots. In the zeolite treatments, Cr(VI) concentrations in aboveground biomass decreased; however, plant uptake was not completely inhibited. Nonetheless, the high bioaccumulation factor (Cr in plant over available Cr in soil) of as high as 34 in the Cr(VI)-amended treatment indicated an uptake potential under Cr load. We conclude that modified zeolite was successful in mitigating Cr(VI) uptake in plants. Further investigation on the effectiveness of the materials in open-field conditions is required to establish a remediation framework for Cr species Full article