Search Results (90)

In Japan, strawberries are produced in the off-season (June to November) in cool regions; however, the high temperatures and strong sunlight limit fruit production. Dark septate endophytic fungi (DSEs) support growth and flower bud formation of plants grown in environments unsuitable for plant growth. In this study, we investigated the effects of DSE on dry matter production and flower bud formation in strawberry plants grown in the summer and autumn. The seeds were sown in soil mixed with DSE on 5 February 2024. The DSEs used were Cladophialophora chaetospira SK51 (S) and Cc. MNB12 (M), and Veronaeopsis simplex Y34 (Y). Plants were planted in a plastic house on April 18. The total dry weight was significantly increased by DSEs. This is because S and Y-cultured plants did not show a significant decrease in leaf emergence under high temperatures, unlike those grown with M; however, its leaf area was larger than that of the control. This resulted in a larger leaf area for receiving light and higher cumulative light reception and light-use efficiency. Although the DSEs increased cumulative fruit yield, the harvest period was limited to July because of the extreme summer heat. In addition, there was no difference in the budding date or flowering date between the treatments. These results suggest that DSEs improve light use efficiency, thereby increasing total dry matter weight and contributing to increased fruit yield in summer-autumn cultivation. Full article

Light-induced bimolecular reactions occur in many naturally and artificially (laboratory or industrial) designed processes. The quantification of these reactions is generally performed by kinetics. In particular, the kinetic data of bimolecular photoreactions are often treated by second-order kinetic models. If this situation is effectively ubiquitous in practice, it remains that the underlying hypothesis, assuming that photoreactions obey the same kinetics as thermal transformations, is not consistent with the physical photosystem considered. In fact, it has been proven that unimolecular (mono-reactant) photoreactions are effectively modelled by $\mathsf{\Phi }$-order kinetics. The latter model is formalised by a logarithmic function bearing an exponential in its argument. Hence, $\mathsf{\Phi }$-order kinetics is mathematically different from the thermal reaction models. In the case of the bimolecular photoreactions that are described by different rate laws than those used for the thermal reactions, i.e., involving both radiation intensity and light absorption, there have been no reported solutions in the literature that were based on analytical integration. So much so, no kinetic order has ever been assigned to any bimolecular photoreaction. In the current situation, it is perhaps sensible to proceed, in a first step, by defining among the bimolecular photoreactions those whose rate laws can be solved analytically and establish the corresponding solutions by closed-form integration. Following such a strategy, the present paper unravels the first model equations for the kinetics of bimolecular photoreactions. The findings are part of an effort to standardise photokinetics along the same principles used in thermal kinetics. Full article

Continuous advancements in application technology aimed at higher efficiency and power density place ever-increasing demands on mechanical components and construction elements—and, consequently, on the lubricating greases employed. This is particularly true for rolling bearings, where greases are exposed to high mechanical loads and wide temperature ranges. A current example can be found in the bearings of hybrid vehicle powertrains, which are subjected to extreme thermal and mechanical stress due to engine downsizing, high rotational speeds, and radiant heat from the combustion engine. A collaborative project between the Competence Center for Tribology (KTM) at Mannheim University of Applied Sciences and the OWI Science for Fuels gGmbH (OWI), affiliated with RWTH Aachen University, demonstrated that the loss of lubricating performance—which ultimately leads to bearing failure—is directly linked to changes in the thickener structure. Various degradation processes reduce yield stress and viscosity, thereby eliminating the typical grease characteristics. Mechanical, thermal, oxidative, and catalytic processes all play decisive roles. This paper presents analytical methods that enable these individual influencing factors to be investigated and evaluated independently. These approaches can significantly reduce the need for time-consuming and costly laboratory tests in grease development and qualification. Full article

Strawberry propagation relies predominantly on asexual reproduction via runner plants, making runners a critical organ for cultivation. Runners develop from axillary buds under specific environmental conditions. While long-day photoperiods and higher temperatures are key factors for inducing runner formation in most strawberry varieties, certain everbearing cultivars exhibit enhanced runner formation even under short-day conditions. Gibberellin (GA) is indispensable for runner bud outgrowth, with cytokinin and auxin synergistically regulating runner outgrowth. Genetically, GA biosynthesis genes strongly influence runner formation. Transcription factors such as LAM, SOC1, and HAN have recently been identified as key regulators. However, the genetic control of runner formation in strawberries, especially for cultivated octoploid strawberry cultivars, is not yet fully elucidated. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the environmental and genetic regulation of strawberry runner induction, providing a theoretical foundation for artificial control of runner formation. Full article

Smart manufacturing demands ever-increasing equipment reliability and continuous availability. Traditional fault diagnosis relies on attached sensors and complex wiring to collect vibration signals. This approach suffers from poor environmental adaptability, difficult maintenance, and cumbersome preprocessing. This study pioneers the use of high-temporal-resolution dynamic visual information captured by an event camera to fine-tune a multimodal large model for the first time. Leveraging non-contact acquisition with an event camera, sparse pulse events are converted into event frames through time surface processing. These frames are then reconstructed into a high-temporal-resolution video using spatiotemporal denoising and region of interest definition. The study introduces the multimodal model Qwen2.5-VL-7B and employs two distinct LoRA fine-tuning strategies for bearing fault classification. Strategy A utilizes OpenCV to extract key video frames for lightweight parameter injection. In contrast, Strategy B calls the model’s built-in video processing pipeline to fully leverage rich temporal information and capture dynamic details of the bearing’s operation. Classification experiments were conducted under three operating conditions and four rotational speeds. Strategy A and Strategy B achieved classification accuracies of 0.9247 and 0.9540, respectively, successfully establishing a novel fault diagnosis paradigm that progresses from non-contact sensing to end-to-end intelligent analysis. Full article

To address carbon emission challenges in the transportation sector, intermodal transport—which enhances both economic and environmental benefits—is becoming ever more crucial. Governments often implement policies like subsidies or carbon taxes to steer intermodal transport towards sustainable development. This paper constructs a Stackelberg game model involving an eco-conscious shipper, an intermodal transport operator, and a carrier to analyze the combined economic and environmental impacts of carbon taxes, subsidies, and their dual-policy implementation on the intermodal transport system. The results of the study were as follows: (1) While either carbon taxes or subsidies alone enhance emission reduction and freight volume, their dual implementation generates synergistic effects, achieving superior emission reduction and freight growth; the study also challenges conventional wisdom by demonstrating that “reducing subsidies for intermodal transport may promote carbon reduction in transportation, while increasing taxes does not necessarily disadvantage logistics companies.” (2) Governments can achieve a win–win outcome for the economy and the environment by first prioritizing the increase of carbon taxes to effective levels, and guiding carriers to bear higher emissions reduction costs, before increasing subsidies. (3) Continuously enhancing shippers’ environmental awareness can effectively reduce total emissions. However, its impact on profits depends on the decision-making mode (decentralized vs. centralized) and the cost sharing among logistics companies. (4) There exists an optimal value for the intermodal operator’s share of emission reduction costs. Values that are too low can weaken the incentives for emission reduction, whereas values that are too high may harm profits. This research quantifies the complex interactions among policy combinations, consumer preferences, and enterprise cooperation modes. It offers valuable guidance for governments to design precise emission-reduction policies and helps upstream–downstream enterprises in intermodal transport systems optimize their operational strategies. Full article

The commercial propagation of strawberries is increasingly constrained by the incidence of both established and emerging soilborne pathogens, particularly under soil cultivation systems. Micropropagation represents an effective strategy to ensure the production of virus-free, true-to-type mother plants suitable for high-efficiency propagation. In this study, micropropagated mother plants of four short-day cultivars (‘Francesca’, ‘Silvia’, ‘Lauretta’, and ‘Dina’) and one ever-bearing advanced selection (‘AN12,13,58’) were cultivated under a controlled soilless system. Quantitative parameters including number of runners per plant, runner length, and number of tips per runner and per plant were assessed to evaluate propagation performance. Micropropagated mother plants exhibited a significantly higher stoloniferous potential compared to in vivo-derived mother plants (frigo plants type A), with the latter producing approximately 50% fewer propagules. Rooted tips of ‘Dina’ were further assessed under different fertigation regimes. The NPK 20–20–20 nutrient solution enhanced photosynthetic activity and shoot and root biomass (length, diameter, and volume via WinRHIZO analysis). These results confirm the suitability of micropropagated mother plants grown in soilless conditions for efficient, high-quality clonal propagation and support the integration of such systems into certified nursery production schemes. Full article

Inscribed trays, plates, mortars, and pestles made of beautiful green chert bearing formulaic administrative textual formulae were found during excavations at the Persepolis Treasury in the 1930s. These implements and the enigmatic formulae inscribed upon them present scholars with a complex and unique challenge whose correct interpretation holds important implications for the study of Achaemenid history, imperial administration, and relations between ancient Arachosia (roughly modern-day Afghanistan) and the centers of power, as well as—as I argue in this article—for the symbiosis between administration and cult in antiquity. They continue to be hotly debated ever since their inauspicious initial publication by Bowman in 1970, yet they have thus far remained obscure. By comparing these finds with material and textual data from across the Achaemenid empire and early Parthian sources, this article offers a new comprehensive study of these objects. My analysis suggests that these objects are to be considered as a more systematized and tightly controlled Arachosian form of “informal taxation”—namely, regulated gifts—which are comparable to similar imperial donations found in the Treasury at Persepolis. Specifically, they take part in an “economy of fealty” demonstrating loyalty to king and empire through the adherence to the era’s Mazdean ritual orthopraxy. Full article

Strawberries have a short shelf-life leading to food loss and waste when production unexpectedly exceeds demand. PGRs may have potential to delay production and reduce food loss and waste, but no PGRs are available for delaying strawberry production. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate re-purposing a stomatal blocking film antitranspirant polymer as a PGR to temporarily delay production. Poly-1-p-menthene or water was applied during early fruit ripening in two glasshouse experiments, one on a June-bearer cultivar and one on an everbearer cultivar. Ripe strawberries were harvested during the next 23 days, the cumulative yield was recorded, and the production curves were fitted using polynomial regression in groups. The statistical analysis showed that cubic polynomial regression curves could be fitted separately to each treatment. Application of the blocker delayed the production of both cultivars by 1–2 days during the period of rapid berry production. The delay diminished and cumulative yield returned to the water-treated value by 13 and 18 days after application in the June-bearer and everbearer cultivars, respectively. At 23 days after application, the blocker gave 8% greater cumulative yield in the June-bearer, but not in the everbearer. It was concluded that, if a greater delay could be achieved, there may be potential to use stomatal blockers as PGRs in some cultivars of strawberry to delay production and reduce food loss and waste when unanticipated lower demand occurs. Full article

Onion, belonging to the Allium genus, is an essential and versatile vegetable crop that plays a pivotal role in culinary traditions worldwide. Renowned for its distinctive flavor and nutritional value, onion is an indispensable ingredient in countless dishes. As the global demand for onion continues to surge, securing a stable supply of high-quality, high-yielding onion varieties becomes ever more pressing. The onion umbel bears numerous tiny flowers that are protandrous in nature. Hybrid breeding is limited in onion due to high inbreeding depression, tedious emasculation and lack of elite inbreds. In this quest for crop improvement, the phenomenon of male sterility stands out as a key tool in modern onion breeding. Male sterility, which is recognized as the incapacity to produce viable pollen grains, inhibition of anther dehiscence and production of non-functional male gametes, has been harnessed as a mechanism to control cross-pollination and escalating hybrid development. The successful utilization of stable male sterile lines in onion holds the promise of producing uniform, high-yielding and disease-resistant hybrids. In recent decades, scientific advances have illuminated the molecular intricacies underlying male sterility systems in onion. Much progress has been made in elucidating the regulation of male sterility systems in the post-genomics era. This review highlights the current status of molecular markers linked with male sterility and provides genetic and molecular insights into its regulation. Additionally, it discusses the role of male sterility as a transformative tool in onion breeding in the genomics era. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the load-bearing performance of upper incisors and evaluate the curing of the luting polymer composite at various depths within the canal. Methods: A total of one hundred maxillary central incisors (10 groups, n = 10/group) were subjected to various restorative techniques. Approach A used Gradia Core for post-core and crown; Approach B employed prefabricated fiber posts (4 mm or 8 mm) with Gradia for luting and core build-up; Approach C used short-fiber composite (everX Flow) for post-core build-up; and Approach D used fiber posts with everX Flow for luting and core build-up. Restorations underwent cyclic fatigue (40,000 cycles at 95 N) and quasi-static fracture testing. Surface hardness of luting polymer composites was also measured. Results: Data showed that restorations with additional fiber posts (Approaches B and D) had significantly higher load-bearing capacity (p < 0.05), while post material and length had no significant impact (p > 0.05). Short-fiber composite as luting and core material (Approach D) enhanced load-bearing performance compared to Gradia-based restorations (Approach B, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The use of short-fiber composite as both the post luting and core material in restoring compromised incisors, along with a conventional fiber post, demonstrated favorable results in terms of load-bearing capacity. Full article

There has been long-standing debate as to whether Kami Fumi-e (paper images to be trampled on) had actually been used in image trampling sessions as part of the 250-year persecution of Christianity enforced by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Sacred images of Christianity officially recorded to have been trampled on are housed in the permanent collection of the Tokyo National Museum and are almost uniquely made of metal alloy. The controversy regarding paper images, apart from the medium being considered unsuitable for such extreme use, was fueled by the appearance of a significant number of them in museum collections and institutions worldwide in the 20th century. Most of the prints bear dates from different eras of the Edo period, sometimes hundreds of years apart; therefore, long-standing arguments regarding their authenticity marked the last century. In order to distinguish later copies from potentially original pieces, if ever existed, XRF, Raman, and FTIR analytical techniques were used to study the materials characterizing them. In addition, detailed observation of the main visual features (overall design composition, inscriptions, paper support, etc.) was carried out to highlight potential discrepancies that could pair with scientific evidence and lead to a definitive conclusion. Full article

Most of the Periadriatic Fault System has been active during the Oligocene and Miocene times. Its western part seems to be almost inactive ever since, while the eastern segments show limited seismic activity. We conducted a systematic archaeoseismological survey along the Periadriatic-Sava fault system, assessing buildings and archaeological sites for earthquake damage. Eleven sites, four Roman and seven Medieval, bear evidence of destructive earthquakes which occurred during the past 2000 years. These are (from east to west): Roman Siscia (Sisak) near the Sava fault in Croatia, Roman Celeia (Celje) at the Savinja/Sava faults in Slovenia, Magdalensberg (Roman) just north of the Karavanka fault, Medieval Villach, the Dobratsch landslide and Medieval Arnoldstein at the junction of Mölltal and Gailtal faults, Medieval Millstatt, Sachsenburg. and Roman Teurnia on the Mölltal Fault, Medieval Lienz (all in Austria) and San Candido on the Pustertal fault, as well as Medieval Merano and Tirol (in Italy) adjacent to the North Giudicarie fault zone. Damaged upright walls of Medieval buildings and deformed floors of Roman settlements testify to local intensity up to IX. Ongoing studies of archaeological stratigraphy and construction history allow the dating of one or more seismic events at each site, ranging from the 1st century AD to the 17th century. It is remarkable that the sites, 20 to 70 km apart, along a <400 km long segment of the Periadriatic Fault system, carry evidence for so many high-intensity destructive events, suggesting that the region is tectonically active. Full article

With the depletion of shallow oil and gas resources, wells are being drilled to deeper and deeper depths to find new hydrocarbon reserves. This study presents the selection and optimization process of the cement slurries to be used for the deepest well ever drilled in China, with a planned vertical depth of 11,100 m. The bottomhole circulating and static temperatures of the well were estimated to be 210 °C and 220 °C, respectively, while the bottomhole pressure was estimated to be 130 MPa. Laboratory tests simulating the bottomhole conditions were conducted to evaluate and compare the slurry formulations supplied by four different service providers. Test results indicated that the inappropriate use of a stirred fluid loss testing apparatus could lead to overdesign of the fluid loss properties of the cement slurry, which could, in turn, lead to abnormal gelation of the cement slurry during thickening time tests. The initial formulation given by different service providers could meet most of the design requirements, except for the long-term strength stability. The combined addition of crystalline silica and a reactive aluminum-bearing compound to oil well cement is critical for preventing microstructure coarsening and strength retrogression at 220 °C. Two of the finally optimized cement slurry formulations had thickening times more than 4 h, API fluid loss values less than 50 mL, sedimentation stability better than 0.02 g/cm³, and compressive strengths higher than 30 MPa during the curing period from 1 d to 30 d. Full article

The topic of public health is indispensable to talk about. It is essential to discuss new inventions, new and improved treatments, and their efficiencies with different combinations, but one thing that is important to remember is whether these inventions are available for those in need. Availability concerns are linked with affordability, as the affordability of a drug determines its consumption; furthermore, affordability can lead to overconsumption. The Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement provides flexibility to control the misuse of patent monopolies. The object of this research is twofold: one is to investigate whether and how Pakistan incorporates TRIPS flexibilities in its national patent legislation, and the second is to find out the reason for unaffordable cancer treatment in Pakistan. This research highlights that the use of TRIPS flexibilities in Pakistan will help the state authorities to provide better health facilities to the public generally as well as particularly in cancer cases, as cancer treatment in Pakistan is unaffordable. The methodology applied for this research is primarily comparative and bears the qualitative aspect of the issue. This research concludes that Pakistan’s legal system fails to incorporate effective legal provisions related to TRIPS flexibilities, and it also highlights that the ever-greening of patents results in the high prices of cancer medicines in Pakistan. This research further recommended that there is a dire need to incorporate and use TRIPS flexibilities in the country to control the high prices of cancer treatment and cancer mortality rate in the country. Full article