Search Results (311)

In this study, we used the SERS method for the first time to measure the spectra of four polysaccharide markers of fungal infections: linear β-(1→3)- and β-(1→6)-linked D-glucans, branched mannan of Candida albicans and galactomannan of Aspergillus fumigatus. Aqueous solutions of the polysaccharides were studied in concentrations from 10 pg/mL to 100 μg/mL. The spectra were analyzed using machine learning methods: principal component analysis for data visualization and partial least squares with a ridge regularizer, which were used to construct metrics reflecting the accuracy of substance recognition relative to each other. The spectral changes with varying analyte concentration were observed and stable calibration has been achieved. Subsequent measurements of fungal polysaccharides in the presence of a physiological concentration of human serum albumin (45 mg/mL), used to model blood serum, enabled accurate analyte detection in a clinically relevant concentration range of 10 pg/mL to 100 ng/mL. In this case, the calibration dependence was calculated using the partial least squares method with the L1-regularizer. Blind testing was evaluated using a train-derived applicability-domain criterion based on the disagreement between the model prediction and an independent concentration estimate. Full article

Urban London plane (Platanus × acerifolia) street trees require efficient and interpretable methods for identifying individuals that warrant closer inspection within large roadside inventories. This study developed a two-layer screening framework for 2022 London plane trees along six urban roads in Nanjing, China. First, wind-tunnel tests of five standardized crown geometries were used to derive geometry-specific drag-moment coefficients and calculate aerodynamic crown-loading potential (ACLP), a relative indicator of crown-related aerodynamic demand. ACLP was calculated only for trees within the tested crown height-to-width range. Second, measurements from 19 windthrown London plane trees after Typhoon Bebinca were used to derive a local lower-quartile root-plate reference and calculate a root-plate reference aperture ratio (RPAR) from recorded tree-pit width. Of the 2022 inventoried trees, 1273 (63.0%) fell within the tested crown-geometry range, and 128 were identified as high-ACLP candidates using a 90th-percentile screening threshold. These candidates were strongly concentrated on two roads, and the principal road-level pattern remained stable across alternative percentile thresholds. The post-storm analysis provided a separate local reference for identifying tree-pit apertures that were comparatively small relative to observed root-plate dimensions. ACLP and RPAR should therefore be interpreted as distinct first-stage screening indicators rather than as predictors of windthrow probability or anchorage capacity. The framework provides a transparent basis for prioritizing follow-up field inspection and allocating limited urban tree-management resources. Full article

Solid gravity energy storage (SGES) has emerged as a promising long-duration energy storage option, but systematic safety comparisons among its principal technology pathways remain limited. This study develops a unified expert-based framework for the comparative safety screening of vertical tower-based SGES (VT-SGES), vertical shaft-based SGES (VS-SGES), inclined cable-driven SGES (IC-SGES), and inclined rail-based SGES (IR-SGES). The principal methodological contribution is an integrated evaluation architecture that combines a three-dimensional, nine-indicator safety hierarchy, group AHP weighting, criterion-specific anchored scoring, non-compensatory critical-indicator screening, and multi-method robustness analysis. Ten experts completed three consultation rounds, and the valid pairwise judgments were aggregated using the geometric mean. Structural safety received the highest criterion weight (0.5788), while structural load response and critical-component reliability (0.3127), long-term service stability (0.1718), and start-up and braking safety (0.1528) were the three most influential indicators. The aggregate pathway scores (mean ± SD) were 4.4203 ± 0.1440 for IR-SGES, 3.9688 ± 0.1212 for IC-SGES, 3.1463 ± 0.1689 for VS-SGES, and 3.0690 ± 0.1320 for VT-SGES, yielding the ranking IR-SGES > IC-SGES > VS-SGES > VT-SGES. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance was 0.916 (p < 0.001), and the critical-indicator screen identified C5 and C9 as priority mitigation items for VT-SGES. Criterion-weight scenarios, 100,000-run weight–score perturbations, leave-one-expert-out analysis, rank-reversal calculation, and a TOPSIS cross-check supported the stability of the first two positions and identified the condition-dependent ordering of VS-SGES and VT-SGES. By coupling compensatory aggregation with critical-indicator screening and robustness testing, the framework provides a transparent and reproducible basis for comparative safety screening and technology-pathway selection in SGES. Full article

Electromagnetic force is an important excitation source of stator-core vibration in hydro-generators. The methodological novelty of this study lies in an order-specific spectral-attribution framework for electromagnetically induced stator vibration. Unlike conventional electromagnetic–structural analyses that focus mainly on response-amplitude prediction or resonance screening, the proposed framework links electromagnetic-field distribution, Maxwell stress-based force harmonics, experimentally validated modal frequencies, swept-frequency harmonic response, and normalized modal detuning to distinguish force-dominated components from components influenced or amplified by nearby structural modes. A full-scale three-dimensional electromagnetic model of an actual hydro-generator was established to calculate the electromagnetic surface force acting on the stator-core tooth surfaces. The electromagnetic-force spectrum was obtained using fast Fourier transform. The steady-periodic surface-force data were converted into complex harmonic load vectors through Maxwell–Mechanical coupling and mapped onto the structural model as distributed surface loads, while hammer-impact modal tests were used to validate the structural dynamic model. With an electrical fundamental frequency of 50 Hz, the force spectrum contained components from approximately 49.9 to 499.2 Hz, corresponding to the first ten electrical-frequency orders. The principal vibration responses occurred near 9.98, 99.78, 199.56–201.55, 299.33, and 399.11–399.16 Hz. The minimum modal detunings of the 4th-, 6th-, and 8th-order electrical-frequency components were 4.02–4.97%, 1.81%, and 2.41–2.42%, respectively. Accordingly, the 4th-order component was identified as a dominant electromagnetic forced response with possible influence from the 210 Hz mode, the 6th-order component exhibited modal amplification associated with the 294 Hz mode, and the 8th-order component was influenced by the nearby 409 Hz mode. Although the 9th- and 10th-order force components were present, their vibration responses remained weak. These results demonstrate that the vibration spectrum is shaped jointly by electromagnetic excitation and structural frequency-response effects, providing a quantitative basis for electromagnetic-source reduction, structural detuning, and damping enhancement. Full article

Introduction: The Kumamoto sub-breed of Japanese Brown cattle is a small population facing increasing inbreeding and declining effective population size driven by the intensive use of a limited number of elite sires. Methods: We analyzed 811 Japanese Brown cows genotyped using a 30K SNP array, retaining 19,745 SNPs after quality control. We calculated and compared ten genomic inbreeding estimators, including SNP-by-SNP and segment-based measures. Population structure was first assessed by rearing region using principal component analysis (PCA) and was then evaluated using ADMIXTURE-based clustering and distance-based hierarchical clustering, from which representative subsets were retained under predefined filtering criteria and further examined using PCA and neighbor-joining (NJ) tree analyses. Finally, we calculated the contribution of each ADMIXTURE group to total gene and allelic diversity, and integrated these two measures into a final conservation index after Z-score standardization. Results: ROH- and HBD-based estimators showed high concordance, whereas allele-frequency-dependent SNP-by-SNP estimators exhibited distinct distributions. Rearing region did not explain the main genetic structure. Instead, four representative ADMIXTURE-based groups, supported by independently identified family groups, captured the major genetic structure associated with paternal backgrounds. ADMIXTURE group 2 made the largest contribution to both gene and allelic diversity, and showed lowest genomic inbreeding. Conclusions: These findings suggest that ROH- and HBD-based estimators may serve as valuable indicators of genomic inbreeding in the Kumamoto sub-breed of Japanese Brown cattle; paternal background has played an important role in shaping the current genomic structure; and ADMIXTURE group 2, mainly associated with the Haru-yama-to/-sakae sire background, may provide a valuable breeding resource for limiting future inbreeding accumulation and maintaining genetic diversity. Full article

In this study, to address the overlying strata control issue for the isolated working face of a super-thick coal seam confined by surrounding goafs and open-pit boundaries, we focus on mining via upward slicing strip paste filling in a Ningxia coal mine. We adopt strip coal pillar stability theory for safety factor analysis and conduct FLAC3D three-dimensional numerical simulations to quantitatively reveal overlying strata displacement, stress redistribution, plastic zone evolution, and surface subsidence response. Our theoretical calculations show that, when the mining width is 5 m, the safety factors of retained coal pillars with widths of 5, 10, and 15 m are <1, 1.3, and 1.8, respectively. Our numerical results indicate that the overlying strata of the first slice are dominated by continuous bending subsidence, with a maximum vertical displacement of 21.4 cm, increasing to 55.5 cm after four slices without through damage. High stress is mainly controlled by mined-out area boundaries and inter-face coal pillars, with the maximum principal stress of the fourth slice reaching 18.9 MPa. The surface subsidence center stably corresponds to the underlying backfill goaf, with a maximum value of 11.4 cm. Our research demonstrates that slicing strip filling can suppress deformation and stress concentration risks by reconstructing load transfer and realizing synergistic bearing, as reflected by the limited surface subsidence of 11.4 cm, the controlled maximum principal stress of 18.9 MPa, and the improved coal pillar safety factor from <1 to 1.3–1.8 under wider retained pillars, providing a basis for optimizing strip pillar width and mining–filling parameters. Full article

Verticality inspection of square tower structures is of great significance for ensuring structural operational safety, extending service life, and optimizing maintenance strategies. However, conventional verticality inspection methods still exhibit deficiencies in point cloud noise suppression, removal of internal redundant points, and stable geometric feature extraction, which often lead to fluctuations in axis fitting results and fail to meet the requirements of non-contact, high-precision, and holistic perception-based verticality inspection for square tower structures. To address the above issues, this paper proposes a Dual-Cuboid Constraint Method with Marching Cubes-Based Contour Extraction for Verticality Inspection of Square Tower Structures. First, raw point cloud data of the surface of square tower structures were acquired through terrestrial LiDAR multi-station scanning. After preprocessing, including point cloud registration, coordinate system unification, redundancy removal, and denoising, high-precision effective point cloud data were obtained in a unified station-centered spatial coordinate system. Subsequently, the initial body center point coordinates and principal axis directions of the standard segment point clouds were determined using the principal axis projection method. Based on these results, a dual-cuboid constraint frame was constructed, and the shell point clouds of the standard segments were extracted through outer-frame enclosure and inner-frame exclusion. The principal axis projection method was then applied again to calculate the body center point coordinates of the shell point cloud for each standard segment. The central axis of the body center point set was subsequently fitted using the least squares method to determine the unit direction vector of the structural central axis. Finally, within the station-centered spatial coordinate system, vector operations were performed between the unit direction vector and the $x$-axis and $z$-axis, respectively, to calculate the tilt attitude parameters of the square tower structure, including the azimuth angle of inclination, the inclination angle, and the verticality. The detection results obtained from different schemes were then comparatively evaluated using the relative error metric. Field validation was conducted on a tower crane at a construction site in Beijing. Four dual-cuboid constraint frame schemes with dimensional errors of 20 mm, 40 mm, 60 mm, and 80 mm were designed. Furthermore, based on the experimental process of the method presented in this paper, an unconstrained solution was established as a comparison experiment, and it was compared with the two reference experiments based on the Marching Square algorithm and the RANSAC algorithm. The results indicated that the tower-body verticality values obtained using the four dual-cuboid constraint frame schemes with different dimensional errors were 3.48‰, 3.63‰, 3.60‰, and 3.82‰, respectively, with a mean value of 3.63‰ and a range of only 0.34‰. The verticality results obtained from the four constrained schemes were generally consistent and showed good agreement with those obtained from 3.03‰ and 3.14‰, and reasonable proximity to the result obtained from 2.82‰, respectively. The results further suggest that the proposed dual-cuboid constraint frame contributes to improving the stability of point cloud feature extraction and central axis fitting, and yields generally consistent detection results across different dimensional error parameters, indicating that the method exhibits robustness to variations in the constraint-frame dimensions within the tested parameter ranges. Full article

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to quantify the dentoalveolar effects of three different orthodontic fixed functional appliances used to correct Class II Division 1 malocclusion using the finite element method. Methods: Three-dimensional models of the mandible, maxilla, and skull were generated from cone–beam computed tomography scans of a patient with Class II malocclusion. The PowerScope2, Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device (FFRD), and Herbst appliances were scanned, digitally reconstructed and positioned on simulated dental arches. Appliance forces were applied to the meshed models to create three different loading conditions. Von Mises and principal stresses in the dentoalveolar structures and instantaneous tooth displacements were calculated using the finite element method. Results: In all simulations, the maxillary teeth moved distally, whereas the mandibular teeth moved mesially, with the latter showing greater overall movement. The Herbst appliance produced the greatest maxillary distalization, while the PowerScope2 caused the greatest mandibular mesialization. Von Mises stress was mainly concentrated on the buccal surfaces, especially on the maxillary first molars, with appliance-specific increases in the premolars/canines and additional palatal stress in the Herbst simulation. Principal stress patterns were similar for the FFRD and PowerScope2, whereas the highest principal stress values were observed in the Herbst simulation. Conclusions: Within the specific boundary conditions of this patient-derived model, the Herbst simulation produced the highest stress values while inducing minimal initial mesial displacement in the mandible, theoretically indicating a potential for reduced mandibular dentoalveolar displacement. In addition, the Herbst appliance demonstrated a more pronounced initial distalizing effect on the maxillary dentition under these simulated conditions. However, due to the inherent reliance on specific static muscle force assumptions, these biomechanical trends should be interpreted with caution and require further dynamic and clinical validation before drawing definitive conclusions regarding clinical advantages. Full article

Tang dynasty beacon towers in Xinjiang’s circum-Tarim region constitute surviving architectural evidence of a frontier military communication system that supported regional governance and safeguarded the Silk Road. However, these beacon tower sites are generally small, severely weathered earthen structures whose military and heritage significance is difficult to interpret from individual remains alone. This study aims to reconstruct the military communication functions and spatial organization of Tang dynasty beacon tower architectural heritage in the circum-Tarim region. Specifically, this study seeks to quantify the recognizable distance of beacon-fire signals, identify visual connections among archaeological sites, and explain how visual signaling and road-based document transmission jointly maintained regional communication. First, key parameters were extracted from historical documents to calculate the maximum recognizable distance of beacon-fire signals. GIS intervisibility analysis was then conducted for 134 beacon towers and 54 associated city sites, and the results were integrated with military administrative jurisdictions, ancient transportation routes, city-site hierarchy, topography, and the “mapu” document-relay system. The analysis identified 262 effective intervisibility links among 139 sites. Among 101 adjacent site pairs without direct intervisibility, 62 routes may have maintained communication through road-based document transmission. The results indicate that the reconstructed system combined beacon-fire signaling with military document transmission and exhibited three principal spatial patterns: networked early warning in core oasis areas, linear transmission along the Silk Road, and point-based early warning near mountain passes. These arrangements linked the major military jurisdictions and directed information toward the Anxi Protectorate, the highest military and administrative center in the Western Regions. This study provides a viable GIS–historical approach for interpreting the functional and spatial organization of beacon tower architectural heritage, while offering a scientific basis for its integrated conservation and the interpretation of its military heritage values. Full article

Correlated color temperature (CCT) can substantially influence image-based color measurements, though its effects vary with the optical and physical properties of the meat surface being evaluated. This study investigated the effects of CCT on the image-based color properties of skinless chicken breast and skin-on drumstick samples. It evaluated the suitability of 6500 K as a reference condition. Seventeen skinless breast and seventeen skin-on drumstick samples were repeatedly photographed under 13 CCT conditions ranging from 2500 to 8500 K at 500 K intervals, producing 442 observations. Camera settings, imaging geometry, illuminance, and sample position were maintained constant. Image-derived L*, a*, and b* values were obtained using the Fiji freeware program, and chroma (C*), whiteness index (WI), yellowness index (YI), browning index (BI), and total color difference (ΔE*ab) relative to 6500 K were calculated. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models, and the common variation in L*, a*, and b* was summarized by principal component analysis. Sample type, CCT, and their interaction significantly affected all evaluated parameters (p < 0.001). Increasing CCT generally increased L* and WI, while a*, b*, C*, YI, and BI decreased markedly, indicating a transition toward a lighter and less chromatic image-derived appearance. The largest deviations from the 6500 K reference occurred at 2500 K, with ΔE*ab values of 42.86 and 43.57 for breast and drumstick samples, respectively. Even at 6000 K, only 500 K below the reference condition, ΔE*ab exceeded 4.0 in both breast and drumstick samples, indicating visually perceptible color differences. Visually relevant differences also persisted above 6500 K. The first principal component explained 86.89% of the total variance and described the coordinated increase in lightness and reduction in redness and yellowness with increasing CCT. These findings demonstrate that CCT is a major source of systematic variability in image-based poultry color analysis workflow; therefore, 6500 K should not be treated as a universal reference unless the complete illumination, camera, calibration, and image-processing protocol is standardized and validated for the specific poultry surface being examined. Full article

Dairy cattle are particularly susceptible to welfare challenges that can negatively impact their behaviour, physiological responses, milk yield, and overall health. These challenges include rough handling by unfamiliar people, extreme climatic conditions, inconsistent feeding, regrouping, and transportation. This pilot study investigated the interrelationships between behavioural and physiological responses and milk production of dairy cows reared in a smallholder stall housing system, restricting cow movement to standing and lying down in the Rajshahi district of Bangladesh. Fifty cows were observed, with all cows assessed over two days. Video recordings were made using a smartphone during the morning milking routine, focusing on specific behaviours: ear position (upright, forward, backward, downward), sniffing, stepping, and tail movement. Observations were conducted during the first two minutes after the start of the milking process manually. Physiological responses recorded included rectal temperature, vaginal temperature, and heart rate. Productivity outcomes include body condition score (BCS), milk yield per milking, daily milk yield, and milking frequency. Environmental data were collected to calculate the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI), which averaged 84.5 (±1.78 SD), exceeding the thermal comfort zone for dairy cattle (THI < 72). Statistical analyses comprised principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the most descriptive variables. Pearson correlation assesses the direction and strength of relationships between variables, and simple linear regression to evaluate milk production variables using all other variables as predictors. Results showed that cows displaying an upright ear position during milking had a positive relation with average daily milk yields (r = 0.456, p = 0.001). Milk yield was negatively correlated with THI (r = −0.331, p = 0.02), forward ear position (r = −0.356, p = 0.01), kicking (r = −0.531, p < 0.001), and sniffing behaviour during milking (r = −0.511, p < 0.001). The daily milk yields were positively correlated with body condition scores of milking cows (r = 0.661, p < 0.001). Rectal and vaginal temperatures were positively associated with each other (r = 0.777, p < 0.001). Similarly, rectal temperature and heart rate were positively associated with each other (r = 0.511, p < 0.001). Therefore, ear position, kicking, and sniffing behaviour during milking were used to assess emotional states, with forward ears associated with signs of stress. Healthy cows with higher body condition scores (BCS) produced more milk, requiring farmers to milk them more than twice a day. This pilot study highlights key behaviour and physiological responses relevant to stress and milk production, and thus overall welfare. For greater generalisability, future research should incorporate larger sample sizes and repeated environmental assessments over extended periods. Full article

Honey is a high-value food product that is vulnerable to adulteration with exogenous sugars, posing challenges for food authenticity and consumer protection. This study applied Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis (SIRA) to assess the authenticity of honey collected from three major honey-producing regions of Ghana (Volta, Bono and Bono East). A total of 28 honey samples were analysed by elemental analysis–isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS) to obtain carbon (δ¹³C), nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) and sulphur (δ³⁴S) isotope composition. Honey authenticity was evaluated according to AOAC Official Method 998.12 by comparing δ¹³C values of bulk honey and the corresponding protein fraction. The δ¹⁵N and δ³⁴S values in honey protein were used to investigate environmental and regional variability. Samples without detectable C4 adulteration exhibited δ¹³C_protein values consistent with C3 floral sources, whereas several samples showed Δδ¹³C values more negative than −1.0‰, indicating the presence of C4-derived sugars above the AOAC adulteration threshold. Calculated C4 sugar contents ranged from 8 to 12% in moderately adulterated samples to as high as 78–79% in severely adulterated samples, confirming substantial dilution with C4 sugars. Nitrogen and sulphur isotope ratios provide additional information on environmental and regional variability among the sampled regions. Principal Component Analysis revealed that the first two principal components (PC1 and PC2) accounted for 83.8% of the total variance 83.8% of the total variance and showed separation between samples with detectable C4 adulteration and those without, while highlighting regional isotopic differences. These results demonstrate that stable isotope analysis is an effective tool for detecting C4 sugar adulteration in honey and that the combined use of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopes can provide additional information on environmental and regional variability. These findings provide preliminary isotopic data on honey collected from three major honey-producing regions of Ghana and support the application of the stable isotope approach for honey authenticity assessment and quality control. Full article

This study develops two independent energy transition indices, the Global North energy transition index (GNETI) and the Global South energy transition index (GSETI), using principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate energy transition performance during the period 2013–2022. Each index was calculated independently using a balanced panel of 70 observations, corresponding to 7 countries observed over 10 years. The Global North sample includes Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States; while the Global South sample includes India, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia, and Ghana. For the Global North, PCA results show that $P{C}_1$ explains 59.68% of the total variance, while $P{C}_2$ and $P{C}_3$ describe 21.10% and 17.42% of the total variance, respectively. The first two components account for 80.78% of the total variance, while the first three components explain 98.20%, confirming the robustness of the index structure. The 2022 GNETI values indicate that Sweden has the highest performance (100.00), followed by Denmark (71.01), Canada (66.50), the United Kingdom (40.51), Germany (36.46), the United States (34.45), and Japan (11.86). The PCA results show that $P{C}_1$, $P{C}_2$, and $P{C}_3$ explain 58.76%, 21.99%, and 9.63%, respectively, of the total variance. The cumulative variance described confirms the adequacy of the PCA approach for constructing the GSETI. In 2022, the highest GSETI values were observed in Ghana (90.39), Colombia (85.06), Brazil (70.98), India (59.00), Indonesia (52.97), Mexico (47.72), and South Africa (18.70). The findings indicate significant regional differences in the pathways of energy transition, based on variability in technological capability, renewable energy uptake and resources, energy security levels, and the fundamental structure of state energy systems. Full article

This study proposes a multivariate analytical framework for transabdominally recorded intrauterine acoustic signals (TRIAS) and evaluates spectral changes across gestation. Using a digital stethoscope, 60 recordings were obtained from 44 pregnant women (≥14 weeks). Power spectral density (PSD) was calculated (30–2000 Hz) and analyzed using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least squares regression (PLSR). A consistent spectral peak was observed at 300–400 Hz. OLS revealed a significant decrease in PSD levels within 400–600 Hz (specifically 478.5 Hz and 521.5 Hz) during the second trimester (t ≈ −3.5), while changes were minimal in the third trimester. PCA identified maternal heart rate as the primary contributor to the first principal component, and PLSR showed that maternal cardiovascular dynamics and gestational progression were associated with distinct, largely independent components in the multivariate space. These results suggest that TRIAS may capture a composite maternal–fetal acoustic environment influenced by both maternal circulation and gestational uterine alterations. Specifically, the observed second-trimester spectral changes may reflect fluid dynamic or structural transitions—such as variations in amniotic fluid volume—and may serve as a baseline for future monitoring research. Full article

Combined Vertical–Horizontal Well Patterns (CVHWPs) have been increasingly applied in mature and complex reservoirs, such as the C5 Block. Their application is attractive because they provide extensive reservoir coverage and high development efficiency. However, close well spacing and the three-dimensional configuration of vertical and horizontal wells can induce strong stress-shadow interference. This interference makes fracture propagation difficult to control and may reduce stimulation effectiveness. To address this problem, a multi-well, multi-fracture induced-stress model for CVHWP stimulation was developed in this study. The model was validated using laboratory three-stage fracturing experiments, including two horizontal-well stages and one vertical-well stage, together with field observations. Across three stages, the calculated stress intensity factors at breakdown are closely matched, validating the induced-stress model. When the vertical well was fractured first, the horizontal principal-stress difference at the adjacent horizontal stage increased by 2.01 MPa, which was unfavorable for branched fracture development. In contrast, when the horizontal stage was fractured first, the stress difference decreased by 3.25 MPa at the subsequent horizontal stage and by 3.89 MPa at the vertical-well stage. This sequence is preferable because fractures generated from the vertical well impose a stronger stress perturbation on adjacent horizontal-well fractures than fractures generated from the horizontal well impose on the subsequent vertical-well fracture. Under the tested CVHWP conditions, the horizontal-well fractures tended to form nearly symmetric bi-wing planar fractures, whereas branched fractures were more likely to develop in the vertical well. Therefore, for CVHWP reservoirs with close vertical–horizontal well spacing and significant stress interference, fracturing the horizontal well before the vertical well is recommended to control fracture propagation and promote multiple-fracture formation. Field application of this sequence showed notable production improvement, indicating that the proposed method can provide practical guidance for unconventional well-pattern fracturing design. Full article