Search Results (7,988)

Although many long-distance migratory birds choose stable wintering sites and staging posts, irruptive migrants may exhibit considerable interannual variability in their migratory patterns, often depending on food availability. The Franklin’s gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) is a common long-distance migrant along Chile’s coast during the austral summer. Using census data from three estuaries in central Chile (2006–2023), we analyzed variation in summer populations in relation to chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration along the migration route, used as a proxy for food availability. The best model predicting the number of gulls reaching Chile included a negative effect of chl-a concentration on the Peruvian coast (0–10° S) during winter (June–July). Considering the time lag associated with the transformation of phytoplankton into seagull food, this result suggests that primary productivity along the route may influence how far south these birds migrate in search of food. We also found a negative correlation between the summer abundance of Franklin’s gulls in Chile and an eBird index for the species in Peru during the same period, suggesting redistribution of individuals between the two countries in response to resource availability. Models such as ours provide a useful tool for understanding and managing populations of migratory waterbirds. Full article

Ensuring food security requires innovative, sustainable pest management solutions. The Solar Insecticidal Lamp Internet of Things (SIL-IoT) represents such an advancement, yet its reliability in harsh, variable outdoor environments is compromised by frequent component and sensor faults, threatening effective pest control and data integrity. This paper presents a comprehensive survey on fault detection (FD) for SIL-IoT systems, systematically analyzing their unique challenges, including electromagnetic interference, resource constraints, data scarcity, and network instability. To address these challenges, we investigate countermeasures, including blind source separation for signal decomposition under interference, lightweight model techniques for edge deployment, and transfer/self-supervised learning for low-cost fault modeling across diverse agricultural scenarios. A dedicated case study, utilizing sensor fault data of SIL-IoT, demonstrates the efficacy of these approaches: an empirical mode decomposition-enhanced model achieved 97.89% accuracy, while a depthwise separable-based convolutional neural network variant reduced computational cost by 88.7% with comparable performance. This survey not only synthesizes the state of the art but also provides a structured framework and actionable insights for developing robust, efficient, and scalable FD solutions, thereby enhancing the operational reliability and sustainability of SIL-IoT systems. Full article

Olive pomace (OP), a by-product of olive oil production, is a sustainable resource rich in bioactive compounds with potential applications in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This study investigates the protective effects of olive pomace juice (OPJ) against H₂O₂-induced neuronal damage and LPS-induced inflammatory responses in HT22 and BV2 cells, respectively. OPJ suppressed H₂O₂-induced cell death and exerted anti-apoptotic effects by reducing the BAX/BCL2 ratio and caspase-3 cleavage. OPJ also mitigated neurodegenerative hallmarks by decreasing amyloid fibrils formation and inhibiting β-secretase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Mechanistically, OPJ enhanced antioxidant response by upregulating Nrf2 and its downstream molecule HO-1, along with increasing mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes, including catalase, SOD1, and GPx. OPJ further activated AMPKα–SIRT1–PGC1α signaling and CREB–BDNF–TrkB signaling, suggesting modulation of key antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and neurotrophic pathways. In BV2 cells, OPJ downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-1β) and decreased iNOS and COX-2 expression through suppression of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. HPLC analysis identified hydroxytyrosol (10.92%) as the major active compound in OPJ, which compared with tyrosol (2.18%), and hydroxytyrosol exhibited greater neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects than tyrosol. This study highlights the potential of OPJ and its major compound, hydroxytyrosol, as functional agents for mitigating neurodegeneration-related cellular response, supporting its application in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Full article

As an emerging threat to global food security, wheat blast necessitates the development of a rapid and field-deployable detection system to facilitate early diagnosis, enable effective management, and prevent its further spread to new regions. In this study, we aimed to validate and improve a Recombinase Polymerase Amplification coupled with PCRD lateral flow detection (RPA-PCRD strip assay) kit for the rapid and specific identification of Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum (MoT) in field samples. The assay demonstrated exceptional sensitivity, detecting as low as 10 pg/µL of target DNA, and exhibited no cross-reactivity with M. oryzae Oryzae (MoO) isolates and other major fungal phytopathogens under the genera of Fusarium, Bipolaris, Colletotrichum, and Botrydiplodia. The method successfully detected MoT in wheat leaves as early as 4 days post-infection (DPI), and in infected spikes, seeds, and alternate hosts. Furthermore, by combining a simplified polyethylene glycol-NaOH method for extracting DNA from plant samples, the entire RPA-PCRD strip assay enabled the detection of MoT within 30 min with no specialized equipment and high technical skills at ambient temperature (37–39 °C). When applied to field samples, it successfully detected MoT in naturally infected diseased wheat plants from seven different fields in a wheat blast hotspot district, Meherpur, Bangladesh. Training 52 diverse stakeholders validated the kit’s field readiness, with 88% of trainees endorsing its user-friendly design. This method offers a practical, low-cost, and portable point-of-care diagnostic tool suitable for on-site genomic surveillance, integrated management, seed health testing, and quarantine screening of wheat blast in resource-limited settings. Furthermore, the RPA-PCRD platform serves as an early warning modular diagnostic template that can be readily adapted to detect a wide array of phytopathogens by integrating target-specific genomic primers. Full article

Gut microbial metabolites play a crucial role in modulating cognitive function. In a previous animal study, oral administration of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum MWFLp-182 (L. plantarum MWFLp-182) significantly increased inosine levels in both the serum and feces of D-galactose (D-gal)-induced mice, which was accompanied by improved cognitive performance. Building on this finding, we further investigated the neuroprotective mechanisms of inosine derived from L. plantarum MWFLp-182 in alleviating D-gal-induced neuronal damage in HT-22 cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to analyze the addition of inosine (250 μg/mL, 500 μg/mL), which considerably reduces oxidative stress induced by D-gal (20 mg/mL), on the regulation of mRNA expression of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2)/hemeoxygenase 1 (HO-1) signaling pathway factors. Compared to the D-gal group, the inosine-treated group exhibited a 4.3-fold and 8.7-fold increase in HO-1 and Nrf2 levels, respectively. Furthermore, inosine alleviates neuroinflammation by modulating the mRNA expression of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Compared to the D-gal group, the inosine-treated group showed reductions of 41.75%, 28.29%, and 32.17% in TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB levels, respectively. Moreover, immunofluorescence staining revealed that inosine exhibits anti-apoptotic properties by enhancing the levels of neurotrophic factors, including nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), while simultaneously lowering the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein bcl-2-associated X (Bax). These findings suggest that inosine, a differentially expressed metabolite identified in a probiotic-intervention mouse model, alleviates D-gal-induced neuronal damage in HT-22 cells by modulating oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic pathways, providing mechanistic insights into the neuroprotective effects of this metabolite. Full article

Vagococcus species have been isolated from diverse environments, including aquatic, terrestrial, food-associated, and clinical sources; however, plant- and flower-associated representatives remain poorly characterized at the genomic level. In this study, we report the complete genomic sequence and analysis of Vagococcus sp. JNUCC 83, isolated from flowers of Camellia japonica collected on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. The genome comprises a single circular chromosome of 2,472,896 bp with a GC content of 33.5 mol% and was assembled at high depth (555.43×), resulting in a high-quality complete genome. Genome-based phylogenomic analysis using the Type (Strain) Genome Server (TYGS) showed that strain JNUCC 83 forms a distinct lineage within the genus Vagococcus. Digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values were far below the 70% species threshold, and 16S rRNA gene-based phylogeny consistently supported its independent placement, suggesting that JNUCC 83 represents a previously undescribed genomic species. Functional annotation based on EggNOG/COG analysis indicated the enrichment of genes involved in core metabolism and genome maintenance, while antiSMASH analysis identified a terpene-precursor-type biosynthetic locus encoding a polyprenyl synthase. Overall, this study expands the genomic understanding of flower-associated Vagococcus lineages and provides a foundation for future investigations into their ecological roles and potential applications as plant-derived microbial resources. Full article

Against the backdrop of rapid modernization and tightening agricultural resource constraints, coordinating urbanization and grain production is a key challenge for China. Using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2004 to 2023, this study applies the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model and a panel vector autoregression model to examine the spatiotemporal coupling characteristics and interaction mechanisms among new-type urbanization (NTU), cultivated land use efficiency (CLUE), and food security (FS). The results show that these three systems have gradually evolved toward coordinated development, with major grain-producing regions consistently leading and entering a moderate coordination stage earlier than other regions. Spatially, CCD exhibits significant positive spatial autocorrelation, characterized by stable “High–High” agglomeration in Northeast China and “Low–Low” agglomeration in southern provinces. Dynamic analysis indicates that system fluctuations are mainly driven by internal inertia, while inter-system interactions are also significant; NTU promotes CLUE, and CLUE and FS exhibit bidirectional causality with complex feedback effects. This study argues for promoting urban–rural factor mobility, advancing green and technology-enabled land use, implementing region-specific development strategies, and establishing a “human–land–grain” early-warning mechanism to safeguard food security during urban expansion. Full article

Growing pressure on water resources and mineral fertilizer use calls for innovative and resource-efficient agri-food systems. Aquaponics, integrating aquaculture and hydroponics, represents a promising approach for sustainable greenhouse production. This study, aiming to explore alternative water and nutrient sources for greenhouse tomato production without compromising plant adaptability or yield, evaluated the co-cultivation of grape tomato and rainbow trout in a vertical decoupled aquaponic system under controlled greenhouse conditions. Two aquaponic nutrient strategies were tested: unmodified aquaponic water (AP) and complemented aquaponic water (CAP), with conventional hydroponics (HP) as a control, in a Deep Water Culture hydroponic system. Plant performance was assessed through marketable yield and physiological parameters, while system performance was evaluated using combined-biomass Energy Use Efficiency (EUE), Freshwater Use Efficiency (fWUE) and Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), accounting for both plant and fish production. CAP significantly improved tomato yield (9.86 kg m⁻²) compared to AP (2.40 kg m⁻²), although it remained lower than HP (12.14 kg m⁻²). Fresh WUE was comparable between CAP and HP (9.22 vs. 9.24 g L⁻¹), demonstrating effective water reuse. In contrast, EUE and NUE were lower in CAP, reflecting the additional energy demand of the recirculating aquaculture system and nutrient limitations of fish wastewater. These results highlight aquaponics as a water-efficient production system while emphasizing that optimized nutrient management and energy strategies are critical for improving its overall sustainability and performance. Full article

In recent years, the unsustainable consumption of fossil resources has been causing major ecological concerns, especially for the production of polymeric materials. 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is one of the most appealing biobased chemical building blocks, because of its potential to replace the industrially widespread petrochemical, terephthalic acid. Camphoric acid (CA) is also an interesting biobased chemical derived from camphor, one of the most widespread fragrances. This work had the objective of combining CA, FDCA and biobased 1,6-hexanediol to synthesize random copolymers for sustainable food packaging applications by means of a solvent-free polycondensation process, obtaining poly(hexamethylene furanoate-co-camphorate)s (PHFC). The optimization of the synthesis made it possible to obtain high molecular weight polyesters with a percentage of camphoric acid up to 17 mol%, which could be compression-molded into films. They were subjected to molecular, structural, thermal and functional characterization via NMR, GPC, WAXS, DSC, and TGA analyses, as well as mechanical and gas permeability tests. Compared to the homopolymer of reference, it was possible to obtain higher flexibility, 430% higher elongation at break, and 223% higher toughness, with comparable, excellent gas permeability properties. Calorimetric evidence suggested that camphoric acid might have enhanced the formation of a partially ordered mesomorph phase in the copolymers under study. Full article

The agri-food sector is among the most environmentally impactful industries globally, making its shift toward sustainability a pressing priority. In response, governments—including the EU—are promoting circular economy (CE) principles across all sectors, with CE implementation serving as a key measure of policy effectiveness. The olive oil sector, while economically and culturally vital, poses significant environmental risks due to intensive resource use and problematic waste disposal. Considering resource scarcity and climate change, CE adoption—grounded in industrial ecology—is increasingly relevant. This study investigates the implementation of CE practices in Greek olive oil mills (OOMs) by evaluating the degree of circularity through tailored indicators and conducting a techno-economic analysis (TEA) of selected practices. Together, these methods offer a robust, quantitative assessment of the environmental and financial sustainability of CE initiatives within the olive oil industry. Full article

Precise prediction of wheat yield plays a crucial role in food security and resource management in Pakistan. The current research suggests an artificial intelligence-driven framework based on 23 years of agro-meteorological and yield data that predicts wheat production. Several machine learning models were compared, and a two-layer LSTM model performed better because it was able to capture temporal dependencies. The model managed to achieve high accuracy (R² = 0.979) and low prediction errors, confirming the applicability of deep learning in agricultural forecasting in climate-sensitive regions and its applicability to other staple crops. Full article

Agrivoltaics—the co-location of photovoltaic energy production with agriculture—offers a promising pathway to address growing pressures on land, food, and clean energy resources. This study evaluates the first agrivoltaic pilot installation in Jordan, located in Amman (935 m above sea level; hot-summer Mediterranean climate), during its first operational year. Two 11.1 kWp bifacial photovoltaic (PV) systems were compared: (i) a south-facing array tilted at 10°, and (ii) a vertical east–west “fence” configuration. The tilted system achieved an annual specific yield of 1962 kWh/kWp, approximately 35% higher than the 1288 kWh/kWp obtained from the vertical array. Seasonal variation was observed, with the performance gap widening to ~45% during winter and narrowing to ~22% in June. As expected, the vertical system exhibited more uniform diurnal output, enhanced early-morning and late-afternoon generation, and lower soiling losses. The light profiles measured for the year indicate that vertical systems barely impede the light requirements of crops, while the tilted system splits into distinct profiles for the intra-row area (akin to the vertical system) and sub-panel area, which is likely to support only low-light requirement crops. This configuration increases the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) by roughly 88% compared to a conventional ground-mounted system due to elevated structural costs. In contrast, the vertical east–west system provides an energy yield equivalent to about 33% of the land area at the tested configuration but achieves this without increasing the LCOE. These results highlight a fundamental trade-off: elevated tilted systems offer greater land-use efficiency but at higher cost, whereas vertical systems preserve cost parity at the expense of lower energy density. Full article

Cadmium (Cd) pollution poses significant threats to ecosystems and human health, with agricultural soils in China particularly affected. Ilex verticillata, a popular ornamental plant, has not been extensively studied for its response to Cd stress. This study investigated the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying Cd stress tolerance in I. verticillata, focusing on auxin signaling pathways. Under Cd stress (500 mmol/kg soil), I. verticillata exhibited inhibited stem growth, reduced photosynthetic capacity, and elevated oxidative stress markers such as malondialdehyde, H₂O₂, ·O₂⁻, and antioxidant enzyme activities. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 3750 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with significant enrichment in auxin signaling pathways. Six nucleus-localized IvIAA genes were identified and shown to interact with the transcription factor IvMYB77, suggesting a regulatory module in Cd stress responses. These findings highlight the role of auxin signaling in mediating Cd stress tolerance and provide insights into the molecular adaptation of I. verticillata to heavy metal pollution. Full article

Background:The genus Artocarpus includes about 70 species, such as the economically important jackfruit and breadfruit, which serve as vital sources of food, timber, and medicine in the tropics. However, systematic research and genetic improvement have been restricted by the scarcity and fragmentation of available genomic data. Methods: Here, we developed the Artocarpus Genome Database (ArGD), a publicly accessible, comprehensive research platform dedicated to this genus. ArGD centrally integrates high-quality genomic sequences from seven Artocarpus genomes, along with related transcriptomic data and detailed functional annotations. Results: Beyond basic data retrieval, ArGD features a suite of advanced visualization and analysis modules, including BLAST, JBrowse, expression heatmaps, volcano plots, synteny viewers, ArtocarpusCYC metabolic interface, and Gene Ontology (GO)/KEGG enrichment analyses. Additionally, ArGD provides online identification tools for gene families related to fruit aroma and secondary metabolism. Conclusions: Overall, ArGD serves as a valuable resource for functional genomics and comparative studies in Artocarpus, facilitating future research and data-driven studies of genetic improvement. Full article

Rapid urbanization in China has driven annual food waste production to 130 million tons, posing severe environmental challenges for anaerobic digestate management. To resolve trade-offs among drying efficiency, resource recovery (fertilizer/fuel), and carbon neutrality by optimizing the biodried product (BDP) recycling ratio (0–15%), six BDP treatments were tested in 60 L bioreactors. Metrics included drying kinetics, product properties, and environmental–economic trade-offs. The results showed that 12% BDP achieved a peak temperature integral (514.13 °C·d), an optimal biodrying index (3.67), and shortened the cycle to 12 days. Furthermore, 12% BDP yielded total nutrients (N + P₂O₅ + K₂O) of 4.19%, meeting the NY 525-2021 standard in China, while ≤3% BDP maximized fuel suitability with LHV > 5000 kJ·kg⁻¹, compliant with CEN/TC 343 RDF standards. BDP recycling reduced global warming potential by 27.3% and eliminated leachate generation, mitigating groundwater contamination risks. The RDF pathway (12% BDP) achieved the highest NPV (USD 716,725), whereas organic fertilizer required farmland subsidies (28.57/ton) to offset its low market value. A 12% BDP recycling ratio optimally balances technical feasibility, environmental safety, and economic returns, offering a closed-loop solution for global food waste valorization. Full article