Search Results (151,594)

Traditional analyses of transport phenomena rely on prescribed geometric boundaries, yet natural flow systems dynamically evolve their architecture to maximize access to currents. To address this disparity, we propose a field-theoretic framework for the constructal law that treats physical geometry as a dynamic state variable, represented by a time-dependent conductivity tensor. Using a variational approach grounded in non-equilibrium thermodynamics, we derive a general tensor evolution equation. Within this framework, macroscopic flow architecture emerges deterministically from the continuous competition between non-linear flux-induced accretion, linear entropic relaxation, and spatial smoothing. Scaling analysis reduces this dynamic to a tri-parameter dimensionless phase space: a morphogenic number driving structural growth, a structural diffusion number governing spatial coherence, and a stochastic intensity number providing the microscopic seeds for symmetry breaking. Our principal result is the analytical prediction of a critical bifurcation. When the local morphogenic number strictly exceeds unity, the system escapes its stable, isotropic configuration and branches into highly conductive, anisotropic architectures. We demonstrate the predictive validity and trans-scalar applicability of this continuum theory by mapping it to highly diverse phase transitions, successfully capturing phenomena ranging from microscopic aerosol agglomeration and microbial resistance, to macroscopic coral plasticity and crystal growth instabilities, and finally to the astrophysical launching of relativistic jets from black holes. Full article

Cancer remains a major global health challenge, characterized by abnormal cell growth and metastasis. Current limitations of conventional therapies, particularly non-specific toxicity harming healthy cells, highlight the need for more targeted approaches. Nanotechnology offers a revolutionary solution, utilizing nanoparticles (NPs) for precise drug delivery to tumor sites while minimizing off-target effects. These nanometer-scale particles enable superior binding to cancer cell membranes, the tumor microenvironment, or nuclear receptors, facilitating significantly higher local concentrations of therapeutic agents. NPs, synthesized via physical, chemical, or biological methods, are categorized as organic (organic material-based) or inorganic (metallic particle-based). Key delivery mechanisms include the Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) effect and Active Transport and Retention (ATR). This review specifically examines NP applications for the most prevalent cancers in the US (2025): breast, prostate, and lung. Gold and magnetic NPs show significant promise for early breast cancer detection. For lung cancer, polymeric NPs like PCL, PLA, and PLGA are effective carriers for peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids. BIND-014, a docetaxel-loaded NP formulation, represents an emerging strategy for prostate cancer. Clinically established examples include liposomal doxorubicin and albumin-bound paclitaxel. We comprehensively discuss the synthesis methods, delivery mechanisms, and the current landscape of NPs in research and clinical trials for these cancers. This analysis underscores the potential of nanotechnology to provide more effective and targeted therapeutic options for cancer patients in the future. A distinctive feature of this review is its comparative cancer-specific analysis of NP platforms in breast, prostate, and lung cancers. Unlike previous generalized reviews, this work integrates synthesis strategies, delivery mechanisms, translational challenges, and clinically relevant formulations to provide a bench-to-bedside perspective on the future of nanomedicine in oncology. Full article

The intensive use of agricultural inputs and the increasing incorporation of nano-materials into crop management practices raise concerns about their ecotoxicological interactions in plant systems. This study evaluated phytotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity in Allium cepa L. under experimental nano-agrochemical exposure scenarios combining two conventional nitrogen fertilizers—ammonium sulfate (AS) and urea—with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Biological responses were assessed across fertilizer concentrations (0.03–0.5 g/L), applied individually, simultaneously, and sequentially, to identify modulatory effects of AgNPs on plant proliferative activity and genomic stability. Results showed the relative stability of morphophysiological indicators associated with root growth, whereas cytogenetic biomarkers exhibited selective alterations under specific conditions. Significant increases in genetic damage markers were detected at intermediate ammonium sulfate concentrations, suggesting sublethal phytotoxicity windows not reflected by macroscopic growth parameters. In addition, modulation of the mitotic index and absence of generalized genotoxic effects in most combined or sequential treatments indicate that AgNPs primarily acted as modulators of proliferative responses rather than direct cytotoxic agents. Overall, these findings highlight the dynamic and non-linear nature of nano-agrochemical interactions in plant systems and underscore the importance of multibiomarker approaches for the early detection of genomic instability. The results provide experimental evidence relevant to the environmental risk assessment of nano-enabled fertilization strategies under realistic mixed-exposure scenarios. This study contributes to advancing the ecotoxicological understanding of emerging agricultural technologies and supports the need for further mechanistic research and field-based evaluations to guide the safe and sustainable use of nanomaterials in crop production. Full article

Microbial communities associated with the rhizosphere and phyllosphere are recognized as fundamental components influencing essential plant processes, including nutrient acquisition, growth promotion, and tolerance to stress. Biological control agents (BCAs), such as Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus spp., are widely applied in citrus crops. However, while BCAs effectiveness against plant pathogens is widely established, their resulting impact on indigenous, non-target bacterial and fungal communities remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the non-target effects of two commercial microbial formulations—one containing Trichoderma asperellum ICC 012 and T. gamsii ICC 080, and the other Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST 713—on the resident microbiomes of Citrus volkameriana seedlings by using the amplicon-based metagenomic analysis, targeting the 16S rRNA and ITS1 regions. The application of the Trichoderma formulation as a soil drench in the rhizosphere resulted in minimal changes to the overall composition and diversity (α- and β-diversity) of the bacterial communities. This stability is considered a desirable trait for overall soil health. However, specific taxonomic changes were observed, such as a notable decrease in the genus Rhodococcus (0.4% vs. 1.5% in controls) among bacteria. In the fungal communities, the treatment led to a significant shift in phylum relative abundance, characterized by an increase in Basidiomycota (38% vs. 28% in controls) and a corresponding decrease in Ascomycota (51% vs. 56% in controls). Successful colonization was confirmed by a substantially higher relative abundance of the inoculated Trichoderma genus compared to control plants (1.4% vs. 0.1% in controls). Conversely, the foliar application of the Bacillus product induced a substantial restructuring of the phyllosphere bacterial community. This treatment caused a statistically significant reduction in bacterial α-diversity and a clear differentiation in community composition (β-diversity) relative to untreated controls. The successful colonization by the BCA resulted in the dominance of the Bacillus genus in the treated samples (27% vs. 2% in controls). Importantly, this ecological shift was accompanied by the enrichment of other beneficial bacterial taxa, including Sphingomonas (15% vs. 4% in controls) and the Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia group (4% vs. 2% in controls). While fungal phyla abundances remained generally stable in the phyllosphere, specific genera such as Cladosporium (15% vs. 23% in controls) and Symmetrospora (21% vs. 13% in controls) prevailed post-treatment. In conclusion, these findings highlight the importance of considering non-target microbiome shift when implementing microbial biocontrol strategies in citrus production systems, since in this study was demonstrated that commercial BCAs exert a markedly differential influence based on the compartment of application: Trichoderma promoted ecological stability in the rhizosphere, whereas Bacillus induced a directional community shift in the phyllosphere. Full article

Geopolymers have attracted increasing attention as sustainable binders, but their long-term durability in chloride-rich environments remains a critical concern. To elucidate the mechanistic role of calcined layered double hydroxides (CLDHs) in regulating the mechanical properties and chloride diffusion behavior of geopolymers, geopolymer pastes containing different CLDH contents were prepared. The compressive strength and chloride diffusion coefficient were determined, and the underlying mechanism was analyzed from the perspectives of geopolymerization degree, gel structure development, and pore structure evolution. The results indicate that the incorporation of CLDHs can promote geopolymerization, which may be associated with a nano-seeding effect, increasing the amount and degree of polymerization of the gel phases, refining the pore structure, and reducing pore connectivity. As a result, the compressive strength increases from 38.1 MPa to 49.2 MPa, while the chloride diffusion coefficient decreases by approximately 31.7% when the CLDH content reaches 6 wt.%. However, when the CLDH content exceeds this level, particle agglomeration limits effective gel growth, leading to microstructural deterioration and a weakened regulating effect. Full article

Marine bacteria are increasingly explored as alternative microbial platforms for the production of high-value biopharmaceuticals. In this study, we investigate the Antarctic marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125 (PhTAC125), an unconventional host capable of yielding soluble and biologically active human cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (hCDKL5). This serine/threonine kinase plays a crucial role in neuronal development, and its deficiency causes CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder, a severe and currently untreatable neurodevelopmental disease. Recombinant production of hCDKL5 is a prerequisite for the development of enzyme replacement therapy; however, current manufacturing processes remain insufficient for industrial translation, particularly in terms of product quality and functional consistency. To address these limitations, we developed dedicated analytical strategies: protein accumulation was quantified using a customised sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) designed to selectively detect full-length hCDKL5, while protein functionality was assessed by mass spectrometry-based quantification of autophosphorylation, a critical determinant of kinase activation. These complementary tools were applied to characterise hCDKL5 production under different growth conditions. Overall, this work establishes an integrated analytical framework aligned with a Quality by Design approach, enabling the simultaneous assessment of yield, structural integrity, and functional activation, and providing a robust basis for rational process optimisation towards scalable hCDKL5 manufacturing. Full article

The islet of Vaixell, off the west coast of Ibiza (Balearic Islands, Spain), is home to a native population of the Pityusic wall lizard, Podarcis pityusensis, with the largest body size recorded for the species. These lizards live in extreme environmental conditions on an islet with a small surface area covered by very sparse vegetation. The sex ratio is balanced, and a very high incidence of missing toes and autotomized tails is observed, indicating strong intraspecific competition involving both males and females. The body growth rate, adjusted using the Gompertz model, is intense and, apparently, juvenile lizards quickly reach relatively large body sizes. This fast body growth is probably a strategy against predation pressure from conspecifics. In P. pityusensis from Vaixell, the peak growth acceleration is prenatal and practically coincides with the moment of hatching. The diet consists mainly of aggregated prey, such as ants, with the inclusion of marine subsidies, such as halophyllous and littoral isopods, and a lower consumption of plant matter compared to other insular populations of lizards from the Balearic Islands. The lizards of Vaixell are an excellent example of the adaptive response of a lacertid lizard to the extreme conditions on the small coastal islets of the Mediterranean, with very small available areas, high population density, but a small population size, of about 50 to 100 lizards, which also reach a remarkable longevity. Full article

This study examines how the allocation of export expansion across sectors affects economy-wide outcomes in Bangladesh. Using a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) framework, we combine linkage analysis with simulation to evaluate how sectoral export growth propagates through the production network. The results show that the impact of export diversification depends critically on sectoral allocation rather than export intensity alone. While aggregate differences between scenarios are modest, reallocating export growth toward sectors with stronger intersectoral linkages generates larger economy-wide gains in GDP and labor income. In particular, sectors with low initial export shares but high network connectivity—such as agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing; retail trade; other community, social and personal services; and inland transport—produce stronger multiplier effects than most export-intensive sectors. These findings highlight a key distinction between export intensity and network centrality, demonstrating that sectors with limited direct export participation can play a central role in transmitting economic gains. The results provide a network-based perspective on export diversification and offer policy-relevant insights for designing strategies that promote more inclusive and efficient economic growth. Full article

This study aimed to detect growth stress at the individual-tree level in chestnut (Castanea crenata Sieb. et Zucc.) plantations using UAV-based RGB orthomosaic and multispectral imagery and to determine an optimal NDVI threshold for stress classification. UAV surveys were conducted over a 21 ha chestnut orchard located in Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea. NDVI was calculated and analyzed at the individual-tree level using multispectral imagery. Based on field observations, 100 healthy trees and 23 stressed trees were selected for statistical analysis. The mean NDVI value was 0.900 ± 0.012 for healthy trees and 0.816 ± 0.013 for stressed trees, showing a highly significant difference (p < 0.001). ROC analysis showed excellent classification performance with an AUC of 1.00. The optimal NDVI threshold determined using Youden’s index was 0.855. Independent validation in another chestnut plantation approximately 1 km away achieved high classification accuracy using the same threshold. These results indicate that UAV-based multispectral imagery combined with NDVI analysis provides an effective approach for early detection of growth stress and precision monitoring at the individual-tree level in chestnut plantations. This study provides a practical and efficient approach for the early detection of growth stress at the individual-tree level, enabling early intervention against potential declines in tree vitality and proactive management in chestnut orchards. The proposed NDVI threshold-based method offers a simple yet robust tool that can be readily applied in precision forestry and smart agriculture to support large-scale monitoring and informed management decisions for maintaining orchard productivity, enabling cost-effective early intervention at the individual-tree level, which is difficult to achieve using conventional ground-based surveys in complex mountainous orchards. Full article

Background: Targeted therapies directed against oncogenic drivers have substantially improved outcomes for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite high initial response rates, most patients ultimately develop acquired resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), reflecting complex biological adaptations under therapeutic pressure. Methods: This narrative review synthesizes experimental, translational, and clinical studies examining how environmental and occupational respiratory exposures may influence resistance mechanisms in EGFR- and ALK-driven NSCLC. The review emphasizes exposure-associated signaling plasticity, inflammatory microenvironmental modulation, metabolic reprogramming, and pharmacokinetic alterations. Results: Recent evidence suggests that respiratory exposures, including cigarette smoke, air pollution, diesel exhaust, and occupational inhalational toxicants, can modulate oncogenic signaling networks relevant to resistance to targeted therapies. These mechanisms include aberrant EGFR activation, bypass signaling through the mesenchymal–epithelial transition receptor (MET) and SRC pathways, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), adaptive kinome remodeling, and exposure-associated inflammatory signaling, all of which may influence tumor evolution and therapeutic response. Conclusions: This review introduces a novel exposome-driven conceptual framework integrating environmental exposures with signaling plasticity and resistance evolution in oncogene-driven NSCLC. These findings support the concept that the respiratory exposome may represent an underrecognized modifier of targeted therapy response. Incorporating structured exposure assessment into precision oncology approaches may refine risk stratification and inform exposure-aware therapeutic strategies. Full article

Background: Quantitative genetic analysis of image- or video-derived phenotypes is increasingly being performed for a wide range of traits. Pig body weight values estimated by a conventional approach or a computer vision system can be considered two different measurements of the same trait but with different sources of phenotyping error. Previous studies have shown that trait measurement error, defined as the difference between manually collected phenotypes and image-derived phenotypes, can be influenced by genetics, suggesting that the error is systematic rather than random and is more likely to lead to misleading quantitative genetic analysis results. Therefore, we investigated the effect of trait measurement error on the genetic analysis of pig body weight (BW). Results: Calibrated scale-based and image-based BW showed high coefficients of determination and goodness of fit. Genomic heritability estimates for scale-based and image-based BW were mostly identical across growth periods. Genomic heritability estimates for trait measurement error were consistently negligible, regardless of the choice of computer vision algorithm. In addition, genome-wide association analysis revealed no overlap between the top markers identified for scale-based BW and those associated with trait measurement error. Overall, the deep learning-based regressions outperformed the adaptive thresholding segmentation methods. Conclusion: This study showed that manually measured scale-based and image-based BW phenotypes yielded the same quantitative genetic results. We found no evidence that BW trait measurement error could be influenced, at least in part, by genetic factors. This suggests that trait measurement error in pig BW does not contain systematic errors that could bias downstream genetic analysis. Full article

Weed infestations are a major agricultural problem, driving the need for sustainable control methods beyond conventional synthetic herbicides. This study explored wood vinegar (WV), a pyrolysis by-product, as a dual-purpose tool for weed management and crop growth. Chemically characterized WV exhibited an acidic pH, high acetic acid content, and diverse organic compounds. Pot experiments demonstrated WV’s strong, concentration-dependent inhibition of weed seedling emergence. Field trials across three seasons confirmed WV’s efficacy in reducing weed density and biomass, particularly at 50% and 100% concentrations, while also influencing weed community composition. Critically, subsequent evaluation of residual phytotoxicity on tomato and courgette crops revealed that WV 50% significantly optimized both plant biomass and fruit yield. In contrast, WV 100% negatively impacted courgette yield, and WV 10% showed variable effects. These findings highlight WV, especially at optimal dilutions like 50%, as a promising sustainable solution for integrated weed management with potential biostimulant properties for crops. Full article

Water scarcity is the primary constraint on the development of the potato industry in Northwest China. Improving water use efficiency (WUE) under limited water supply is, therefore, an urgent priority to promote the green and sustainable development of potato production in this region. This research was conducted from 2023 to 2024 in the rain shelter of the Agricultural Science Research Institute in Dingxi City, Gansu Province, using the potato cultivar ‘Gan Yin No. 9’ as the experimental material. Throughout the growing season, the control treatment (CK) was maintained at 75–85% of the field water capacity (FWC). Based on CK, three deficit-irrigation treatments were established: W₇₅ (75% of the CK irrigation amount), W₅₀ (50% of CK irrigation amount), and W₂₅ (25% of CK irrigation amount), with three replicates per treatment. We evaluated the effects of different irrigation regimes on plant growth characteristics, physiological characteristics, tuber yield, and WUE. The results showed that the W₇₅ treatment significantly (p < 0.05) promoted the growth of plant height and stem diameter, and significantly increased them by 8.70–10.20% and 13.03–18.70%, respectively, compared with CK. The total dry matter accumulation under W₇₅ was significantly higher than CK (by 10.90–11.40%) and markedly higher than W₅₀ and W₂₅ (by 24.10–45.50%). No significant differences were observed in tuber yield, large tuber rate, and medium tuber rate between W₇₅ and CK. Notably, W₇₅ significantly improved WUE by 36.43–38.51% compared with CK. Overall, under the conditions of this study, W₇₅ treatment was identified to be the optimal irrigation regime for potato cultivation, as it promoted plant growth, maintained tuber yield, and enhanced water use efficiency. This study aims to establish a definitive irrigation threshold for potato production in Northwest China. The findings provide a precise basis for formulating irrigation schedules, which can contribute to the development of water-efficient agriculture and support the sustainable development of the potato industry in the region. Full article

Deammonification, which is based on partial nitritation and anammox (PN/A), is a well-established sidestream treatment for nitrogen removal. However, transferring deammonification to mainstream wastewater treatment remains challenging due to low temperatures, the need to retain slow-growing anammox bacteria (AnAOB), and their competition for nitrite with nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and heterotrophic denitrifiers. This work investigates cubic polyurethane foam carriers to promote growth and retention of AnAOB. A moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor were compared over a three-year experimental period at lab-scale. The feasibility of the biofilm carriers for deammonification was first evaluated under sidestream conditions, followed by a stepwise transition to mainstream operational conditions. The impact of operational parameters, including dissolved oxygen concentration, pH value, and aeration strategy, was evaluated with respect to the activity of aerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), NOB, and AnAOB, as well as nitrogen removal rates. Deammonification reached nitrogen removal rates of 0.04–0.12 kg N m⁻³ d⁻¹ (IFAS reactor) and 0.02–0.28 kg N m⁻³ d⁻¹ (MBBR) at subphases with reactor bulk concentrations above 60 mg NH₄-N L⁻¹. Highest nitrogen removal degrees of 77 ± 6% (IFAS) and 76 ± 5% (MBBR) were achieved at reactor bulk concentrations of 96 mg NH₄ L⁻¹ and 97 mg NH₄ L⁻¹, respectively. Lower concentrations triggered NOB activity in both reactors, leading to an increase in nitrate concentration up to 22 mg NO₃-N L⁻¹. AOB and AnAOB activities were on average 6-fold higher on the carriers compared to suspended biomass throughout all experimental phases, demonstrating the feasibility of using cubic polyurethane foam carriers for deammonification. This was also confirmed by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) measurements. Median nitrogen removal rates over all experimental phases of 0.07 kg N m⁻³ d⁻¹ for the IFAS reactor and 0.05 kg N m⁻³ d⁻¹ for the MBBR were achieved, which are comparable to conventional activated sludge systems performing nitrogen removal via nitrification–denitrification. While at lower nitrogen concentrations, the IFAS reactor yielded superior nitrogen removal rates, peak nitrogen removal rates of 0.28 kg N m⁻³ d⁻¹ were measured in the MBBR configuration. However, controlling NOB activity at lower temperatures and concentrations remains a challenge in MBBR and IFAS configurations. In our study, in the IFAS reactor NOB activities were visible on fewer days than in MBBR. At mainstream-like conditions, higher nitrogen removal rates of IFAS (0.09–0.12 kg N m⁻³ d⁻¹) were achieved compared to the MBBR (0.06–0.09 kg N m⁻³ d⁻¹). This demonstrates the advantage of the IFAS reactor in treating mainstream wastewater via deammonification. As an autotrophic nitrogen removal process, the implementation of deammonification in the mainstream of municipal wastewater treatment plants enables enhanced recovery of biogas from sewage organic matter. The latter would otherwise be consumed during the conventional nitrification-denitrification pathway. Consequently, the overall energy balance for wastewater treatment can be improved, contributing to a more environmentally sustainable process. Full article

Thamnaconus septentrionalis is an economically important marine aquaculture species in China. However, the acceptance rate of formulated feeds in commercial farming is only 30–40%, substantially lower than the 80–90% achieved with fresh feeds, which severely constrains the intensive development of this industry. The gut microbiota-mediated regulatory mechanisms underlying the effects of different feed types on growth performance remain unclear, limiting the precise development of efficient formulated feeds. This study established four feed types (commercial pellet feed K, custom-formulated feed P, frozen shrimp X, and fresh fish meat Y) through a 60-day feeding trial. Growth performance data, 16S rRNA sequencing, and untargeted metabolomics were analyzed. Random Forest-Partial Least Squares Regression models were employed to identify key microbial-metabolite features. Results indicated that the Y group exhibited the optimal feed conversion ratio (1.14), with intestinal Firmicutes abundance (45.3%) significantly higher than the K group (28.5%). Short-chain fatty acid levels increased by more than 350-fold, enriching short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Faecalibacterium. The P group, formulated with high fishmeal content (40%), achieved performance levels comparable to the Y group across most indicators. Machine learning models identified key microbial-metabolite features predicting growth performance, providing a multi-omics framework for developing efficient formulated feeds for marine carnivorous fish. Full article