Search Results (169)

The development of urban underground spaces has led to an increasing number of projects involving super-large-diameter shield tunnels, making research on their impact on existing structures particularly significant. This paper investigated the numerical simulation on deformation and damage mechanism of existing underground structures induced by adjacent construction of super-large-diameter tunnels. A 3D finite element model using ABAQUS (version 2022) software incorporating the Concrete Damaged Plasticity (CDP) constitutive model was established, and this paper was used to systematically analyze the deformation, internal force response, and damage evolution of existing tunnels. The results showed the following: (1) The double-line tunnel excavation intensified settlement superposition, increasing the maximum settlement from −19.70 mm (single-line) to −24.51 mm (double-line) and transforming the settlement trough from a V shape to a W shape. (2) The vertical bending moment evolved from a single peak to double peaks being the dominant loading mode, with the maximum horizontal moment only about 1/8 of the vertical value. (3) During the construction, the peak tensile stress at the tunnel bottom reached 2.655 MPa, exceeding the C50 concrete tensile strength, but later decreased to 2.097 MPa. Damage was primarily caused by bending-induced tension. (4) Tunnel damage was triggered by the historical peak stress and accumulated irreversibly, resulting in a final state of low-stress and high-damage, with a maximum tensile damage of 92.4%. This research can provide a theoretical basis for safety control in similar adjacent engineering projects. Full article

Plastic microbeads, widely incorporated into personal care and cleansing products, have emerged as a pervasive contaminant in freshwater systems, including in North America. Historical estimates indicate that North American consumers alone contributed trillions of microbeads daily to municipal wastewater, with global usage reaching quadrillions per day. Regulatory actions in 2017 in Canada and the USA to ban microbeads in personal care products appear to have greatly reduced microbead contamination levels, including a decrease in microbead proportion from 2 to 5% to 0.003%, and an 86% reduction in PE microbead discharge from wastewater treatment plants. Yet these particles still persist in the environment due to their resistance to degradation and continued release from unregulated sources, including industrial abrasives and certain cleaning agents. Studies across the Great Lakes, one of the world’s largest freshwater systems, have documented widespread microbead contamination in surface waters, sediments, and shorelines, highlighting their persistence and accumulation. This review synthesizes findings from key studies conducted between 2013 and 2017 to establish a pre-ban baseline of microbead distribution in the Great Lakes, and presents new data collected from 2018 to 2021 as a post-ban contamination assessment. The review emphasizes the unique challenges posed by microbeads within the broader context of microplastic pollution. We also hope that this paper underscores the critical role of polymer chemists and engineers in developing innovative materials and removal strategies to mitigate future contamination. Full article

With the historical and consistent population declines of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), restoration projects commonly deploy plastic bags (polyethylene) filled with recycled oyster cultch. Oyster cultch bags are utilized as material to stabilize sediment and provide a substrate for oyster larval recruitment, which provides a habitat for associated organisms and decreases marsh erosion. In addition to the plastic mesh bags utilized to contain oyster cultch, this study also utilized three different biodegradable oyster bag material types (biopolymer, basalt, and cellulose) to determine (1) the influence of bag type on oyster population dynamics, (2) bag durability over time (<1 year), and (3) the cost–benefits for each bag type, calculated via a Weighted Product Model (WPM), within a subsection of the West Galveston Bay Estuary, Texas. For bag type, the results suggested that plastic bags were the most resilient, followed by biopolymer, basalt, and cellulose bags. Plastic bags supported the highest oyster abundance and growth, demonstrating their effectiveness for establishing breakwater reefs. The WPM analysis indicated that plastic bags are inexpensive to deploy and, due to their longevity, are easily monitored over time. However, degradation of plastic bags may introduce microplastics into the environment, posing ingestion risks for bivalves. Whereas the nature-based solutions degraded quickly, inhibiting continuous monitoring, yet the loose cultch may facilitate the natural formation of reefs over time. The results highlight tradeoffs between maximizing oyster recruitment and growth, minimizing environmental contamination, and balancing ecological performance with material sustainability in oyster reef restoration practices. Full article

In 2023, the bicycle industry in Taiwan reached a historic high. However, concerns about carbon emissions persist, particularly during the material acquisition and manufacturing stages of bicycle production. This study utilizes the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, using SimaPro 9.5 for cradle-to-gate carbon emission data analysis. This study thoroughly examines the complete life cycle of a bicycle brake cable product through a carbon reduction evaluation tool, identifying carbon hotspots in the product’s life cycle. The data reveals that packaging accounts for the highest proportion of factory carbon emissions in the brake cable product analysis (34.42%), followed by the product’s casing (30.60%), with the leading materials being metal, plastic, and paper. Throughout the cradle-to-gate process, we collaborated with product developers to utilize the LCA carbon reduction evaluation tool to analyze the life cycle of the brake cable product. By aligning market and development needs, we supported manufacturers in identifying additional carbon reduction strategies at the material selection, mechanical design, and manufacturing process stages. These strategies include using natural raw materials, reducing packaging volume, developing lightweight products, and investing in integrated equipment. By implementing these measures, companies can reduce the product’s carbon footprint and enhance resource efficiency during production. This assessment tool serves as a communication bridge between designers and engineers, translating LCA quantitative data into references for design and management decision-making. It also functions as a simplified analytical tool for SMEs to conduct preliminary diagnosis of carbon emission hotspots and plan improvement directions, particularly suitable for manufacturers lacking consulting resources and carbon inventory capabilities. The research findings not only help companies integrate carbon reduction thinking early in product development, forming a closed-loop system of quantitative analysis and design actions, but also provide concrete references for Taiwan’s bicycle industry to promote supply chain collaboration, achieve green transformation, and meet global carbon reduction goals. Full article

Text-to-image generative models can be used to imitate historical artistic styles, but their effectiveness in doing so remains unclear. In this work, we propose an evaluation framework that leverages expert knowledge from art history and visual semiotics and combines it with quantitative analysis to assess stylistic fidelity. Three experts rated both historical artwork production and images generated with Midjourney v6 for five major movements (Abstract Art, Cubism, Expressionism, Impressionism, Surrealism) and ten associated painters (male and female pairs), using nine visual criteria grounded in Greimas’s plastic categories and Wölfflin’s stylistic oppositions. Ratings were expressed as 95% intervals on continuous 0–100 scales and compared using our Relative Ratings Map (RRMap), which summarizes relative shifts, relative dispersion, and distributional overlap (via the Bhattacharyya coefficient). They were also discretized in four quality ratings (bad, stereotype, fair, excellent). The results show strong inter-expert variability and more moderate intra-expert effects tied to movements, criteria, criterion groups and modalities. Experts tend to agree that the model sometimes aligns with historical trends but also sometimes produces stereotyped versions of a movement or painter, or even completely missed its target, although no unanimous consensus emerges. We conclude that evaluating generative models requires both expert-driven interpretation and quantitative tools, and that stylistic fidelity is hard to quantify even with a rigorous framework. Full article

We investigate why the remarkable diversity of human identity, including gender fluidity, non-binary roles, and varied sexual orientations, is fundamentally rooted in the evolutionary and neurocognitive complexity of the human brain. Drawing upon interdisciplinary evidence from comparative biology, neuroimaging, anthropology, and social neuroscience, this paper explores how increased neural complexity across evolutionary trajectories supports behavioral plasticity and identity diversification. The concept of neural degeneracy, wherein different neural structures produce functionally similar outcomes, is central to understanding how individual and cultural diversity naturally emerges from the brain’s highly adaptable networks. By reviewing historical, prehistoric, and cross-species data, the paper demonstrates that identity diversity is neither recent nor culturally limited but has longstanding evolutionary and social foundations. Despite substantial scientific consensus on this inherent complexity, societal resistance persists, often driven by oversimplified and biologically reductionist interpretations of neuroscience. To counter these misunderstandings, the article introduces Complexity Neuroethics, a framework advocating the acknowledgment of diversity of identity expressions as an evolutionarily expected outcome of neurocognitive evolution. Ultimately, the review calls for a transformative dialogue between neuroscience and society, promoting policies, healthcare practices, and educational initiatives aligned with neuroscientific realities to foster more inclusive societies that embrace self-identity as an evolutionary and cognitive achievement. Full article

The municipal solid waste recycling industry has become a rapidly growing emerging industry. Its carbon emissions account for 1/10 of the urban carbon emissions, which cannot be ignored. It is highly important for cities to achieve the goals of peak carbon and carbon neutrality and to strive for space for economic and social development. Taking Beijing as an example, using the life cycle analysis method, this paper systematically combines the historical changes in the characteristic structure of municipal solid waste. On this basis, the amount and structural characteristics of carbon emissions and their evolution are calculated, the achievements of municipal solid waste treatment in Beijing are comprehensively evaluated, and the space for further emission reduction in the future is estimated. The following conclusions are drawn: (1). Since the implementation of waste classification treatment, carbon emissions in Beijing have decreased by 22.9%. (2). Carbon emissions from plastic and paper waste from municipal solid waste have become the main source of carbon emissions from waste treatment. (3). There is still more than 2.6 × 10⁶ t of carbon emission reduction space for municipal solid waste treatment in Beijing in the future. On the basis of the calculation results, several suggestions are proposed. Full article

For five decades, photocatalysis has promised clean hydrogen from solar energy, yet a persistent “efficiency ceiling”, linked to fundamental challenges including the trade-off between light absorption and redox potential in single-component materials, has hindered its practical application. This review illuminates three key paradigm shifts overcoming this challenge. First, we examine Z-scheme and S-scheme heterojunctions, which resolve the bandgap dilemma by spatially separating redox sites to achieve both broad light absorption and strong redox power. Second, we discuss replacing the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with value-added organic oxidations. This strategy bypasses kinetic bottlenecks and improves economic viability by co-producing valuable chemicals from feedstocks like biomass and plastic waste. Third, we explore manipulating the reaction environment, where synergistic photothermal effects and concentrated sunlight can dramatically enhance kinetics and unlock markedly enhanced solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiencies. Collectively, these strategies chart a clear course to overcome historical limitations and realize photocatalysis as an impactful technology for a sustainable energy future. Full article

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) remains a leading cause of disability worldwide, perpetuated by an incomplete understanding of its pathophysiology and the limited efficacy of conventional antidepressants. Historically, research has focused on neuron-centric models, particularly the monoamine hypothesis. However, the field is now recognizing the critical role of glial cells such as astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, establishing them as key contributors to the molecular basis of depression. Rather than serving solely supportive roles, these cells actively modulate neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitter homeostasis, and metabolic regulation, processes disrupted in MDD. We discuss how stress-induced epigenetic modifications such as histone acetylation, methylation, and DNA methylation are linked to alterations in astrocytic glutamate transport, microglial inflammatory states, and oligodendrocyte-mediated myelination. Special emphasis is placed on the concept of glial transcriptional plasticity, whereby environmental adversity induces durable and cell type specific gene expression changes that underlie neuroinflammation, excitatory–inhibitory imbalance, and white matter deficits observed in MDD. By integrating findings from postmortem human tissue, single-cell omics, and stress-based animal models, this review highlights converging molecular mechanisms linking stress to glial dysfunction. We further outline how targeting glial transcriptional regulators may provide new therapeutic avenues beyond conventional monoaminergic approaches. Full article

Background: The Warburg effect, historically regarded as a hallmark of cancer metabolism, is often interpreted as a universal metabolic feature of tumor cells. However, accumulating experimental evidence challenges this paradigm, revealing a more nuanced and context-dependent metabolic landscape. Methods: In this study, we present a hybrid multiscale model of tumor metabolism that integrates cellular and environmental dynamics to explore the emergence of metabolic phenotypes under varying conditions of stress. Our model combines a reduced yet mechanistically informed description of intracellular metabolism with an agent-based framework that captures spatial and temporal heterogeneity across tumor tissue. Each cell is represented as an autonomous agent whose behavior is shaped by local concentrations of key diffusive species—oxygen, glucose, lactate, and protons—and governed by internal metabolic states, gene expression levels, and environmental feedback. Building on our previous work, we extend existing metabolic models to include the reversible transport of lactate and the regulatory role of acidity in glycolytic flux. Results: Simulations under different environmental perturbations—such as oxygen oscillations, acidic shocks, and glucose deprivation—demonstrate that the Warburg effect is neither universal nor static. Instead, metabolic phenotypes emerge dynamically from the interplay between a cell’s history and its local microenvironment, without requiring genetic alterations. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that tumor metabolic behavior is better understood as a continuum of adaptive states shaped by thermodynamic and enzymatic constraints. This systems-level perspective offers new insights into metabolic plasticity and may inform therapeutic strategies targeting the tumor microenvironment rather than intrinsic cellular properties alone. Full article

Over the past five decades, the Tallet Alsauda district of Aleppo (Syria) has experienced multiple catastrophic collapses, attributed to a network of subsurface chalk cavities formed through historic quarrying and possible natural karstification. Yet, no comprehensive investigation has previously been conducted to characterise the cavities or clarify the governing failure mechanisms. Such assessments are particularly difficult in historic urban environments, where void geometries are irregular, subsurface data scarce, and underground access limited. This study addresses these challenges through an integrated programme of fourteen boreholes, laboratory testing, and inverse-distance interpolation to reconstruct subsurface geometry and overburden thickness. These data-informed three-dimensional finite element simulations are designed to test the hypothesis that chalk deterioration, driven by both natural and anthropogenic processes, controls the instability of cavity roofs. Rock mass parameters, particularly the Geological Strength Index (GSI), were progressively reduced and evaluated against the site’s documented collapse history. The simulations revealed that a modest decline in GSI from ~53 to 47 precipitated abrupt displacements (>300 mm) and upward-propagating plastic zones, consistent with field evidence of past collapses. These results confirm that instability is governed by threshold reductions in material strength, with sewer leakage identified as a principal trigger accelerating chalk softening and roof destabilisation. Full article

Historic floors, including mosaics, stone slabs, and decorated pavements, are fragile elements that can be easily damaged during restoration works. Risks arise from falling tools, concentrated loads of scaffolding or equipment, and the repeated passage of workers. Traditional protection methods, such as plywood sheets, mats, multilayer systems, or modular plastic panels, have been applied in different sites but often present limitations in adaptability to irregular surfaces, in moisture control, and in long-term reversibility. This paper introduces an innovative approach developed within the 3D-EcoCore project. The proposed solution consists of a bio-inspired modular sandwich system manufactured by 3D printing with biodegradable polymers. Each module contains a Voronoi-inspired cellular core, shaped to match the geometry of the floor obtained from digital surveys, and an upper flat skin that provides a safe and resistant surface. The design ensures mechanical protection, adaptability to uneven pavements, and the possibility to integrate ventilation gaps, cable pathways, and monitoring systems. Beyond heritage interventions, the system also supports routine architectural maintenance by enabling safe, reversible protection during inspections and minor repairs. The solution is strictly temporary and non-substitutive, fully aligned with conservation principles of reversibility, recognizability, and minimal intervention. The Ninfeo Ponari in Cassino is presented as a guiding example, showing how multilevel knowledge and thematic mapping become essential inputs for the tailored design of the modules. The paper highlights both the technical innovation of the system and the methodological contribution of a knowledge-based design process, opening future perspectives for durability assessment, pilot installations, and the integration of artificial intelligence to optimise core configurations. Full article

While industrial emissions research has historically focused on energy-intensive sectors like steel, cement, and chemicals, this study addresses a critical gap by examining barriers across all the manufacturing industry in the U.S. Sectors like food processing, retail, plastics, and transportation face unique challenges distinct from heavy industry, operating on thin margins with limited bargaining power while experiencing heightened consumer and stakeholder pressure for improved environmental responsibility. Through structured interview data collection process and using quantitative ratings and qualitative analysis, this research identifies and categorizes emission reduction barriers across four key themes: financial, technical, organizational, and regulatory. Unlike energy-intensive industries that may pursue hydrogen or carbon capture technologies, discrete manufacturing industry like automotive, electrical and electronics, and machine manufacturers typically focus on energy efficiency, electrification of thermal processes, and alternate fuel switching, solutions better aligned with their lower-temperature processes and distributed facility profiles. The study’s primary contribution lies in documenting specific barrier manifestations within organizations and identifying proven mitigation strategies that companies have successfully implemented or observed among peers. Full article

Camphora officinarum Nees constitutes a pivotal tree species within the evergreen broad-leaved forests of East Asia, endowed with significant economic, ornamental, and ecological importance. Nevertheless, previous research has markedly underestimated the genetic diversity of this species, thereby hindering our efforts in conserving resources and enhancing genetic breeding. The current study generated 155 chloroplast genomes from specimens of C. officinarum obtained from six provinces/regions in China. The results reveal the identification of seven distinct clades (I–VII), with Clades II, III, V, and VII exhibiting genome expansions, primarily influenced by lineage-specific elongation of inverted repeats (IRs), whereas Clades I, IV, and VI maintained conserved IR lengths. Despite the structural plasticity, the GC content remained highly conserved. Geographic patterns indicated gene flow between adjacent regions (e.g., Hunan and Hubei with identical IR lengths), but genetic isolation in Fujian. High-polymorphism regions (psba-matK, ycf1, ycf2, and ndhF) were identified as superior phylogenetic markers, enhancing intraspecies-level resolution. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) varied significantly among clades, dominated by A/T-rich mononucleotide repeats. These repeats, along with divergent repeat types (e.g., absence of reverse repeats in Clades V/VI), serve as robust tools for resource identification and evolutionary trajectory inference. Phylogenetically, samples from Fujian formed a distinct lineage, while samples from other regions, especially Guangdong, were mixed, with this finding probably being a reflection of historical cultivation and anthropogenic translocation. This study offers a framework for the genetic breeding and investigation of the evolutionary history of C. officinarum. Full article

Objectives: Tip fold-over (TFO) is a rare but critical occurrence in cochlear implant procedures where the electrode array folds back on itself within the cochlea, compromising programming and device performance. Timely intraoperative detection is essential for immediate correction and optimal placement. Electric field imaging (EFI) has shown promise for identifying TFO both intra- and post-operatively. This study evaluates the performance of a TFO detection algorithm implemented in Target CI (Version 1.6) using Advanced Bionics’ cochlear implant systems, validated through bench and patient datasets. Methods: Sample data included (1) bench testing with a plastic cochlea and human temporal bones with and without induced TFOs, confirmed visually or radiographically; (2) intraoperative EFI measurements recorded using the AIM™ system, with electrode placement confirmed through imaging; and (3) historical EFI recordings from the Target CI DataLake, which lacks imaging and programming metadata. The TFO algorithm’s performance was evaluated by assessing its sensitivity and specificity using these datasets. Results: The TFO algorithm achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity in bench models and intraoperative EFI with imaging-confirmed placements. Among 226 intra-op cases, four TFOs were confirmed by imaging, and all were correctly identified by the algorithm. In the large set of DataLake cases (14,734 implants), 0.80% were flagged as potential TFOs. TFO prevalence was higher with pre-curved arrays (1.22%) than straight lateral wall arrays (0.32%). Conclusions: The TFO algorithm showed high reliability with 100% sensitivity and specificity using routine clinical EFI data. While not a replacement for imaging, the TFO algorithm serves as a fast, accessible tool to alert clinicians to potential TFOs. Full article