Search Results (166)

The marine atmospheric environment, characterized by a high chloride content, high humidity, and a high corrosion rate of structural steel, urgently demands anticorrosion methods that are compatible with other technologies such as alloy steel and organic coatings. In this study, an inhibitor-loaded conversion film was grown in situ on a steel surface to prevent chloride-induced corrosion. Specifically, a Mg-Fe layered double hydroxide (LDH) conversion film was grown on the steel surface, and p-aminobenzoate (pAB⁻) inhibitor ions were intercalated into the LDH. After half a year of natural corrosion in the actual marine atmospheric environment, the average corrosion rate of steel with the inhibitor@LDH film was 36.20 µm/a, which was 21% lower than that of the steel substrate (45.91 µm/a). The inhibitor@LDH film also effectively suppressed local pitting corrosion, with the density of corrosion pits significantly reduced by 64%. Furthermore, the inhibitor@LDH film promoted the formation of a denser and thinner rust layer on the steel surface, with a smaller crack width, fewer cracks, and an increased α-FeOOH/γ-FeOOH ratio. In summary, the inhibitor@LDH conversion film inhibits general and local corrosion on steel in a marine atmospheric environment. Full article

Craniosynostosis is the premature fusion of skull bones due to loss of stem/progenitor cells located in non-mineralized tissue between growing cranial bones of infants. We generated scaffolds from a biodegradable biomaterial with small interconnected pores (125–250 μm diameter), previously shown to maintain stemness of a mesenchymal cell population, to further develop a method for the creation of an artificial cranial bone stem cell niche. Polymer scaffolds of consistent pore size were fabricated using a molecular-sieved sugar sphere casting technique with poly-l-lactic acid. A rectangular surgical defect within the parietal bone of juvenile mice was created. The three groups included sham animals with surgery but no scaffold, experimental animals with surgery plus an implanted cell-free scaffold, and experimental animals with surgery plus an implanted bone mesenchymal cell-seeded scaffold. Healing at the surgical site was evaluated at 4 and 12 weeks after surgery by micro-CT and histology. Surgical site bone volume fraction and bone mineral density were significantly greater at twelve than four weeks in the sham group but not in either of the scaffold groups. At twelve weeks, the surgical site bone volume fraction and bone mineral density were significantly lower in the cell-seeded scaffold as compared to the sham animal group. At twelve weeks, the anterior and middle cranial vault widths were significantly greater in the cell-seeded scaffold as compared to the sham animal group on the surgery side of the skulls. Less mineralization was evident within the cell-seeded than the cell-free scaffolds by histology. Based on these findings, scaffolds of sufficiently small pore size seeded with autologous bone mesenchymal stem cells could function as an artificial cranial stem cell niche to inhibit surgical-site mineralization and promote cranial growth. Full article

Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) can regulate soil physicochemical properties and enhance crop yield. However, the effect of γ-PGA molecular weight (Mw) on plant growth remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of γ-PGAs with low (70–100 kDa), high (700–1100 kDa), and ultra-high (>3000 kDa) Mws on lettuce growth and soil properties. The results showed that γ-PGA application reduced the infiltration rate of red soil. In pot experiments, γ-PGAs with different Mws at 0.1% promoted lettuce growth, and blade length and width increased with increasing Mw. However, the excessive application of ultra-high Mw γ-PGA inhibited lettuce growth. Soil chemical properties revealed that γ-PGA treatments significantly increased soil ammonium nitrogen and available potassium content. Furthermore, bacterial community structure analysis indicated that adding γ-PGA reduced bacterial diversity and richness, particularly under low and high Mw γ-PGA treatments, while increasing the relative abundance of beneficial plant-associated bacteria, including Proteobacteria and Acidobacteriota. Overall, ultra-high Mw γ-PGA exhibited the strongest effects on soil water retention and nutrient regulation, whereas low application rate was more favorable for plant growth. These findings can provide insights into the agricultural application of γ-PGA. Full article

The construction of photovoltaic (PV) power stations for sand control in northwestern China has exacerbated the conflict between solar resource utilization and ecosystem fragility, creating urgent ecological challenges that demand immediate solutions. This study investigated Amorpha fruticosa growing under fixed adjustable PV panels at the CGN DaLate Photovoltaic Leading Base in the eastern hinterland of the Kubuqi Desert. Through long-term field observations, three shading time gradients were established: heavy shading (HS), light shading (LS), and no shading (CK, control). The results clearly demonstrated that: (1) Plants in the LS treatment exhibited significantly greater plant height, basal diameter, and crown width compared to those in HS and CK, indicating optimal growth status and morphological plasticity. They maintained the highest net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and water use efficiency (WUE), while their intercellular CO₂ concentration (Ci) was significantly lower than in CK, effectively mitigating photosynthetic inhibition caused by high light intensity. Total chlorophyll (Chl) content increased significantly with increasing shading intensity, whereas the Chl a/b ratio decreased. (2) The LS treatment yielded the highest nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and crude protein (CP) contents, along with a more balanced N:P ratio, suggesting a superior state of nutritional metabolism. Growth indicators showed significant positive correlations with WUE and Chl content, and significant negative correlations with transpiration rate (Tr) and Ci, confirming a synergistic “physiological adaptation-growth optimization” mechanism. Our results demonstrate that light shading represents the optimal condition for the growth and biomass accumulation of A. fruticosa, highlighting its potential as a key species for vegetation restoration in PV power stations within arid ecosystems. These findings not only elucidate the plant’s adaptation mechanisms but also provide a crucial physiological basis for selecting and managing understory vegetation, thereby supporting the optimization of integrative “PV-Ecology” systems for sustainable desert restoration. Full article

Softening in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of high-strength pipeline welds compromises its service safety but the corresponding softening mechanism is not well-understood. Softening behavior in the HAZ of two X80 pipeline girth welds with different base metal microstructures, i.e., acicular ferrite (AF)-dominated (X80-AF) and granular bainite (GB)-dominated (X80-GB), were investigated through microhardness tests and detailed microstructure characterization. The results showed that softening in the HAZ of two girth welds primarily occurred in the fine-grained (FG) HAZ, while hardening was found in the coarse-grained (CG) HAZ. X80-AF showed higher softening resistance than X80-GB, with softening ratios of 3.44% vs. 12.46%, and softened zone widths of 2.1 mm vs. 3.9 mm, respectively. Due to its high dislocation density and refined interlocking structure, AF could effectively inhibit phase transformation and grain coarsening during reheating, which resulted in smaller grains and a lower fraction of polygonal ferrite (PF) in the FGHAZ (28%). In contrast, coarse GB was more prone to grain coarsening and hence engendered higher PF proportion (68%). Therefore, for the microstructural design of high-strength pipeline steels, increasing the proportion of refined AF is beneficial to the softening resistance and thereby elevates the service safety of pipelines. Full article

Background/Objectives: Quadriceps arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) represents a key impairment following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), contributing to quadriceps weakness. Although transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) have been primarily investigated for analgesia, their effects on quadriceps strength in the early postoperative period remain underexplored. Methods: This study describes a single-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial investigating the short-term effects of a single high-frequency TENS session and a novel long-term potentiation (LTP) PENS protocol on quadriceps strength and related clinical outcomes after ACLR. Fifty-four participants will be randomly allocated using block randomization in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three groups: a control group (conventional post-ACLR rehabilitation only), a TENS group (conventional rehabilitation plus a single high-frequency TENS session), or a PENS group (conventional rehabilitation plus a single LTP PENS session). Participants will receive neuromodulatory intervention during the sixth postoperative week. The LTP PENS protocol consists of five 5 s stimulation bursts at 100 Hz and 250 μs pulse width and has only been investigated once in patients with upper limb pathology, underscoring its novelty in a postoperative setting. Results: The primary outcome is quadriceps maximal voluntary isometric contraction, selected as a clinically relevant surrogate of quadriceps activation deficits associated with AMI. Secondary outcomes include pain intensity, pressure pain threshold, knee range of motion, thigh muscle perimeter, knee effusion and swelling, and self-reported function and knee-related quality of life. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately post-treatment, and 1 and 7 days post-intervention by a blinded assessor. Full article

To study the crack resistance of UHPC precast composite slabs, this paper conducts flexural performance tests on one UHPC monolithic slab and four UHPC precast composite slabs, investigating the influence of structural form, loading method, and shear reinforcement on the failure mode and crack resistance of UHPC precast composite slabs. The test results showed that UHPC precast composite slabs do not experience shear failure along the composite interface. They exhibit extensive microcracks and do not fail due to the immediate appearance of a single wide crack, demonstrating good plasticity and toughness. The cracking load of the monolithic slab is 6.6% to 12.5% higher than that of the composite slabs. However, the yield load and ultimate load of composite slabs equipped with shear reinforcement are 19.5% to 26.5% and 24.5% to 29.5% higher than those of the monolithic slab, respectively. These composite slabs are also characterized by extensive, dense microcracks with high quantity, small width, small spacing, short length, and dense distribution. Shear reinforcement can effectively improve the bearing capacity and crack resistance of UHPC precast composite slabs, with truss reinforcement showing a better effect in enhancing bearing capacity and inhibiting cracks. The comparison between positive and reverse loading methods better explains the “strain lag” of concrete and “stress advance” of reinforcement in composite slabs. Based on the section internal force equilibrium and the bond stress transfer principle between reinforcement and concrete, considering the enhancement effect of UHPC on bond stress, the calculation formulas for average crack spacing and maximum crack width in existing codes are modified. The calculated values are in good agreement with the test results. Full article

Fungal pathogens, including Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Pestalotiopsis spp., are significant threats to global cacao production. Understanding their varying responses to novel antifungal agents is crucial for developing sustainable plant protection strategies. This study investigated the quantitative morphological responses and isolate-specific sensitivity of three cacao pathogen isolates (one Pestalotiopsis sp. and two C. gloeosporioides) to four novel bio-based phenolic-branched fatty acids and their corresponding amides derived from renewable feedstocks. We observed a high degree of isolate-specific susceptibility. A phenol-branched soy oil-derived fatty amide (PhSOAM) proved most potent, significantly inhibiting the growth of Pestalotiopsis sp. and one C. gloeosporioides isolate. In contrast, the second C. gloeosporioides isolate displayed complete insensitivity to all tested compounds, highlighting significant intraspecific variation. Notably, quantitative image analysis revealed that PhSOAM uniquely altered fungal colony morphology by significantly increasing the length-to-width ratio, suggesting a mechanism of action involving the disruption of polarized growth. Multivariate analyses and machine learning models (R² up to 0.74) effectively classified these responses, identifying the specific pathogen-compound pairing as the most critical determinant of the interaction outcome. This work not only highlights the potential of bio-based amides but also establishes a powerful analytical framework, combining morphological profiling with predictive modeling, to gain deeper insights into the complex, isolate-specific nature of fungal–antifungal interactions. Full article

Shale pores and throats are key factors controlling the enrichment and development efficiency of shale oil and gas. However, the characteristics and formation mechanisms of shale pores and throats remain unclear. Taking the Permian continental shales in the Mahu Sag of the Junggar Basin as an example, this paper studies the formation mechanisms of pores and throats in shales of different lithofacies through a series of experiments, such as high-pressure mercury injection and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the Permian continental shales in the Junggar Basin are mainly composed of five lithofacies: rich siliceous shale (RSS), calcareous–siliceous shale (CSS), argillaceous–siliceous shale (ASS), siliceous–calcareous shale (SCS), and mixed-composition shale (MCS). The pores in shale are dominated by intergranular and intragranular pores. The intergranular pores are mainly primary pores and secondary dissolution pores. The primary pores are mainly slit-like and polygonal, with diameters between 40 and 1000 nm. The secondary dissolution pores formed by dissolution are irregular with serrated edges, and their diameters range from 0.1 to 10 μm. The throats are mainly pore-constriction throats and knot-like throats, with few vessel-like throats, overall exhibiting characteristics of nanometer-scale width. The mineral composition has a significant influence on the development of pores and throats. Siliceous minerals promote the development of macropores, and carbonate minerals promote the development of mesopores. Clay minerals inhibit pore development. Diagenesis regulates the development of pores and throats through mechanical compaction, cementation, and dissolution. Compaction leads to a reduction in porosity, and cementation has varying effects on the preservation of pores and throats. Dissolution is the main factor for increased pores and throats. These findings provide a lithofacies-based geological framework for evaluating effective porosity, seepage capacity, and shale oil development potential in continental shale reservoirs. Full article

CuO/TiO₂ is a highly active visible-light-driven photocatalyst. The precise structural regulation of TiO₂ and the quantum dot-scale loading strategy of CuO have long been researching hotspots and challenges. This work presents an ingenious synthetic strategy, leveraging the photoinduced superhydrophilicity and dark-induced reversible hydrophobicity of TiO₂, coupled with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as “seeds” to induce the in situ synthesis of CuO quantum dots (CuO QDs). Specifically, CuO QDs with an average diameter of 5–10 nm were successfully anchored onto TiO₂ nanowire arrays (TNWAs) with a diameter of 10–15 nm. By adjusting the dosage of “seeds” (CQDs), the loading amount of CuO QDs can be effectively controlled. Corresponding characterizations were performed, including ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy) for optical absorption properties, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy for photoluminescent behavior, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for free radical generation capability, and bisphenol A (BPA) degradation assays for photocatalytic performance. Loading 4.78 wt% CuO QDs can effectively inhibit the recombination of electron–hole pairs in TNWAs. Simultaneously, it prolongs the lifetime of charge carriers (photoelectrons) and enhances the yields of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and superoxide radicals (•O₂⁻). The BPA degradation efficiency of the CuO QDs/TNWA composite is 2.4 times higher than that of TNWAs. Furthermore, we found that the loading of CuO QDs significantly modulates the depletion layer width of the P–N heterojunction, and the underlying mechanism has been discussed in detail. Full article

Urban green spaces, as crucial components, can effectively mitigate atmospheric pollutants such as NO₂. However, the heterogeneous driving forces and the underlying quantitative mechanisms of different vegetation community structures in response to NO₂ exposure remain insufficiently explored. This study utilized a laboratory-based artificial fumigation method to examine the NO₂ mitigation benefits and response mechanisms of three representative vegetation structures (tree–shrub–grass, tree-shrub, and tree-grass) as well as their monoculture communities under NO₂ stress. The objective was to elucidate the variations in NO₂ reduction capacity and the adaptive mechanisms associated with different vegetation structures. The results demonstrated that, under NO₂ exposure, the NO₂ reduction rate of the tree–shrub–grass mixed community was 56.15 mg·h⁻¹. NO₂ stress inhibited leaf morphogenesis and plant growth. However, the tree–shrub–herbaceous community enhanced its NO₂ tolerance by reallocating photosynthetic products and increasing epidermal thickness, stomatal density, and the compactness of tissue structure, thereby strengthening its mechanical barrier function. The NO₂ reduction rate was positively correlated with parameters such as net photosynthetic rate, stomatal density, leaf width, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance, but negatively correlated with fluorescence and the leaf length-to-width ratio. A comprehensive evaluation based on fuzzy membership functions ranked the NO₂ mitigation and tolerance capacities of plant communities as follows: the tree–shrub–herbaceous community exhibited the strongest capacity for NO₂ reduction and stress tolerance. Thus, in NO₂-polluted areas, priority should be given to establishing tree–shrub–grass composite vegetation structures, whose multidimensional resistance mechanisms provide both a theoretical foundation and a technical pathway for the ecological restoration of urban green spaces. Full article

Infection by Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) profoundly alters the physiology of S. frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), promoting molecular responses that activate genes related to cellular defense. These responses demand substantial energy and lead to feeding dysfunction. Knowledge about the effects of SfMNPV on weight gain and leaf consumption rate is still incipient; in this context, we evaluated the survival rate, weight gain, leaf consumption rate, and body size of S. frugiperda exposed to different concentrations of SfMNPV. A completely randomized design was used in the laboratory. Treatments consisted of SfMNPV from the commercial product Cartugen^®, diluted at different concentrations and applied on a Petri dish: 9.00 × 10³, 1.80 × 10⁴, 3.75 × 10⁴, 7.50 × 10⁴, 1.35 × 10⁵, 2.25 × 10⁵, and 3.75 × 10⁵ occlusion bodies (OBs)/mL. Fifty first-instar larvae were used per treatment. The median lethal concentration was estimated at 1.32 × 10⁵ OBs/mL (95% confidence interval = 1.22 × 10⁵–1.43 × 10⁵ OBs/mL). Nonlinear regression analysis of sublethal effects showed that the expected weight of the control (W₀), the angular parameter (B), and the effective concentration capable of reducing larval weight by 50% (EC₅₀) were 47.40 mg, 1.42, and 1.16 × 10⁴ OBs/mL, respectively. Leaf consumption was inhibited at lower concentrations and increased at higher concentrations among surviving larvae, and larval growth (measured by head diameter, body length, and body width) was lower when larvae were exposed to SfMNPV than in the control. Our data suggest that SfMNPV at low concentrations causes dysfunctions that prevent normal development in surviving individuals, resulting in reduced consumption rate, body growth, and weight gain. Overall, our analysis indicates that the impact of SfMNPV extends beyond mortality; low concentrations can affect larval growth and feeding consumption rate in S. frugiperda. Full article

Inter-turn short-circuit (ITSC) faults in motor drives can induce substantial circulating currents and localized thermal stress, ultimately degrading winding insulation and compromising torque stability. To enhance the operational reliability of open-winding (OW) five-phase fault-tolerant fractional-slot concentrated-winding interior permanent-magnet (FTFSCW-IPM) motor drive systems, this paper proposes a real-time fault-tolerant control strategy that provides current suppression and torque stabilization under ITSC conditions. Upon fault detection, the affected phase is actively isolated and connected to an external dissipative resistor, thereby limiting the fault-phase current and inhibiting further propagation of insulation damage. This reconfiguration allows the drive system to uniformly accommodate both open-circuit (OC) and ITSC scenarios without modification of the underlying control architecture. For OC operation, an equal-amplitude modulation scheme based on carrier-based pulse-width modulation (CPWM) is formulated to preserve the required magnetomotive-force distribution. Under ITSC conditions, a feedforward compensation mechanism is introduced to counteract the disturbance generated by the short-circuit loop. A principal contribution of this work is the derivation of a compensation term that can be estimated online using zero-sequence voltage (ZSV) together with measured phase currents, enabling accurate adaptation across varying ITSC severities. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively suppresses fault-phase current, maintains near-sinusoidal current waveforms in the remaining healthy phases, and stabilizes torque production over a wide range of fault and load conditions. Full article

Intestinal health is critical for nutrient absorption and disease resistance in cultured fish. Yet, the effects of dietary Eucalyptus-derived biochar on the gut of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) remain largely unexplored. This study evaluated whether supplementing diets with Eucalyptus biochar c profiles. In a 56-day feeding trial, M. salmoides were offered a standard diet containing either 0% (control) or graded levels of biochar. Juvenile fish (initial body weight 13.34 g) were randomly distributed into six groups with three replicates each (30 fish per replicate). Six extruded diets were formulated with 0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, or 40.0 g kg⁻¹ of biochar, designated G0 through G5. Biochar had no significant effects on villus length, muscle layer thickness, villus width, or the activities of trypsin, amylase, and lipase, though goblet cell number was significantly higher in G5. mRNA expression of Claudin-3 and IL-10 was significantly upregulated in G1–G4, while IL-1β was significantly downregulated in G4 and G5, and TNF-α expression was reduced in G2 and G3. 16S rDNA sequencing showed increasing trends in the relative abundance of Firmicutes (43% to 49.17%) and Lactococcus (0% to 1.10%) in G3, accompanied by decreases in Proteobacteria and Klebsiella. Metabolomic analysis indicated significant upregulation of taurochenodeoxycholic acid-7-sulfate, apigenin, genistein, baicalein, taurocholic acid-3-sulfate, taurochenodeoxycholic acid-3-sulfate, and arginylmethionine in G3, whereas etoxazole and soyasaponin were significantly reduced. Dietary inclusion of 10 g kg⁻¹ Eucalyptus biochar improved intestinal health in largemouth bass by shaping the gut microbiota, promoting isoflavone biosynthesis and bile acid and amino acid metabolism, inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, and reinforcing the intestinal barrier. Full article

Global climate change has intensified land desertification in the arid and semi-arid regions of northwestern China, highlighting the urgent need to cultivate plant species with ideal architecture and well-developed root systems to combat ecosystem degradation. Amorpha fruticosa is widely used as a windbreak and sand-fixation shrub; however, its rapid growth and high transpiration during the early planting stage often result in excessive water loss, low survival rates, and limited vegetation restoration effectiveness. Plant growth retardants (PGRts) are known to suppress apical dominance and promote branching. In this study, one-year-old A. fruticosa seedlings were treated with different combinations of paclobutrazol (PP₃₃₃) and uniconazole (S₃₃₀₇) to investigate their effects on plant morphology and biomass allocation; it aims to determine the optimal formula for cultivating shrub structures with excellent windbreak and sand-fixation effects in land desertification areas. The results showed that both PP₃₃₃ and S₃₃₀₇ significantly inhibited plant height while promoting basal stem diameter, branching, and root development. Among all treatments, the S₃₃₀₇ 200 mg·L⁻¹ + PP₃₃₃ 200 mg·L⁻¹ combination (SD3) was the most effective, resulting in the greatest increases in basal diameter, branch number, total root length, and root-to-shoot ratio, while significantly reducing height increment, leaf length and leaf area (p < 0.05). Under the S₃₃₀₇ 200 mg·L⁻¹ + PP₃₃₃ 300 mg·L⁻¹ treatment (SD4), leaf width and specific leaf area were reduced by 17.92% and 38.89%, respectively, compared with the control. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive or negative relationships among most growth traits, with leaf length negatively correlated with other morphological indicators. Fresh and dry weights of both aboveground and root tissues were significantly positively correlated with basal diameter (R = 0.38) and branch basal diameter (R = 0.33). Principal component analysis demonstrated that the SD3 treatment achieved the highest comprehensive score (2.91), indicating its superiority in promoting a compact yet robust plant architecture. Overall, the SD3 treatment improved drought resistance and sand-fixation capacity of A. fruticosa by “dwarfing and strengthening plants while optimizing root–shoot allocation.” These findings provide theoretical support for large-scale cultivation and vegetation restoration in arid and semi-arid regions and offer a technical reference for growth regulation and windbreak and sand-fixation capacity in other xerophytic shrub species. Full article