Search Results (40,365)

Wood coatings play a critical role in protecting wood substrates from environmental degradation, particularly ultraviolet (UV)-induced photodegradation. This review comprehensively examines the mechanisms of wood coating photodegradation, the factors influencing their durability, and current anti-aging strategies. Photodegradation arises from polymer chain scission, chemical structure reorganization, and photo-oxidation of lignin and cellulose, leading to coating chalking, cracking, gloss loss, and color changes, ultimately compromising wood mechanical properties and service life. Key anti-aging strategies include UV absorbers, which convert harmful UV radiation into heat; hindered amine light stabilizers (HALSs) that capture free radicals and quench excited-state molecules; barrier and shielding materials that form dense physical or nanostructured networks to block UV penetration and enhance mechanical and water resistance; and antioxidants that neutralize free radicals or decompose peroxides at the molecular level. Each approach can be employed individually or synergistically to enhance coating durability. Challenges remain in achieving long-term outdoor stability, balancing transparency and UV shielding, optimizing nanoparticle dispersion, and maintaining the activity of natural antioxidants. Future research should focus on multifunctional composite coatings integrating bio-based materials and nanotechnology, smart responsive systems, adaptive protection mechanisms, and standardized long-term evaluation protocols. These advancements will facilitate the development of high-performance, sustainable wood coatings and promote the value-added utilization of wood resources. Full article

Purpose: Obesity, characterized by abnormal fat accumulation with comorbidities, continues to increase dramatically, particularly in the pediatric population. Identifying the environmental and genetic causes underlying the development of obesity during early childhood is crucial for establishing preventive and protective treatments for this complex disease. We aimed to investigate genetic variants related to non-syndromic early-onset childhood obesity. Methods: Whole-exome sequencing was performed in three independent consanguineous families with obesity, including three index cases and two additional affected siblings. Non-synonymous variants with minor allele frequency < 0.01 in all normal populations were filtered using the Genomize-SEQ Platform. Variant confirmations and familial segregations were analyzed by Sanger sequencing. Results: WES revealed a shared ATXN3 gene variant and two known variants of the SH2B1 and ADIPOQ genes, which were reported to be associated with obesity. Additionally, five heterozygous novel gene variants of the ANKK1, NEGR1, OGDH, ABCB1, and GSK3B genes were identified, which are predicted to cause excessive fat accumulation and disruption of energy balance in individuals. Conclusions: We suggest that the cumulative effects of all obesity-associated detected variants lead to the early-onset obesity phenotype observed in individuals. Hence, periodic follow-up and treatment opportunities are recommended for index cases, alongside the adoption of a more active lifestyle and healthy nutrition practices. Full article

Cathodic electrodeposition of copper on molybdenum and stainless-steel substrates has been investigated with the aim of examining their potential to produce thin copper foils (TCFs). Copper in the form of a thin film was electrodeposited galvanostatically from the acidic sulfate electrolyte without and with an addition of suppressor/activator additives, such as chloride ions, polyethylene glycol 6000 and 3–mercapto–1–propanesulfonic acid. The cathodes and electrodeposited Cu films were characterized by SEM, AFM, and XRD techniques, while the adhesion of Cu films, as a crucial parameter in the production of Cu foils, was estimated by a lab-made prototype of a bending test machine made by applying additive technology. The adhesion parameter named “critical cycle number” (n_c), which defines the minimal number of cycles leading to a delamination (separation) of the film from the cathode was used for assessing the adhesion features of the films. The easiest delamination, i.e., the smallest n_c, showed nanocrystalline films obtained with the addition of all additives, whereupon the values were significantly smaller than the values obtained for microcrystalline films obtained without and with a partial combination of the additives. The easy delamination of the nanocrystalline films indicated that both substrates have a high potential for application in the production of TCFs. Full article

Special economic zones (SEZs) are widely used to stimulate investment, employment, and industrial growth. Yet their contribution to sustainable regional development remains poorly measured. This is especially true in Kazakhstan, where zone-level assessment is largely absent from regional planning frameworks. This study addresses that gap. We construct a Regional Sustainable Development Index (RSDI) that integrates economic, social, and environmental indicators across nine Kazakhstani regions hosting active SEZs. Economic performance alone gives an incomplete picture. Omitting social and environmental dimensions distorts policy conclusions and masks structural imbalances. Our results reveal sharp differentiation across regions. In the Atyrau region, high investment volumes correspond closely with sustainability gains. This suggests structural coherence between zone operations and broader regional outcomes. The Pavlodar region presents a contrasting case. There, the leading driver of sustainability performance is not investment volume but the reduction of environmental pollution. This finding underscores why disaggregating sustainability components matters—the composite index alone is not sufficient. A comparison against official target indicators identifies both achievements and systematic shortfalls. Investment and employment targets are frequently decoupled: capital attraction does not reliably generate proportional job creation. The social dimension remains the weakest across most zones. Environmental governance shows formal recognition but limited implementation. The RSDI framework offers a practical diagnostic tool for public authorities. It makes imbalances visible before they become entrenched. Beyond Kazakhstan, the index provides a transferable instrument for resource-dependent emerging economies seeking to embed sustainability criteria into SEZ governance and regional planning. Full article

Long-term continuous cropping often leads to soil-borne pathogen enrichment, and reducing pathogen abundance in continuously cropped soils is an important control measure. In this study, three rotation crops—carrot (C), garlic (G), and bok choy (B)—were introduced into potato pathogen-infested soils. The effects of different systems on pathogen abundance, soil physicochemical properties, and soil microbial abundance were investigated to preliminarily clarify mechanisms by which crop rotation suppressed pathogen enrichment. The results showed that all rotation systems significantly reduced soil pathogen abundance (Fusarium oxysporum, Fo). Among the rotation systems, carrot rotation achieved the greatest Fo reduction and exhibited the strongest increase in soil pH, followed by garlic rotation, while bok choy rotation had the weakest effect. Carrot rotation significantly increased soil bacterial abundance over other treatments. Moreover, crop rotation effectively suppressed soil pathogen enrichment by increasing soil pH and bacterial abundance. Importantly, carrot rotation enhanced soil pathogen-suppressive enzyme activities and the abundance of antagonistic bacteria in the soil. In contrast, garlic root exudates directly inhibited the pathogen, while bok choy and carrot root exudates promoted pathogen growth. These findings demonstrated different rotation crops exhibit distinct pathogen suppression mechanisms. Carrot rotation may indirectly suppress soil pathogen enrichment by increasing the abundance of antagonistic bacteria and enhancing antifungal enzymes, whereas garlic rotation may directly inhibit the pathogen via root exudates. This study provides practical guidance for growers to select optimal rotation crops and design rational continuous cropping systems. Full article

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease, with advanced stages potentially progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma. It is a multifactorial condition associated with metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and hormonal imbalance, leading to metabolic alterations that are intensified by inflammation. An important additional factor that amplifies these effects is oxidative stress, which interacts with inflammatory pathways and contributes to disease progression. This review evaluates evidence from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies on widely investigated natural compounds, including cinnamic acid, stilbene and quinone derivatives, coumarinoids, tannins, and miscellaneous phenol-containing compounds and alkaloids, focusing on their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and multi-functional properties. These compounds have demonstrated beneficial effects such as reduction of lipid accumulation, improvement of insulin resistance, modulation of inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6), and attenuation of oxidative stress markers, with several studies reporting improvements in liver enzymes and histological features of steatosis. The aim is to assess their potential to improve NAFLD beyond their established biological activities and to explore their repositioning potential as multi-targeted agents for complementary or second-line therapeutic strategies. Their plant-derived origin and broad therapeutic profiles suggest a favorable safety margin. However, further well-designed clinical studies are required to better define their efficacy, optimal dosing, pharmacokinetics and safety, as well as to clarify their mechanisms of action and their potential role in NAFLD management. Full article

Globally, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have risen dramatically due to accelerated industrialization, excessive fossil fuel extraction, and agricultural activities, leading to global warming and ecosystem collapse. Achieving net-zero carbon emissions has therefore become a crucial global priority. Despite substantial international efforts, only a small number of countries have achieved carbon neutrality so far, with the majority aiming to do so by 2050 or 2060. Progress remains hindered by fragmented international coordination and inadequate integration of mitigation and adaptation co-benefits. However, agriculture is a major carbon emitter with significant mitigation potential. Attaining local carbon neutrality in agricultural landscapes is highly costly and strongly impacted by the spatial heterogeneity of GHG emissions and the diversity of available mitigation possibilities. This sector remains a major contributor to methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, mainly through enteric fermentation and fertilizer use, and thus must be prioritized in global carbon neutrality strategies. Tactics such as improved livestock management, reduced use of synthetic fertilizers, conservation agriculture, afforestation, and renewable energy adoption can reduce emissions. These technical approaches should be supported by effective policy instruments, like carbon taxes, cap-and-trade schemes, low-carbon practice subsidies, and regulatory frameworks. Together, these measures can enable a transition toward long-term sustainability in agriculture by balancing emissions with removals through enhanced carbon sinks and credible offset mechanisms. Full article

The Source Region of the Yangtze River is a high-altitude area with extensive permafrost on the Tibetan Plateau. While temperature, precipitation, and radiation significantly affect vegetation phenology, the influence of permafrost changes remains unclear. Using the daily Long-term Seamless NOAA AVHRR NDVI Dataset of China (2003–2022), we extracted the start (SOS) and end (EOS) of the growing season in the Source Region of the Yangtze River (SRYR). Soil thawing date (SOT) was obtained from freeze–thaw state products, while active layer thickness (ALT) was estimated using the Stefan model based on MODIS land surface temperature (LST). Partial least squares regression and mediation analysis quantified the direct and indirect effects of permafrost degradation. Results show: (1) The end of the growing season (EOS) became significantly earlier in 64.33% of the region, while the start of the growing season (SOS) showed little change. (2) The effect of SOT on SOS depends on moisture conditions. Earlier SOT leads to earlier SOS in wetter areas by supplying meltwater, but delays SOS in cold–dry areas by increasing soil water loss. (3) Thicker ALT strongly promotes earlier EOS, accounting for up to 42.61% of EOS variation in cold–dry zones, because a deeper active layer potentially promotes downward movement of water, which may further lead to the potential leaching of nutrients from the shallow root zone, limiting resources for shallow-rooted plants. (4) Alpine meadows respond more strongly to permafrost changes than alpine grasslands. Overall, water loss caused by permafrost degradation may reduce the potential lengthening of the growing season under climate warming, highlighting the key role of soil water in linking permafrost and vegetation dynamics. Full article

Tick-borne diseases pose a significant threat to global cattle production, with species displacement between ticks compounding this issue. This narrative review synthesises the literature to examine the drivers behind the expansion of the invasive Rhipicephalus microplus and its displacement of the native Rhipicephalus decoloratus in Southern Africa. We analysed the biological, ecological, environmental, and anthropogenic factors by reviewing existing scientific studies and reports. Our findings indicate that R. microplus possesses a competitive advantage due to its shorter life cycle, higher reproductive output, and greater acaricide resistance. Furthermore, anthropogenic activities such as communal grazing practices, unregulated livestock movement, and land-use changes facilitate the spread of this parasite. Climate change and vegetation shifts also create more favourable habitats for this invasive species. The conclusion is that the displacement of R. decoloratus by R. microplus intensifies the burden of tick-borne diseases, leading to substantial economic losses. Effective mitigation requires an integrated tick management approach that combines chemical, biological, and ecological strategies, supported by improved surveillance and farmer education. Full article

Enriching honey with plant additives allows for increasing its antioxidant potential in an additive-dependent manner and at the same time shaping new sensory properties, increasing consumer acceptability. Known spices and by-products from fruit processing can also be used to produce such additives. Combined dry extracts of clove buds and mandarin peels were used to enrich antioxidant properties and to flavor rapeseed honey. Four different extracts combining both raw products were produced by ultrasound-assisted extraction using 50% vol. ethanol and converted into powder by vacuum concentration followed by lyophilization. The obtained extracts were evaluated for antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH assays) as well as total polyphenols content. Phenolic HPLC-DAD profiles were compared and selected polyphenols (syringic acid, ellagic acid, hesperidin and eugenol) were quantified. The dry extracts were incorporated into rapeseed honey (0.25% w/w) during the creaming process. No significant changes in color and texture were visually noted; whereas, some changes (p < 0.05) in titrable acidity and electrical conductivity were observed. A significant increase (p < 0.05) in antioxidant activity (from 4 to 6-fold) and the beneficial enrichment with well-known bioactive compounds (mainly eugenol and hesperidin) was observed for all produced flavored honeys. Moreover, tested properties of the enriched honeys remained stable during 6 months of storage. The two honeys with the most improved antioxidant activity showed better sensory characteristics and consumer acceptability compared to pure rapeseed honey, but slight extract type-dependent differences were noted. It was shown that the proposed sustainable technological process using waste mandarin peels can lead to the development of a new product referred to as “plant-enriched honey” with increased health-promoting value belonging to the functional food segment. Full article

To improve the visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation efficiency of g-C₃N₄-based photocatalysts toward organic pollutants, a MoS₂/g-C₃N₄ composite precursor was employed in this work, and the phase composition and defect environment of Mo species were regulated by post-annealing under air and N₂ atmospheres, respectively, thereby constructing Mo-based/g-C₃N₄ (MCN) composites with distinct structural evolution characteristics. The results showed that the photocatalytic activity of the as-sonicated MCN composite toward methylene blue (MB) was only moderately improved, among which the 15% loading sample exhibited the best performance with a degradation efficiency of about 42.0% within 60 min. In contrast, annealing at 400 °C under N₂ resulted in only a slight activity change, whereas the sample treated at 400 °C in air (Air-15% MCN) achieved an MB degradation efficiency of 99.9% within 60 min, together with a much higher pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant than that of the air-treated sample at a lower temperature. XRD, FT-IR and XPS analyses revealed that air annealing induced the conversion of MoS₂ into highly crystalline MoO₃ (or MoO₃₋_x), leading to the formation of a reconstructed MoO₃₋_x/g-C₃N₄ composite interface. Meanwhile, the increased high-binding-energy component in the O 1s spectrum and the EPR signal around g ≈ 2.00 further suggested the presence of more abundant defect-related centers in the air-treated sample. Although Air-15% MCN possessed a lower specific surface area than the untreated and N₂-treated samples, it displayed enhanced visible-light absorption, higher transient photocurrent response, lower interfacial charge-transfer resistance, and accelerated carrier dynamics, indicating that the activity enhancement mainly originated from atmosphere-induced phase transformation, interfacial reconstruction, defect-related active centers, and improved charge separation/transfer, rather than from the surface area effect. Based on the above results, a possible interfacial charge-transfer pathway is tentatively proposed for the g-C₃N₄/MoO₃₋_x interface formed after air treatment, which contributes to the efficient utilization of photogenerated carriers and the rapid degradation of MB. This work demonstrates that atmosphere-induced phase transformation is a simple and effective strategy for regulating the structure and photocatalytic performance of Mo-based/g-C₃N₄ composites, and provides useful guidance for the design of efficient visible-light photocatalysts. Full article

Background: Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Discovery of small molecules as anticancer agents is an active area of research, as these molecules possess the remarkable ability to interact with specific targets within cancer cells. Objectives: In vitro anticancer activity of six hit derivatives from a series of 2-phenyl-substituted 4-amino–6, 7-dihydro-5H-cyclopenta[d]pyrimidines was tested against human cancer cell lines, viz., A549 (human lung cancer) and A431 (human skin cancer). Methods: Cytotoxicity was evaluated for six hits by the standard MTT assay. Further, their effect on clonogenic potential and cell cycle was tested using colony forming assay and flow cytometric analysis, respectively. Apoptosis-inducing potential was confirmed using Caspase-3/7 Glo assay and detection of cleaved caspase-3 by immunofluorescence. The effect on cell migration was tested using a wound healing assay. Target analysis, Molecular docking and ADMET simulations were performed to identify molecular targets, interactions and assess pharmacokinetic profiles. Results: Specific derivatives showed good to moderate cytotoxicity against A549 and A431 (with average IC50 in the range of ~30 µM), and these hits led to apoptosis and G1 arrest in these cell lines, respectively. Furthermore, identified hits inhibited cell migration in A549 cells. Computational consensus target analysis identified EGFR and CDK2 as high-confidence targets. Docking studies indicated favorable interactions and stability, whereas the ADMET analysis confirmed the drug-likeness and optimal pharmacokinetic and safety profiles of the small molecules. Conclusions: Our current study demonstrates the anticancer potential of novel pyrimidine derivatives. We envisage the use of these small molecules as promising anticancer agents, particularly in skin and non-small cell lung cancer. Full article

With growing health awareness and an increasing preference for indoor exercise among the elderly, the demand for community indoor activity spaces is rising in the northern regions of China with cold winters and hot summers. While previous community studies have primarily focused on residential buildings, limited attention has been given to indoor activity spaces for the elderly. Moreover, field measurements expose critical thermal deficiencies in these spaces, where indoor temperatures remain substandard in both winter and summer, particularly falling substantially below the WHO health-based threshold (≥18 °C) in winter. Recognizing that transitional spaces are effective for improving indoor thermal conditions, this study explored their potential to enhance the indoor thermal environment, leading to targeted retrofitting schemes. The results showed that although additional transitional spaces effectively enhance the thermal performance, the strategies for winter and summer often conflict. Specifically, enclosed transitional spaces are effective for winter insulation but are prone to overheating in summer, whereas semi-outdoor configurations on the south and west facades are beneficial for summer heat prevention. Based on these findings, optimal retrofitting schemes were identified: for Site A, the existing interior corridor is transformed into a semi-outdoor transitional space; for Site B, an Adaptive Façade system is proposed for the south façade. Furthermore, despite the passive benefits, auxiliary HVAC systems remain necessary to maintain temperatures strictly within the comfort range during extreme weather. This study provides a scientific basis for research on transition spaces and offers a reference for retrofitting buildings in similar climatic regions. Full article

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is the pathogen responsible for porcine epidemic diarrhea, causing significant economic losses to the swine industry. During the replication of PEDV, the genome mutates rapidly, making the effectiveness of commercial vaccines uncertain when facing newly emerging prevalent variants. More importantly, there are currently no safe and effective specific antiviral drugs available. YT1418, a pyrido[1,2-c]pyrimidin-1-one (PPO) compound, exhibited anti-PEDV activity in a previous study. To expand the chemical space of the PPO scaffold and clarify the influence of substituents at different positions on the antiviral activity of the compounds, 36 new compounds were designed and synthesized, and then their abilities to inhibit viral replication in a PEDV-infected cell model were evaluated. Furthermore, the hepatic microsomal metabolic stabilities of compounds with potent antiviral activity were assessed. The results showed that compounds N1 and N2 exhibited antiviral activity (EC₅₀ = 0.32, 0.37 μM, respectively) superior to that of YT1418, with selective index values of 43.78 and 42.89, respectively. Meanwhile, compound J4 demonstrated good hepatic microsomal stability and low cytotoxicity, which requires further investigation. This study identified lead compounds featuring a novel PPO core and established their structure–activity relationships, providing important insights for the development of anti-PEDV drugs. Full article

It is known that a significant portion of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions originate from concrete production. However, construction and demolition activities result in a considerable amount of construction and demolition waste (CDW). The proper recycling of CDW is important in terms of conserving natural resources and ensuring sustainability. A significant amount of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is obtained from the recycling of CDW. Many researchers have contributed to reducing carbon emissions by conducting studies on RCA. However, the fact that recycled aggregates (RAs) are obtained from different construction wastes is the biggest obstacle to generalizing the studies in the literature. This study aims to identify machine learning (ML) models that can reliably predict the compressive strength of concrete produced with recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) and to evaluate the impacts of their use. In this study, keywords (15) obtained from articles (7953) selected from Web of Science were searched in the Scopus database. The selected studies (397) were analyzed using VOSviewer (version 1.6.20) software to identify leading institutions, countries, authors, sources, fields, gaps, challenges, and trends related to the use of recycled aggregate in concrete. This study not only has a theoretical structure but also makes a significant contribution to the literature by offering practical recommendations for field applications. This is the most important feature that distinguishes this study from other research. This study also promotes the use of RAs in concrete to reduce CO₂ emissions and encourages its sustainable use in the construction sector. Full article