Search Results (798)

Coastal ecological regulation plays a crucial role in coordinating the human–environment system and promotes sustainable development, yet it often imposes constraints on the livelihoods of local farmers. Drawing on questionnaire survey data from Chinese coastal farmers, this study quantifies farmers’ opportunity loss through the expectation function and entropy method. Subsequently, a Multinomial Logit model and Generalized Structural Equation Modeling (GSEM) are employed to systematically investigate the mechanisms through which ecological regulation-induced opportunity loss influences coastal farmers’ livelihood transition between 2013 and 2023. The findings reveal that greater opportunity loss significantly inhibits the fishing households’ livelihood transition, exhibiting a ‘livelihood stickiness’ effect. This inhibitory effect is partially mediated by a narrowing of farmers’ psychological distance from environmental issues. Specifically, social distance, reflecting community attachment and identity, plays a dominant mediating role. Furthermore, regulation intensity significantly amplifies this inhibitory effect. Notably, in the absence of substantive compensation or alternative livelihood support, greater policy publicity further reinforces this inhibitory impact. These findings underscore the need for policy interventions that provide compensation and alternative livelihood support commensurate with farmers’ opportunity loss. Enhancing community participation is also crucial to better reconcile coastal conservation objectives with the sustainable livelihoods of local communities. Full article

Heterotrophic bacteria and microalgae are key regulators of marine biogeochemical cycles. The phycosphere, a nutrient-rich microenvironment surrounding microalgae, serves as a crucial interface for bacterial–algal interactions. Our previous work identified Opacimonas immobilis LMIT016^T, a phycosphere isolate from the diatom Actinocyclus curvatulus that possesses the smallest genome within the Alteromonadaceae family. However, its adaptation mechanisms to the phycosphere remain unclear, particularly given its extensive genome streamlining, a process involving the selective loss of non-essential and energetically costly genes to enhance fitness in nutrient-specific niches. Here, the co-cultivation experiments demonstrated significant mutual growth promotion between LMIT016^T and its host microalgae, with the bacterium forming dense attachments on diatom surfaces. Genomic analysis revealed that in addition to loss of motility-related genes, the strain exhibits a substantial reduction in c-di-GMP signaling components, including both synthases and receptors. Conversely, LMIT016^T harbors numerous genes essential for extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) biosynthesis and adhesion, supporting long-term attachment and biofilm formation. Other retained genes encode pathways for nutrient acquisition, stress response, and phosphate and nitrogen metabolism, reflecting its adaptations to the nutrient-rich phycosphere. Furthermore, the genome of LMIT016^T encodes two polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs) targeting laminarin and α-1,4-glucans, whose functions were experimentally validated by the transcriptional induction of the corresponding carbohydrate-active enzyme genes. These findings indicate that this strain counterbalances genome reduction by enhancing its attachment capabilities and metabolic specialization on algal polysaccharides, potentially facilitating stable association with diatom cells. Our results suggest that genome streamlining may represent an alternative ecological strategy in the phycosphere, highlighting a potential evolutionary trade-off between metabolic efficiency and niche specialization. Full article

Aeolian sand in arid mining regions is highly susceptible to wind erosion, posing serious threats to ecological stability and surface engineering safety. To enhance its resistance, this study applied the microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique and conducted wind tunnel experiments combined with SEM and XRD analyses to examine the effects of cementing solution type and concentration, bacteria-to-cementation-solution ratio (B/C ratio), and spraying volume on the wind erosion behavior of MICP-treated aeolian sand. Results show that the cementing solution type and concentration jointly control erosion resistance. The MgO-based system exhibited the best performance at a B/C ratio of 1:2, reducing erosion loss by 47.2% compared with the CaCl₂ system, while a 1.0 mol/L concentration further decreased loss by 97.4% relative to 0.5 mol/L. Increasing the spraying volume from 0.6 to 1.2 L/m² reduced erosion loss by 70–99%, and a moderate B/C ratio (1:2) ensured balanced microbial activity and uniform CaCO₃ deposition. Microstructural observations confirmed that MICP strengthened the sand through CaCO₃ crystal attachment, pore filling, and interparticle bridging, forming a dense surface crust with enhanced integrity. From a symmetry perspective, the microbially induced mineralization process promotes a more symmetric and spatially uniform distribution of carbonate precipitates at particle contacts and within pore networks. This symmetry-enhanced microstructural organization plays a key role in improving the macroscopic stability and wind erosion resistance of aeolian sand. Overall, MICP improved wind erosion resistance through a coupled biological induction–chemical precipitation–structural reconstruction mechanism, providing a sustainable approach for eco-friendly sand stabilization and wind erosion control in arid mining regions. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Fourth-ventricular epidermoid cysts are rare intracranial lesions. They account for fewer than 1% of all primary brain tumors. Fourth-ventricular epidermoid cysts grow slowly because they are closely related to brainstem, cerebellum, and major blood vessels, so their treatment requires special caution. Because the cyst capsule attaches to functionally sensitive locations, complete removal is usually not possible without compromising some aspect of brain or spinal cord function. Surgical decision-making always involves weighing the need to remove the entire cyst against the potential loss of function of the affected area. The following case study describes how a patient was treated with a focus on the relationship between the cyst and surrounding anatomy, allowing for successful decompression with minimal risk to the patient’s neurologic status. Case Presentation: A young adult female patient was hospitalized with progressive truncal ataxia, disequilibrium and occipital headache accompanied by papilledema. Her physical examination disclosed significant dysfunction of the midline cerebellar region (SARA score = 18/40, ICARS score = 42/100), gaze-evoked nystagmus and bilaterally elevated grade II papilledema. MRI and MRA demonstrated a large, lobulated, nonenhancing, avascular mass located within the fourth ventricle, encroaching upon the dorsal medulla and obstructing both the foramen of Magendie and foramina of Luschka—findings typical of an epidermoid cyst. Microsurgical resection was accomplished via a median suboccipital craniectomy using a telovelar approach along the embryonic cerebellomedullary fissure to protect the integrity of the vermis and brainstem. The cyst contained layers of keratin embedded in a thin, translucent capsule. The capsule was carefully dissected away from the floor of the fourth ventricle. A very narrow band of capsule attached to the rhomboid fossa was intentionally spared to avoid damaging the cranial nerves. The patient had normal cerebrospinal fluid circulation restored and normal ventricular pulsation observed during surgery. Histopathology confirmed a benign epidermoid cyst consisting of keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium containing cholesterol clefts and laminated keratin debris. After surgery, the patient exhibited continuous neurological improvement including restoration of balance, disappearance of her headaches, and normalization of ocular pursuit. Sequential imaging studies were conducted post-operatively at one week, one month, three months, five months, and seven months to document stable decompression of the fourth ventricle, re-expansion of the fourth ventricle, and no evidence of cyst recurrence. Post-operative course was uncomplicated and the patient has remained free of symptoms and fully independent functionally at most recent follow-up. Conclusions: This case illustrates that when anatomically oriented, “maximal safe resection” can result in long-lasting decompression and clinically meaningful improvement in neurological function in patients with fourth-ventricular epidermoid cysts. Restoration of the patient’s natural cerebrospinal fluid pathway and preservation of neural interface relationships is more beneficial than pursuing aggressive removal of the cyst capsule. Although the risk of late recurrence is present even after nearly total removal, continuous radiologic monitoring is necessary to identify any recurrence. These experiences illustrate that with the principles of surgical restraint and anatomical guidance, there can be a balance between long-term stability and low operative risk. Full article

Under the premise of a certain damping layer volume, topological optimization design of its attach shape can enable a pipeline system to achieve optimal damping performance. This paper proposes a topology optimization method for vibration reduction in spatial pipelines with damping layers based on a finite element model. A parametric modeling approach is developed for the clamp-supported spatial pipeline with viscoelastic damping layer, and both clamp-support damping and damping layer material damping are considered. Using the progressive optimization method, an optimization model is established with the modal loss factor of the pipeline system as the objective function, the existence state of each damping layer element as the design variable, and the material volume as the constraint. Further, a case study is conducted. The correctness of the dynamic model is verified by hammer and frequency sweep tests. The optimization results indicate that retaining only 30% of the damping layer volume reduces weight by 70%, while vibration attenuation performance decreases by merely 2.46% compared to the fully coated configuration, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed topology optimization approach. Full article

Biodiversity loss has been one of the most serious environmental issues on local and global scales. Enhancing people’s pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) to conserve biodiversity is crucial. Nature experiences are limited for urban residents, although nature experiences in childhood have been focused on as a key factor promoting PEBs. Therefore, we consider the role of urban parks in improving PEBs for urban residents towards sustainable cities and communities (Sustainable Development Goal 11). This study aims to elucidate the relationships among urban park use, PEBs, environmental attitudes, nature experiences in childhood, affective connections, community attachment, and ecosystem services by structural equation modeling, using survey data (n = 638) we collected from real urban park users in Osaka (Japan) in 2024. We have obtained three significant findings. First, urban park use for enjoying nature could promote PEBs, while nature experiences in childhood do not directly affect PEBs. Second, the effects of urban park use on PEBs begin to work when the frequency of urban park use exceeds around 2.2 days per week. Third, the perception of ecosystem services does not promote PEBs. We provide discussions concerning policy measures to increase urban park use based on the results. Note that the collected data may be potentially biased toward frequent park users. Full article

This study addresses the problem of correcting systematic errors in classical cascade object detectors under severe data scarcity and distribution shift. We focus on the widely used Viola–Jones framework enhanced with a modified Census transform and propose a modular “corrector” architecture that can be attached to an existing detector without retraining it. The key idea is to exploit the blessing of dimensionality: high-dimensional feature vectors constructed from multiple cascade stages are transformed by PCA and whitening into a space where simple linear Fisher discriminants can reliably separate rare error patterns from normal operation using only a few labeled examples. This study presents a novel algorithm designed to correct the outputs of object detectors constructed using the Viola–Jones framework enhanced with a modified census transform. The proposed method introduces several improvements addressing error correction and robustness in data-limited conditions. The approach involves image partitioning through a sliding window of fixed aspect ratio and a modified census transform in which pixel intensity is compared to the mean value within a rectangular neighborhood. Training samples for false negative and false positive correctors are selected using dual Intersection-over-Union (IoU) thresholds and probabilistic sampling of true positive and true negative fragments. Corrector models are trained based on the principles of high-dimensional separability within the paradigm of one- and few-shot learning, utilizing features derived from cascade stages of the detector. Decision boundaries are optimized using Fisher’s rule, with adaptive thresholding to guarantee zero false acceptance. Experimental results indicate that the proposed correction scheme enhances object detection accuracy by effectively compensating for classifier errors, particularly under conditions of scarce training data. On two railway image datasets with only about one thousand images each, the proposed correctors increase Precision from 0.36 to 0.65 on identifier detection while maintaining high Recall (0.98 → 0.94), and improve digit detection Recall from 0.94 to 0.98 with negligible loss in Precision (0.92 → 0.91). These results demonstrate that even under scarce training data, high-dimensional feature separation enables effective one-/few-shot error correction for cascade detectors with minimal computational overhead. Full article

Background/Objectives: Air-polishing has become, in recent years, a very popular additional tool to subgingival debridement for treating periodontal disease. Vitamin D₃ plays a crucial role in bone metabolism and calcium-phosphate homeostasis. The aim of our retrospective study was to determine the additional effect of subgingival air-polishing with two types of powders (glycine and erythritol) on patients with different stages of periodontitis and low serum levels of Vitamin D₃. Methods: We collected and analysed the data of 62 patients (demographics, vitamin D₃ levels, plaque index, periodontal probing depth, bleeding on probing, clinical attachment loss, periodontitis stage and type of air-polishing powder) used during periodontal therapy. Results: We did not observe a significant correlation between periodontal status and vitamin D₃ levels/status (mean Vitamin D₃ levels: Stage I—20.19 ± 4.413 ng/mL; Stage II—19.482 ± 3.814 ng/mL; Stage III—17.681 ± 5.869 ng/mL; Stage IV—17.578 ± 5.94 ng/mL; and p = 0.539), nor did we find any significant differences in clinical outcomes when using glycine or erythritol in addition to scaling and root planning (SRP) at 3 months after treatment (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: The discrete association between lower levels of vitamin D₃ and more advanced stages of periodontitis could suggest a possible influence of vitamin D₃ insufficiency on periodontal disease progression. Although safe, easy to use and comfortable for patients, glycine and erythritol showed no differences in periodontal clinical parameters when compared as an addition to SRP. Full article

Orthodontic implants (OIs) are endosseous devices designed to provide stable skeletal anchorage in orthodontic treatment. A variety of terms have been proposed for these devices; however, such terminology may lead to OIs being confused with conventional dental implants. Therefore, the similarities and distinctions between OIs and dental implants will be examined in this research. Three representative clinical cases will be presented, illustrating the application of OIs for mandibular incisor teeth lingualizations, distalization of a maxillary canine tooth, and palatal flap protection for palatoschizis closure in a cat, describing a custom-made protection shield held in place with four OIs. This article will cover the criteria for OI selection, the determination of optimal insertion sites, and the placement technique. Given that a key prerequisite for a successful outcome is primary stability, several complications may occur such as local inflammation, injury to adjacent anatomical structures, implant fracture, loss of stability, or challenges in attaching elastic chains due to interference from surrounding soft tissues. The prevention and management of such complications will be addressed. Full article

The S11D mining complex in Brazil, situated in Pará state, extracts 20 million tons of iron each quarter. Connecting via a standard 802.11b/g/n wireless network is crucial for mine operations across vast distances. A local team employs a network monitoring tool called the Ekahau Site Survey to guarantee the proper functioning of the network. However, due to the harsh terrain and the dangerous nature of S11D operations, this tool fails to gather data from all points of interest, resulting in interpolated maps that may not accurately represent the network’s overall quality. In this work, we propose a platform that can be attached to mobile machines during operations to automatically collect network parameters, such as channelization, RSSI, latency, packet loss, and bandwidth, without requiring human intervention. Using these network data, we generate an RSSI map using Kriging, which the local team can use. Comparison tests conducted in the laboratory and the field demonstrate that the platform performs similarly to Ekahau in capturing network parameters, ensuring its use in day-to-day operations for mapping. Full article

Background: Periodontitis is associated with systemic inflammation; however, the relationship between disease severity and systemic inflammatory biomarkers remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between periodontitis stage and grade with systemic levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and assess changes following standardized non-surgical periodontal therapy. Methods: Patient records from the University Dentistry Clinical Center of Kosovo were reviewed. Periodontitis was classified using the 2018 staging and grading system. Periodontal parameters (probing pocket depth, clinical attachment loss, bleeding on probing, plaque index, and gingival index) were assessed at six sites per tooth (excluding third molars). Serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and high-sensitivity CRP were measured before and after therapy using high-sensitivity ELISA. Blood samples were centrifuged, and serum was stored at −20 °C. All patients underwent standardized non-surgical periodontal therapy, including full-mouth scaling and root planning, without systemic antibiotics. Data were analyzed using SPSS v22.0. Results: Among the patients, 28.0% had Stage I–II, 40.0% Stage III, and 32.0% Stage IV periodontitis; 29.3% were Grade A, 45.3% Grade B, and 25.3% Grade C. At baseline, all systemic inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) were significantly higher in periodontitis patients compared with the control group, indicating an increased systemic inflammatory burden before therapy. After therapy, significant reductions in CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were observed across all stages and grades (all p < 0.01), indicating a decrease in systemic inflammatory burden. Conclusions: Non-surgical periodontal therapy significantly lowers systemic inflammatory biomarkers regardless of periodontitis severity, supporting their role as indicators of disease activity and treatment response. Full article

In coastal pumping stations, the intake sump geometry strongly affects flow uniformity, hydraulic loss, and vortex formation. This study establishes an Isight-based automated simulation and optimization framework for an axial-flow pump with a closed-type intake to clarify the influence of bellmouth diameter and clearance height on sump hydraulics. A Radial Basis Function surrogate model combined with the NonLinear Programming by Quadratic Lagrangian (NLPQL) was employed to minimize hydraulic loss and improve flow uniformity. The results show that hydraulic loss first decreases and then increases with bellmouth diameter, whereas velocity uniformity and the mean inflow angle exhibit nonlinear variations with clearance height. The optimal configuration increases efficiency by 3.82% and the velocity uniformity by 1.62% compared with the baseline. Helicity density and the Ω-criterion were used to identify vortex structures, revealing that small clearances intensify bottom and wall-attached vortices, whereas larger clearances promote symmetric inflow. An improved tangential-velocity method based on iso-vorticity contours effectively captured near-wall vortex dynamics. These findings provide theoretical support for achieving low head loss, stable inflow, and controlled vortex behavior in axial-flow pump intake systems. Full article

In Europe, there is a growing interest in crop spraying using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, drones), although current legislation imposes significant limitations on this technique. Spraying of orchard crops with drones remains particularly challenging due to the risks of spray drift and insufficient deposition uniformity. This study evaluated spray deposition within tree canopies (in two application terms), airborne and sediment drift losses, and contamination of the spraying equipment. The performance of a medium-sized drone (ABZ Innovation L10, maximum take-off weight 29 kg) was compared at flight speeds of 1.8, 2.7, and 3.6 m·s⁻¹ with that of a conventional orchard sprayer (Munckhof axial sprayer with column attachment, operating at 1.7 m·s⁻¹). A fluorescent tracer (BF7G, 1200 g·ha⁻¹) was used in all trials, with spray volume rates of 27 or 40 L·ha⁻¹ for the drone and 400 L·ha⁻¹ for the sprayer. In most cases, deposition within the tree canopy was significantly lower for the drone. Poor uniformity of spray distribution was observed, especially between the upper and lower surfaces of collector plates with attached filter papers and between the top and bottom canopy zones. Airborne drift increased significantly with higher drone flight speeds, while sediment drift decreased. At 1.8 m·s⁻¹, both drift types were comparable to those from the conventional sprayer. Drone surface contamination was several times lower than that of the ground sprayer, even when accounting for differences in equipment surface area. Full article

Background/Objectives: Periodontal diseases are highly prevalent worldwide, causing progressive destruction of the alveolar bone and eventual tooth loss when not treated. Despite advances in conventional periodontal therapies, complete tissue regeneration remains limited. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and clinical relevance of stem cell-based tissue engineering approaches for regeneration of periodontal bone lesions. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across multiple databases, resulting in the inclusion of 17 studies in humans that met predefined PICO criteria. The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD420251229271). These studies assessed various stem cell sources, including dental and bone marrow-derived cells among others, both on their own and in combination with scaffolds or growth factors. Results: Most studies reported favorable outcomes in terms of clinical attachment gain, radiographic bone fill, probing depth reduction, and implant stability. No major adverse effects were noted, indicating good safety. However, results varied based on cell type, culture protocols, and defect characteristics. Conclusions: Stem cell therapy shows strong potential for periodontal regeneration, with outcomes that may potentially surpass those of conventional methods in selected cases. Further standardization, cost reduction, and long-term clinical trials are essential to confirm these findings and support their integration into daily dental practice. Full article

Biomolecules have gained attention in recent years for their potential to enhance regenerative periodontal therapy. This study compared hyaluronic acid (HA) and enamel matrix derivative (EMD), each combined with a xenogeneic graft, in adults with periodontitis presenting vertical bone loss with an intrabony component ≥3 mm. Seventeen participants contributed 28 defects, assigned in equal numbers to Bio-Oss Collagen^® plus HA gel (hyaDENT BG^®) or Bio-Oss Collagen^® plus EMD (Emdogain^®). Outcomes included reduction in probing pocket depth (PPD), gain in clinical attachment level (CAL), and radiographic measures of residual defect and bone fill, assessed at baseline and 6 months after the surgery. Both approaches produced significant within-group improvements in PPD, CAL, and radiographic bone fill (all p = 0.001). Postoperative values and mean changes did not differ significantly between groups (all p > 0.24). Within the limitations of this small, non-randomized study, the findings indicate that HA gel can achieve clinical and radiographic outcomes comparable to EMD when both are used with a xenogeneic scaffold. These results should be considered preliminary, suggesting that HA may represent a practical and biologically compatible alternative to EMD, particularly in cases where cost, availability, or religious considerations limit its use. Confirmation through larger, randomized, and long-term studies is warranted to validate these observations. Full article