Search Results (77)

Recent studies in the Romanian Western Carpathians have revealed increasing socio-demographic fragility in rural areas and small towns, driven by depopulation, population aging, and declining living standards. These trends stem from the legacy of forced collectivization and industrialization (1950–1990) and the post-1990 transition, which triggered extensive out-migration and the erosion of local socio-economic structures. This study examines the fragility of human communities in the Trascău Mountains in order to evaluate spatial, demographic, and economic recovery dynamics and to assess settlement vulnerability as a major obstacle to sustainable regional development. Fragility was measured using indicators of population density and change, age structure, accessibility, and socio-demographic dynamics, based on comparative data for the interval of 1977–2021. These variables were integrated into a composite development index (Id), derived from twelve indicators covering demography, economy, infrastructure, and living standards, enabling the hierarchical classification of settlements by degree of vulnerability. The methodological framework combines empirical and analytical methods, statistical, cartographic, bibliographic, and field-based analyses within evolutionary, structural–functional, and typological perspectives. The results identify the main drivers of decline, quantify their impacts, and outline development prospects and policy directions for reducing territorial disparities. Overall, fragile settlements emerge as critical pressure points that undermine sustainability, intensify regional instability, and increase risks related to migration and social cohesion. Full article

High rock slopes are extensively distributed in areas of major engineering constructions, such as transportation infrastructure, hydraulic projects, and mining operations. The stability and failure evolution mechanism during their multi-stage excavation process have consistently been a crucial research topic in geotechnical engineering. In this paper, a series of two-dimensional rock slope models, incorporating various combinations of slope height and slope angle, were established utilizing the Discrete Element Method (DEM) software PFC2D. This systematic investigation delves into the meso-mechanical response of the slopes during multi-stage excavation. The Parallel Bond Model (PBM) was employed to simulate the contact and fracture behavior between particles. Parameter calibration was performed to ensure that the simulation results align with the actual mechanical properties of the rock mass. The research primarily focuses on analyzing the evolution of displacement, the failure modes, and the changing characteristics of the force chain structure under different geometric conditions. The results indicate that as both the slope height and slope angle increase, the inter-particle deformation of the slope intensifies significantly, and the shear band progressively extends deeper into the slope mass. The failure mode transitions from shallow localized sliding to deep-seated overall failure. Prior to instability, the force chain system exhibits an evolutionary pattern characterized by “bundling–reconfiguration–fracturing,” serving as a critical indicator for characterizing the micro-scale failure mechanism of the slope body. Full article

This study develops a value co-creation-oriented analytical framework to evaluate the performance and evolutionary dynamics of China’s national-level quality policies from 1979 to 2023. A comprehensive categorization and scoring system is established to measure policy intensity, coordination, and comprehensiveness. Policy texts are systematically coded through content analysis, and indicator weights are determined using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The resulting composite effect values are further analyzed through punctuated-equilibrium testing, breakpoint analysis, and a Vector Autoregression (VAR) model to estimate the temporal lag of policy implementation. Based on 10,962 policy documents retrieved from the Peking University Law Database, the results reveal clear evolutionary stages and cyclical upward trends in policy performance since the reform and opening-up, while the insufficient supply of demand-side policies remains a long-term structural weakness. The overall evolution path shows a transition from unilateral government provision centered on public value to dual government–market regulation driven by mixed commercial value, and finally toward pluralistic quality governance under value co-creation. Empirical evidence also indicates that quality policies act as short-term stimulus instruments that generate positive but sectorally differentiated effects across the three major industries. These findings highlight the need to expand policy coverage, enhance coordination and comprehensiveness, and rebalance the supply structure. Strengthening short-term stimulus effects while promoting inclusive, co-governed, and sustainable quality policy systems can further improve long-term effectiveness and provide useful insights for international discussions on value co-creation-based governance. Full article

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotype SAT3 is a rarely studied serotype primarily circulating in southern Africa, with African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) serving as its key reservoir. In this study, we performed a comprehensive phylogenetic and phylodynamic analysis of SAT3 based on 81 full-length VP1 gene sequences collected between 1934 and 2018. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses revealed five distinct topotypes, each with clear geographic and host associations. Notably, topotypes I, II and III were observed in both African buffalo and cattle (Bos taurus), while topotype IV appeared restricted to African buffalo. Likelihood mapping indicated moderate to strong phylogenetic signal, and the mean substitution rate was estimated at 3.709 × 10⁻³ substitutions/site/year under a relaxed molecular clock. The time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) was traced back to 1875. Discrete phylogeographic reconstruction identified Zimbabwe as a major center, with multiple supported cross-border transmission routes. Host transition analysis further confirmed strong directional flow from buffalo to cattle (BF = 1631.09, pp = 1.0), highlighting the wildlife–livestock interface as a key driver of SAT3 persistence. Together, these results underscore the evolutionary complexity of SAT3 and the importance of integrating molecular epidemiology, spatial modeling, and host ecology to inform FMD control strategies in endemic regions. Full article

Grape (Vitis vinifera spp.) accessions exhibit rich diversity, and understanding their genetic variation and evolutionary relationships is crucial for cultivar selection and utilization. A highly representative SNP marker set was developed in this study based on re-sequencing data analysis, to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among 96 grape accessions and to evaluate the genetic resolution of core markers. Using PN40024 as the reference genome, high-quality SNP loci were screened from resequencing data of the 96 accessions. A phylogenetic tree was constructed, and genetic diversity was analyzed using PCA and population structure analysis. The results showed that the 96 accessions were mainly divided into four groups: European (‘Merlot’, ‘Chardonnay’), American (‘Beta’, ‘Concord’), Euro-American hybrids (‘Vidal’, ‘Miguang’), and wild populations along with their hybrid progeny (‘Zuoyouhong’, ‘Huajia 8’). PCA and ADMIXTURE validated population differentiation, revealing clear separation between wild and cultivated accessions. Through screening of core SNP markers, 384,304 candidate SNPs suitable for probe design were identified. Further refinement yielded 2000 and 10,000 SNP markers. Detailed analysis of core marker characteristics showed that their minor allele frequency (MAF) was predominantly between 0.1 and 0.3, with the majority distributed in CDS (38.65%), intronic (30.2%), and intergenic regions. The most common mutation types were [A/G] (35%) and [C/T] (34%) transitions. The 2000 core SNPs were associated with 1220 functional genes and were significantly enriched in pathways such as protein binding, RNA transport, and plant–pathogen interaction. These findings provide an efficient tool for grape genetic diversity analysis, cultivar identification, and molecular breeding, laying the groundwork for the precise utilization of grape germplasm resources. Full article

Cross-border greenfield investment in the financial services sector is increasingly understood not as isolated flows, but as a complex, dynamic global system. This systemic perspective is essential for understanding its holistic structure and evolution amidst globalisation and digital transformation. This paper utilises financial services greenfield investment projects from 100 major economies from 2003 to 2021 to construct the Global Financial Services Greenfield FDI Network (GFS-GFN). By combining Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Temporal Exponential Random Graph Models (TERGMs), we systematically investigate its dynamic evolutionary features and endogenous mechanisms. The findings reveal the following: (1) System-wide, the network exhibits persistent expansion, “small-world” properties, and a pronounced “rich club” effect among source countries. (2) Nodally, the structure has evolved from a US-UK “dual-core” to a multipolar configuration, as emerging hubs like China, the UAE, and Singapore rapidly approach the traditional centres. (3) Structurally, the network has fragmented from Euro-American dominance into five major communities, forming a diverse, complementary pattern. Network evolution is primarily driven by endogenous mechanisms. Investment relationships widely exhibit reciprocity, preferential attachment, transitive closure, and marked path dependence. Full article

Amidst the dual global pressures of plastic pollution and resource scarcity, the transition to a circular economy has become an imperative. The valorization of biomass waste from agricultural, food, and animal processing into biodegradable packaging materials presents a key strategy to address this challenge. This review aims to systematically construct a comprehensive knowledge framework for the field, addressing the thematic fragmentation and methodological limitations of existing literature through integrated cross-stream analysis, combined bibliometric and technological assessment, and identification of emerging research frontiers. We begin with a bibliometric analysis to delineate the field’s evolutionary trajectory since 2008, global collaboration networks, core research themes, and emerging frontiers, revealing a clear progression from environmental impact assessment to functional material innovation. Subsequently, this review delves into the complete technological chain, from the green extraction of bio-based materials from three major waste streams to the comparison of traditional and advanced film fabrication methods. We then elaborate on the critical performance evaluation dimensions, including mechanical, barrier, biodegradable, safety, and functional properties, and summarize current applications in sectors such as food and medicine. Finally, we critically assess the core challenges related to cost, performance stability, and large-scale production, and provide a systematic outlook on future research directions, particularly the development of high-performance, multifunctional, and intelligent materials. This review offers a comprehensive and data-driven reference framework for researchers and industry stakeholders in the field. Full article

The western Ordos Basin (OB) is situated at the junction of multiple tectonic units with distinct properties. The prolonged and complex tectonic interactions from adjacent tectonic units have resulted in diverse structural phenomena and intricate evolutionary history in this region. The late Paleozoic represents a critical period for the transition of the tectonic regime in this area. However, due to the effects of intense later-stage modification, the late Paleozoic provenance system and paleogeomorphology of this region remain poorly constrained. Against this background, systematic fieldwork and detrital zircon geochronological analyses of the Youjingshan and Quwushan Permian sections were conducted to determine sediment provenance, and spatial variations in detrital zircon geochronological characteristics across different parts of the OB are further discussed. The results indicate that the detrital zircon age spectra of the Permian Dahuangou and Yaogou formations in the Youjingshan and Quwushan sections are dominated by late Paleozoic (250–360 Ma), early Paleozoic (360–500 Ma), and Paleoproterozoic (1600–2500 Ma) age populations. However, significant differences in age composition are also observed among different samples. This study proposes that the detritus of the Dahuangou Formation in the Youjingshan area was mainly derived from the Alxa Block (AB), while that from the Yaogou Formation was sourced from the Yinshan-Daqingshan-Wulashan Orogenic Belt (YDWOB). In contrast, the West Qinling Orogenic Belt (WQOB) and North Qilian Orogenic Belt (NQOB) were identified as the source areas for the Dahuangou and Yaogou Formations in the Quwushan area. Based on a comprehensive comparison of detrital zircon geochronological data of the Permian strata in the OB, three major provenance systems can be identified: the southwestern source area (WQOB and NQOB); the northwestern source area (YDWOB and AB); and the interior source area (YDWOB). During the Permian, the tectonic-sedimentary evolution of the OB was primarily controlled by the combined effects of the Paleo-Asian Ocean (PAO) to the north and the Paleo-Tethys Ocean (PTO) to the south. Differences in the timing and intensity of subduction/collision between the PAO and the PTO resulted in a general paleogeographic pattern of “higher in the north and lower in the south” in the OB. Full article

This study investigates the phylogenetic relationships, genetic diversity, and biogeographic structure of Pipistrellus species in Türkiye using mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) sequences from 156 specimens collected across 26 localities. Our primary aim was to clarify taxonomic boundaries of morphologically cryptic species and elucidate the evolutionary role of Anatolia in the Western Palearctic. Analyses strongly confirmed that molecular data are mandatory for defining taxonomic boundaries. Crucially, all individuals morphologically identified as P. pygmaeus were genetically determined to be P. pipistrellus, highlighting the inadequacy of external traits for cryptic species. We resolved deep intraspecific divergence across the genus. In P. pipistrellus, two major lineages (Eastern and Western) were identified, partially separated by the Anatolian Diagonal. Their co-occurrence in multiple localities confirms Anatolia’s function as a secondary contact zone. Similarly, P. kuhlii populations represent a transition zone where two distinct lineages, one of Asiatic origin (P. k. lepidus) and one Mediterranean-Levantine (P. k. kuhlii), meet. Furthermore, while P. nathusii is largely associated with migratory European lineages; a genetically distinct, potentially resident lineage was revealed in southwestern Anatolia. Divergence time estimations indicate that this diversification was shaped by major climatic events from the Miocene to the Pleistocene. This study demonstrates that Anatolia is more than just a geographic bridge; it is a dynamic center of evolution, functioning critically as both a glacial refugium and a secondary contact zone for Palearctic bat fauna. Full article

The decarbonization of shipping and shipbuilding is a critical challenge under the Inter-national Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target and 2050 net-zero strategy, requiring effective coordination between policy and technology. This study investigates how Japan, China, and Korea respond to these regulatory pressures by systematically analyzing their policy–technology linkages. A four-stage design was applied, combining qualitative case studies, policy–technology mapping, theoretical interpretation, and comparative analysis, to trace how national strategies shape eco-friendly transitions. Japan employs an innovation-led, institution-convergent model in which technological demonstrations drive institutional adaptation and diffusion, China follows a policy-designated, execution-oriented model where state-led interventions accelerate commercialization, and Korea adopts a coordination-based, cyclical model balancing public demonstrations, financial support, and international standardization to reduce transition costs. These findings demonstrate that sequencing between policy–technology linkage is context-dependent, shaped by technological maturity, economic feasibility and infrastructure, institutional predictability, and socio-environmental acceptance. The study contributes a cyclic co-evolutionary perspective that moves beyond technological or institutional determinism, reconceptualizes regulation as enabling infra-structure, and identifies implications for global standard-setting and industrial competitiveness. The insights inform practical strategies for major shipbuilding nations to reduce costs while sustaining competitiveness under the IMO’s decarbonization framework. Full article

Addressing climate change and achieving carbon neutrality are urgent global responsibilities, with China’s “dual carbon” goals presenting a significant challenge and opportunity for its energy sector. Green finance, as a pivotal driver for fostering low-carbon and high-quality development in the energy industry, significantly accelerates its green transition. Employing an integrated micro-macro framework, this study first develops a tripartite evolutionary game model involving government, local energy enterprises, and external energy enterprises to analyze the micro-mechanisms of corporate low-carbon decision-making under green finance policies. Subsequently, utilizing panel data from 30 Chinese provinces (2013–2021), it empirically examines the macro impact of green finance on the industry’s low-carbon, high-quality development using a spatial Durbin model (SDM). Key findings include the following: (1) Game analysis reveals that local enterprises’ low-carbon transition propensity and emission reduction returns increase with R&D investment but are negatively moderated by the tax rate level within green finance policies. (2) Spatial econometric results demonstrate that green finance significantly facilitates local energy industry low-carbon transition via technological progress, confirming a significant negative spatial spillover effect on neighboring regions, with notable regional heterogeneity. (3) The effectiveness of green finance policy exhibits significant regional disparity, being markedly stronger in eastern China compared to central and western regions. The findings provide a theoretical and practical foundation for improving market mechanisms and regional coordination in China’s green finance policies, offering a valuable reference for the design of green finance systems in other major emerging and developing economies. Full article

Understanding the genetic architecture of complex traits is crucial for crop improvement and molecular breeding. We developed a mutagenized soybean population using carbon ion beam irradiation and conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify variants controlling key agronomic traits. Whole-genome resequencing of 199 M4 lines revealed 1.48 million SNPs, predominantly C→T transitions, with population structure analysis identifying three distinct genetic groups. GWAS across five traits revealed striking differences in genetic architecture: the podding habit showed extreme polygenic control with 87,029 significant associations of small effect, while pubescence color exhibited oligogenic inheritance with only 122 variants. Hundred-seed weight displayed moderate complexity (4637 associations) with the largest effect sizes (−3.74 to 5.03) and major QTLs on chromosomes 4, 7, and 15–20. Growth habit involved 12,136 SNPs, including a strong chromosome 3 association (−log₁₀(p-value) > 50). Flower color showed 2662 associations clustered on chromosome 15. Functional analysis of 18,542 candidate genes revealed trait-specific pathway enrichments: flavonoid biosynthesis for flower color, phloem transport for seed weight, auxin signaling for growth habit, and amino acid transport for podding habit. This study demonstrates how mutagenesis-induced variation, combined with association mapping, reveals evolutionary constraints that shape genetic architectures, providing insights for genetics-assisted breeding strategies. Full article

In recent years, the rapid expansion of urban rail transit has significantly improved travel efficiency, yet it has also exacerbated spatial inequality in service coverage. Accessibility, as a fundamental metric for evaluating the equity of service distribution, remains limited by three major shortcomings in current assessment methods: the neglect of actual road network characteristics, reliance on a single static scale, and the absence of quantitative mechanisms to assess accessibility equity. These deficiencies hinder a comprehensive understanding of how equity evolves with the spatiotemporal dynamics of rail systems. To address the aforementioned issues, this study proposes an innovative spatiotemporally dynamic and multi-scale analytical framework for evaluating urban rail accessibility and its equity implications. Specifically, we develop a network-based buffer decay model to refine service population estimation by incorporating realistic walking paths, capturing both distance decay and road network constraints. The framework integrates multiple spatial analytical techniques, including the Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, global and local spatial autocorrelation, center-of-gravity shift, and standard deviation ellipse, to quantitatively assess the equity and evolutionary patterns of accessibility across multiple spatial scales. Taking the central urban area of Hangzhou as a case study, this research investigates the spatiotemporal patterns and equity changes in metro station accessibility in 2019 and 2023. The results indicate that the expansion of the metro network has partially improved overall accessibility equity: the Gini coefficient at the TAZ (Traffic Analysis Zone) scale decreased from 0.56 to 0.425. Nevertheless, significant inequality remains at finer spatial resolutions (grid-level Gini coefficient = 0.404). In terms of spatial pattern, the core area (e.g., Wulin Square) forms a ‘high-high’ accessibility agglomeration area, while the urban fringe area (e.g., northern Yuhang) presents a ‘low-low’ agglomeration, and the problem of local ‘accessibility depression’ still exists. Additionally, the accessibility centroid has consistently shifted northwestward, and the long axis of the standard deviation ellipse has rotated from an east–west to a northwest-southeast orientation, indicating a growing spatial polarization between core and peripheral zones. The findings suggest that improving equity in urban rail accessibility cannot rely solely on expanding network size; rather, it requires coordinated strategies involving network structure optimization, branch line development, multimodal integration, and the construction of efficient transfer systems to promote more balanced and equitable spatial distribution of rail transit resources citywide. Full article

Under the twin imperatives of climate change mitigation and sustainable development, achieving a low-carbon transformation of power systems has become a national priority. To clarify this objective, China issued the Blue Book on the Development of New Power System, which comprehensively defines the guiding concepts and characteristic features of a new power system. In this study, natural language processing-based keyword extraction techniques were applied to the document, employing both the TF-IDF and TextRank algorithms to identify its high-frequency terms as characteristic keywords. These keywords were then used as topic queries in the Web of Science Core Collection, yielding 1568 relevant publications. CiteSpace was employed to perform a bibliometric analysis of these records, extracting research hotspots in the new power system domain and tracing their evolutionary trajectories. The analysis revealed that “renewable energy” appeared 247 times as the core high-frequency term, while “energy storage” exhibited both high frequency and high centrality, acting as a bridge across multiple subfields. This pattern suggests that research in the new power system field has evolved from a foundation in renewable energy and storage toward smart grids, market mechanisms, carbon capture, and artificial intelligence applications. Taken together, these results indicate that early research was primarily grounded in renewable energy and storage technologies, which provided the technical basis for subsequent exploration of smart grids and market mechanisms. In the more recent stage, under the dual-carbon policy and digital intelligence imperatives, research hotspots have further expanded toward carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and artificial intelligence applications. Looking ahead, interdisciplinary studies focusing on intelligent dispatch and low-carbon transition are poised to emerge as the next major research frontier. Full article

Agriculture is fundamental to food security and environmental sustainability. Advancing its holistic ecological transformation can stimulate socioeconomic progress while fostering human–nature harmony. Utilizing provincial data from mainland China (2013–2022), this research establishes a multidimensional evaluation framework across four pillars: agricultural ecology, low-carbon practices, modernization, and productivity enhancement. Through comprehensive assessment, we quantify China’s low-carbon green agriculture (LGA) development trajectory and conduct comparative regional analysis across eastern, central, and western zones. As for methods, this study employs multiple econometric approaches: LGA was quantified using the TOPSIS entropy weight method at the first step. Moreover, multidimensional spatial–temporal patterns were characterized through ArcGIS spatial analysis, Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition, Kernel density estimation, and Markov chain techniques, revealing regional disparities, evolutionary trajectories, and state transition dynamics. Last but not least, Tobit regression modeling identified driving mechanisms, informing improvement strategies derived from empirical evidence. The key findings reveal the following: 1. From 2013 to 2022, LGA in China fluctuated significantly. However, the current growth rate is basically maintained between 0% and 10%. Meanwhile, LGA in the vast majority of provinces exceeds 0.3705, indicating that LGA in China is currently in a stable growth period. 2. After 2016, the growth momentum in the central and western regions continued. The growth rate peaked in 2020, with some provinces having a growth rate exceeding 20%. Then the growth rate slowed down, and the intra-regional differences in all regions remained stable at around 0.11. 3. Inter-regional differences are the main factor causing the differences in national LGA, with contribution rates ranging from 67.14% to 74.86%. 4. LGA has the characteristic of polarization. Some regions have developed rapidly, while others have lagged behind. At the end of our ten-year study period, LGA in Yunnan, Guizhou and Shanxi was still below 0.2430, remaining in the low-level range. 5. In the long term, the possibility of improvement in LGA in various regions of China is relatively high, but there is a possibility of maintaining the status quo or “deteriorating”. Even provinces with a high level of LGA may be downgraded, with possibilities ranging from 1.69% to 4.55%. 6. The analysis of driving factors indicates that the level of economic development has a significant positive impact on the level of urban development, while the influences of urbanization, agricultural scale operation, technological input, and industrialization level on the level of urban development show significant regional heterogeneity. In summary, during the period from 2013 to 2022, although China’s LGA showed polarization and experienced ups and downs, it generally entered a period of stable growth. Among them, the inter-regional differences were the main cause of the unbalanced development across the country, but there was also a risk of stagnation and decline. Economic development was the general driving force, while other driving factors showed significant regional heterogeneity. Finally, suggestions such as differentiated development strategies, regional cooperation and resource sharing, and coordinated policy allocation were put forward for the development of LGA. This research is conducive to providing references for future LGA, offering policy inspirations for LGA in other countries and regions, and also providing new empirical results for the academic community. Full article