Search Results (16,686)

This research examined the mechanical, physical, thermal, and durability properties of plastic-based composites made from MSW, namely ultra-high-temperature (UHT) cartons, plastic bags, aluminum foil, and foil bags under both unweathered and accelerated weathering conditions to evaluate their potential as paving slab materials. Composite samples with varying mixing ratios were fabricated and tested based on an experimental design. Statistical analyses using one-way ANOVA confirmed the significant effects of composition on material performance (p < 0.05). The results demonstrated that the mixing ratio markedly influenced mechanical properties. The composite containing 50 wt% UHT carton and 50 wt% foil bags (U50F50) achieved the highest modulus of rupture (121.20 MPa) and modulus of elasticity (2.98 GPa), as well as compressive strength (28.56 MPa), compressive modulus (2.12 GPa), screw withdrawal resistance (54.25 MPa), and hardness (66.25). Under accelerated weathering, all of the composites showed moderate reductions in strength (10 to 30%) due to plastic degradation and surface cracking. In contrast, the composites containing high paperboard fractions (U80P15A5) exhibited greater WA (3.55%) and TS (3.04%), attributed to the hydrophilic nature of cellulose. The inclusion of foil bags effectively reduced WA and TS by limiting moisture penetration. Density measurements demonstrated a gradual increase (0.99 to 1.05 g/cm³) with higher foil content, while accelerated weathering induced an average 10% density reduction. Abrasion resistance improved in foil-rich composites, with U50F50 showing the lowest weight loss (8.56 to 14.02%), confirming its superior structural integrity under mechanical wear. Thermal analysis indicated low conductivity values (0.136 to 0.189 W/m·K), demonstrating favorable insulation performance compared to conventional paving materials. However, higher foil bag fractions enhanced heat conduction, balancing mechanical strength with thermal functionality. Overall, MSW-derived composites containing 30 to 50 wt% foil bags exhibited optimal mechanical durability, abrasion resistance, and thermal stability, making them promising candidates for sustainable paving slab production with low environmental impact and enhanced service life. Full article

Oxalis corniculata L. (O. corniculata) has attracted increasing attention as a natural source of antioxidants with diverse pharmacological potential. Phytochemical studies have identified a diverse spectrum of metabolites, dominated by flavonoids, polysaccharides, and organic acids. These compounds exhibit antioxidant properties as well as related biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, hypoglycemic, and anticancer effects. Its long-standing use in traditional remedies, along with its incorporation into approved Chinese patent medicines, underscores its safety and translational value. This review synthesizes recent advances in the chemical composition, bioactivities, and molecular mechanisms of O. corniculata, emphasizing its antioxidant-driven pharmacological prospects. The review highlights O. corniculata as a sustainable and accessible botanical resource with significant potential for the development of pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and health-promoting applications. Full article

Breast cancer is a significant global health challenge, with rising incidence rates and substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. Conventional treatments, while effective, often lead to adverse effects and may not fully eradicate cancer cells, resulting in recurrence and progression of tumors. Addressing these challenges requires innovative treatment strategies. Nanotechnology, particularly polysaccharide-based nanoparticles (NPs), offers a promising approach due to their biocompatibility, tunable properties, and targeted drug delivery capabilities. Polysaccharide NPs, including starch, alginate, hyaluronic acid, and chitosan, possess inherent biocompatibility and can be tailored for specific applications. Furthermore, beyond their inherent biocompatibility, polysaccharide-based NPs shown substantial interest due to their natural abundance, ease of processing, and availability from renewable resources, solidifying their role as a sustainable choice for diverse biomedical applications. By functionalizing their surface with ligands, polysaccharide NPs can target breast cancer cells, enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. Moreover, these NPs can modulate biological processes relevant to cancer progression, such as angiogenesis and immune response. This review article provides a concise overview of the pathophysiology of breast cancer and the benefits of polysaccharides in drug delivery. Additionally, it emphasizes the significance of several polysaccharide-based NPs in breast cancer therapy, followed by a detailed discussion on the role of various polysaccharide-based NPs in breast cancer treatment. Full article

Cationic polyelectrolytes, characterized by positively charged functional groups, play an essential role in industries ranging from food solutions, water treatment, medical, cosmetic, textiles and agriculture due to their electrostatic interactions, biocompatibility, and functional versatility. This paper critically examines the transition from petroleum-based synthetic polymers such as poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and cationic polyacrylamides to sustainable natural alternatives derived from agri-forestry resources like starch derivatives and cellulose. Through a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment, we highlight the superior renewability, biodegradability, and lower carbon footprint of bio-based polycations, despite challenges in agricultural sourcing and processing. This study examines cationization processes by comparing the environmental limitations of traditional chemical methods, such as significant waste production and limited scalability, with those of second-generation reactive extrusion (REX), which enables solvent-free and rapid modification. REX also allows for adjustable degrees of substitution and ensures uniform charge distribution, thereby enhancing overall functional performance. Groundbreaking research and optimization achieved through the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning for parameter regulation and targeted mechanical energy management underscore REX’s strengths in precision engineering. By methodically addressing current limitations and articulating future advancements, this work advances sustainable innovation that contributes to a circular economy in materials science. Full article

Analysis of historical and future land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics using spatiotemporal data is crucial for better management of natural resources and environmental monitoring. This study investigated LULC transformations over a span of 60 years (1984–2044) for the Giba basin in northern Ethiopia. ArcGIS and the Cellular Automata and Artificial Neural Network (CA-ANN) model were used to develop the historical (1984, 2004, 2014, and 2024) and projected future (2034 and 2044) LULC maps of the basin, respectively. The results show that LULC categories experienced shifts from one class to another by 35%, 33%, and 40% in 2004–2014, 2014–2024, and 2004–2024, respectively. During 1984–2024, the largest and smallest percentage of positive changes were observed in settlement (7700%) and shrubs and bushes (25%), which increased from negligible to 78 km² and from 1668 km² to 2082 km², respectively. Furthermore, barren land and forestland showed the largest (−80%) and smallest (−37%) declines, which decreased from 956 km² to 187 km² and from 164 km² to 103 km² during the same period, respectively. Overall, the last 40 years witnessed considerable changes to LULC dynamics in the Giba basin. Cropland, water bodies, and settlements showed a continuously increasing trend throughout the historical study period, while grassland exhibited a continuous decreasing trend. Results of the CA-ANN model showed that the majority of the LULC categories (including water body, forest, bushes and shrubs, grassland, and barren land) will decrease, except for a slight increase of cropland (+6%) and settlements (+16%), which is projected to increase from 2570 km² to 2733 km² and from 78 km² to 91 km², respectively, in the next two decades, from 2024 to 2044. In general, high population increase, changes in government policies, and armed conflicts were found to be the most influential driving factors of LULC changes in the basin. Full article

We present a real-world dataset capturing thirty consecutive days of malicious HTTP traffic filtered and blocked by the OWASP ModSecurity Web Application Firewall (WAF) on a live production server. Each entry corresponds to a request that triggered one or more rules in the OWASP Core Rule Set (CRS), resulting in its inclusion in the audit log due to suspected exploitation attempts. The dataset includes attack categories such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), local file inclusion, scanner probes, and various malformed or evasive input forms. The data has been carefully anonymized to protect sensitive information while preserving critical structural tags, including request method, URI, triggered rule IDs, request headers, and user-agent strings. This dataset provides a real-world resource for cybersecurity researchers, particularly those developing or evaluating intrusion detection systems (IDSs), WAF rule tuning strategies, anomaly detection algorithms, and adversarial machine learning models. The dataset also allows performance testing of threat prevention pipelines. By making this dataset publicly available, we aim to support reproducible research in web security, encourage benchmarking of detection techniques under real-world conditions, and contribute insight into the nature of contemporary web-based threats observed in an uncontrolled environment. Full article

Water resource management and agricultural practices in the Mediterranean region, characterised by the excessive use of pesticides, pose significant environmental and human health challenges. As they can be easily and inexpensively produced from various biomass sources, biochars are frequently recommended as a low-cost secondary decontamination strategy to address soil contamination problems. This study investigates the properties and sorption behaviours of biochars produced in a low-cost metallic kiln using local rosemary, giant reed, St. John’s wort, olive, cypress, and palm tree biomass residues to evaluate their potential for environmental remediation, with a special focus on the mobility and retention of contaminants. Analytical and experimental techniques were employed to characterise the biochars’ physicochemical attributes and sorptive capacities. The core analyses included measurement of basic physicochemical properties, including pH, electrical conductivity, functional group identification via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and the molarity of ethanol droplet (MED) test to assess the surface hydrophobicity. Batch sorption experiments were conducted using methylene blue (MB) and two fluorescent tracers—uranine (UR) and sulforhodamine-B (SRB)—as proxies for organic contaminants to assess the adsorption efficiency and molecule–biochar interactions. Furthermore, the adsorption isotherms at 20 °C were fitted to different models to assess the biochars’ specific surface areas. Thermodynamic parameters were also evaluated to understand the nature and strength of the adsorption processes. The results highlight the influence of feedstock type on the resulting biochar’s properties, thus significantly affecting the mechanism of adsorption. Rosemary biochar was found to have the highest specific surface area (SSA) and cation exchange capacity (CEC), allowing it to adsorb a wide range of organic molecules. Giant reed and palm tree biochars showed similar properties. In contrast, wood-derived biochars generally showed very low SSA, moderate CEC, and low hydrophobicity. The contrasting properties of the three dyes—MB (cationic), UR (anionic), and SRB (zwitterionic)—enabled us to highlight the distinct interaction mechanisms between each dye and the surface functional groups of the different biochars. The reactivity and sorption efficiency of a biochar depend strongly on both the nature of the target molecule and the intrinsic properties of the biochar, particularly its pH. The findings of this study demonstrate the importance of matching biochar characteristics to specific contaminant types for optimised environmental applications, providing implications for the use of tailored biochars in pollutant mitigation strategies. Full article

Energy shortage is a significant global concern due to the heavy reliance of industrial and residential sectors on energy. As fossil fuels diminish, there is a pressing shift towards alternative energy sources such as solar and wind. However, the intermittent nature of these renewable resources, such as the absence of solar energy at night, necessitates robust energy storage solutions. This study focuses on enhancing the performance of a thermal storage unit by employing multiple fin configuration with solar salt (NaNO₃-KNO₃) as a phase change material (PCM) and Duratherm 630 as a heat transfer fluid (HTF). Notably, W-shaped and trapezoidal fins achieved reductions in melting time from 162 min to 84 min and 97 min, respectively, while rectangular fins were the least effective, albeit still reducing melting time to 143 min. Reduction in thermal gradients due to well-developed thermal mixing significantly reduced phase transition duration. Impact of fins geometries on localized vortexes generation within the unit was identified. W-shaped and trapezoidal fins were notably efficacious because of greater heat transfer area and better heat distribution through conduction and convection. Full article

Replacing natural aggregates in cement-stabilized macadam (CSM) with waste rubber particles reduces mineral resource consumption, manages solid waste, and enhances the long-term performance of cementitious materials, addressing environmental challenges. An optimized gradation of rubber particles was proposed based on different combinations of particle sizes. Five rubber particle combinations with different gradations were incorporated into CSM to create a rubberized cement-stabilized macadam (RCSM). The strength of RCSM was verified through compressive and flexural tensile tests. The toughness of RCSM was evaluated using the flexural ultimate failure strain and flexural tensile resilient modulus. Crack resistance was evaluated through freeze–thaw, fatigue, and shrinkage tests. The results indicate that the compressive and flexural strengths of RCSM with 1.18–4.75 mm rubber particles are closest to those of CSM. The ultimate strain of CSM increased by up to 1.83 times with optimized rubber gradation, while its modulus decreased by more than half. Furthermore, RCSM with 1.18–4.75 mm rubber particles exhibited the best performance in fatigue life under high stress ratio, frost resistance, and shrinkage behavior. Comprehensive test results showed that rubber particles ranging from 1.18 to 2.36 mm were most effective in improving the road performance of RCSM. Full article

Modern agricultural production faces challenges, caused by soil degradation, declining natural fertility, and a lack of organic matter and productive moisture in the arable layer, which is especially relevant in the context of global climate change and rising prices for fuel and lubricants, mineral fertilizers, and plant protection products. Five tillage systems (moldboard, flat-cut, adaptive, shallow and surface) and three fertilization options (no fertilization, by-product, by product + N₆₅P₆₀K₇₀) were tested. The combination of adaptive cultivation and organic-mineral fertilization resulted in the highest input of crop by-products (up to 1.26 g cm⁻³), elevated humus reserves (69.2 t ha⁻¹ in the 0–40 cm layer), reduced bulk density in the root zone (down to 1.26 g cm⁻³), improved soil moisture conditions, and, consequently, the highest grain yield—4.34 t ha⁻¹, which is 7.4–21.4% higher than in other treatments. The use of adaptive cultivation with differentiation of the depth and type of loosening allowed the humus reserve to be increased to 66.4 t ha^–1, the productive moisture in the 0–40 cm layer to reach 86 mm, and ensured an increase in the yield of the grain units to 4.34 t ha^–1. The obtained results prove the validity of the efficient integration of the plant biomass on light-textured soils with low physicochemical parameters and humus content as a renewable resource in sustainable agriculture technologies, especially in conditions of climate instability and the rising costs of the resources. Full article

Natural disasters have various adverse effects on human lives, making it challenging for authorities to manage post-disaster situations with limited resources. Due to the extreme extent of the damage, the huge amount of resources needed to restore life to normality makes such a situation challenging. For this purpose, different methodologies have been proposed to effectively handle these types of situations. All these methodologies consider different aspects of the post-earthquake context, taking into account core parameters such as the time and cost required for reconstruction, as well as the people directly affected by the earthquake. In this paper, we conduct a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of various state-of-the-art techniques proposed for different phases of post-earthquake situations, specifically for reconstruction planning with sustainability considerations. All these proposed solutions are differentiated on the basis of input data, parameters, and type of solutions (data sciences, civil engineering, socio-economics, and modelling). The time range chosen to filter out relevant studies is between 2000 and 2025. Eventually, we reviewed 55 related articles out of 47,539 analysed from seven different digital libraries. The findings of this SLR reveal that optimization and simulation-based approaches dominate the current research landscape, with a growing trend toward data-driven and AI-assisted reconstruction planning. However, only a few studies focus on integrating socio-economic, environmental, and physical infrastructure aspects, which represents a major research gap. These findings provide insights that can guide future researchers in designing more comprehensive frameworks to improve post-earthquake reconstruction in a sustainable manner by prioritising economic, social, and environmental infrastructures, as well as facilities for affected individuals, thereby utilising available resources more effectively. Full article

Background: Interpreting variant effects is essential for precision medicine. Large Transformer-based genomic language models (DNABERT 2, Nucleotide Transformer) capture patterns in coding DNA but scale poorly for non coding variant prediction because attention complexity grows quadratically with sequence length. Evidence from natural language processing shows that pruning less informative layers can reduce model size and computational load without sacrificing accuracy. Methods: We systematically ablated each Transformer layer in DNABERT 2 and the Nucleotide Transformer to assess its contribution to variant prediction. By observing changes in performance, we built layer importance profiles and created pruned models by removing redundant layers. Pruned and full models were fine tuned with identical hyperparameters using the Enformer eQTL causal variant dataset, a curated benchmark for non coding variant effect prediction. Results: Layer ablation revealed that the importance of individual layers varies widely across models; some layers can be removed with little loss in performance while others are critical. After fine tuning, pruned models achieved accuracy and area under the ROC curve comparable to full models. Additionally, pruned versions required substantially less training time and memory, reducing resource usage by a significant margin. Conclusions: Layer wise pruning provides a principled strategy for developing compact genomic LLMs. By identifying and removing less critical layers, we produced leaner models that preserve predictive power while lowering computational demands. These efficient models demonstrate how insights from general LLM research can advance genomic variant interpretation and make large scale non coding analysis more accessible in research and clinical settings. This approach complements ongoing efforts to optimise Transformer architectures for genomic data. Full article

Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) encompasses more than the acquisition of environmental knowledge; it nurtures holistic learner development and empowers learners to understand and respond to human impacts on the environment. Schoolgrounds, when effectively utilised, provide a readily available resource for promoting environmental learning through context-based pedagogy. Yet, a review of the literature reveals a paucity of research in South Africa examining schoolgrounds as enablers of ESE. This study explored the accessibility and use of schoolgrounds to support environment-inclined pedagogy in Grade 7 Natural and Social Sciences at two schools in the Mpumalanga Province. Adopting a qualitative–interpretive paradigm, the study employed a phenomenological case study design, using purposive and convenient sampling to select participants and research sites. The sample comprised 46 participants: 40 learners, 4 teachers, and 2 principals. Data were generated through observations, semi-structured interviews, and survey questionnaires, and were thematically analysed. Findings indicate that while schoolgrounds are accessible to both teachers and learners, their pedagogical use remains limited and largely incidental. The study argues that more deliberate integration of schoolgrounds into teaching practices is needed. It concludes with education policy and pedagogical recommendations aimed at promoting schoolground-based ESE as a vital contributor to sustainability-oriented teaching and learning. Full article

This study investigates the relationship between the Business Confidence Index (BCI) and the volatility of stock returns in South Africa using quantile regression and GARCH (1,1) models across the Financial Services, Industrial, and Resources sectors of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The results reveal that BCI significantly influences stock return volatility, particularly in upper quantiles, suggesting heightened sensitivity during periods of elevated market activity. Sectoral analysis using GARCH (1,1) shows that higher business confidence reduces volatility in the financial sector, exhibits a muted effect in the industrial sector, and positively correlates with volatility in the resource sector. The results underscore the asymmetric and sector-specific nature of sentiment effects. These findings support behavioural finance theories and emphasize the need for differentiated policy strategies to manage market risks in emerging economies. Full article

Hot dry rock (HDR) is a promising renewable energy resource whose vast reserves and wide distribution have attracted extensive attention in recent years. However, exploiting HDR resources requires hydraulic stimulation, which is typically accompanied by substantial microseismic activity, posing significant risks to project safety and public acceptance. Current understanding of microseismic mechanisms, particularly the role of fracture geometry under varying injection schemes, remains inadequate. This study employs a three-dimensional block-based discrete element method to construct a fluid–mechanics coupled model founded on a discrete fracture network, aimed at investigating the mechanical behavior of fractures and the spatial distribution of microseismicity during hydraulic stimulation. Our results quantitatively demonstrate that fractures oriented at 45° to the maximum principal stress are most susceptible to shear reactivation and microseismic clustering, with event magnitudes strongly correlated to both fracture orientation and intra-fracture fluid pressure. Consequently, preventing critically high fluid pressures in natural fractures near the injection well, particularly those at approximately 45° to the maximum principal stress direction, is essential for risk mitigation. Cyclic injection can shear more fractures and slightly reduce magnitudes via staged pressure relaxation, but its effectiveness in controlling microseismic magnitude is limited. Therefore, it is recommended to implement measures to control the entry of fracturing fluid into these high-risk fissures, such as segmented fracturing or temporary plugging techniques. This strategy is expected to enhance seismic risk mitigation, thereby contributing to the safe and efficient exploitation of deep geothermal resources. Full article