Search Results (5,629)

This study evaluates volatile extracts (HE1 and HE2) from the lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea as eco-friendly agents to control algal proliferation, specifically targeting the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa and the green microalga Chlorella sorokiniana. Both extracts exhibited potent anti-microalgal activity against the two species with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 375 to 750 µg/mL. Furthermore, both extracts reduced cell density by more than 98% after eight days of treatment. Chlorophyll a and protein levels decreased significantly (>80%) in both species, indicating suppression of pigment synthesis. However, their physiological responses were distinct: M. aeruginosa underwent early acute oxidative stress and severe membrane damage, while C. sorokiniana exhibited delayed oxidative activation and a negative growth rate, suggesting non-lytic metabolic inhibition. An in silico study by molecular docking of the most abundant compounds identified in these volatile extracts, such as terpenoids (abietatriene, δ-cadinene) and a phenolic compound (atraric acid), showed that these compounds interact with vital cellular targets in M. aeruginosa and C. sorokiniana and likely contribute to the effects observed in these two species. Predictive toxicity by applying the ADMET framework confirmed the favorable bioavailability and low acute toxicity of these volatile compounds. Therefore, P. furfuracea volatiles are promising, species-specific, and environmentally safe candidates for mitigating aquatic algal proliferation through targeted oxidative and metabolic interference. Full article

Urban drought pressure is increasing the operational risk and cost of maintaining municipal green infrastructure. Irrigation is still widely managed through fixed routines and fragmented information. To address this challenge, the study develops an integrated operational analysis by combining water consumption records, maintenance data and a GIS inventory for twenty municipal green spaces. System characterisation and performance screening were carried out using hourly meter readings to distinguish typical scheduled irrigation peaks from non-standard consumption patterns. To move from monitoring to control, irrigation needs were estimated using evapotranspiration (ET₀) and a garden-coefficient logic adapted to urban planting conditions and compared with measured consumption. The comparison indicates a potential reduction of 29–61% through improved scheduling and system adjustment. Based on the diagnosis, technical intervention scenarios were defined and assessed using techno-economic metrics, including ground-cover redesign and Mediterranean-adapted planting strategies. To support implementation, options were organised into intervention priorities using a multicriteria tool that balances water savings, costs and feasibility under municipal operations. Coimbra, Portugal is used as a case study, and a pilot application in a city garden, supported by 797 user surveys, clarifies practical constraints for scaling beyond isolated pilots. Turf-free scenarios indicate a 53.4% reduction in water use and a 60.5% reduction in operational costs, with a payback period below three years. The results highlight the potential of data-driven irrigation management to support more resilient, cost-effective and water-efficient municipal green infrastructure across diverse urban contexts. Full article

In the context of urban distribution, given the complexity of express delivery and the variability of distribution conditions, vehicle routing problems with time-dependent characteristics have received increasing attention. This study incorporates a cross-period travel time estimation method for road segments that accounts for temporal and weather-dependent variations in vehicle speed. Building upon this foundation, this study establishes an multi-objective optimization model for the green vehicle routing problem that systematically incorporates intricate constraints, including time-varing vehicle speed, fuel consumption, carbon emissions, and customer servive time windows. This model aims to achieve three primary objectives: (1) minimizing the fleet size, (2) minimizing the overall delivery expenses, which include fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and (3) maximizing the average customer satisfaction. To solve this model, we develop an improved Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm III (INSGA-III). To effectively prevent the algorithm from becoming trapped in local optima, we propose a dual-criteria selection mechanism. Meanwhile, we introduce a destroy-and-repair variable neighborhood search strategy to enhance the algorithm’s optimization capability under complex constraints. Experimental evaluations conducted on Solomon benchmark instances as well as real-world case studies indicate that the proposed INSGA-III algorithm surpasses widely utilized multi-objective optimization methods across all assessed performance metrics. This highlights the significant potential of the presented INSGA-III algorithm for practical applications in urban delivery scenarios, which is closely linked to the sustainable development of cities. Full article

Despite accounting for less than 0.03% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) face existential threats to their environment, livelihoods, and regional stability due to their heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels and disproportionate climate vulnerability. To address this “Justice Paradox,” this study utilises a Nexus Mapping framework to qualitatively synthesise the non-linear causal pathways between climate stressors and energy system vulnerabilities. Through an integrative thematic synthesis of literature and regional policy documents, the research identifies systemic bottlenecks, including the “fiscal trap” of post-disaster reconstruction, the “demand-utility paradox” of rising temperatures, and the logistical premiums of archipelagic energy distribution. The analysis suggests that energy decarbonisation represents a strategic opportunity to strengthen climate security across four dimensions: human, national, international, and ecological. To facilitate a secure transition, the study proposes a comprehensive “policy mix” of regulatory standards (sticks), economic de-risking through mechanisms such as Sovereign Green Bonds (carrots), and the institutionalisation of local technical sovereignty (sermons). This research offers an interpretive analytical framework for Pacific policymakers, arguing that decentralised, modular renewables may serve as a strategic shield against climatic instability and support the preservation of regional statehood. Full article

Teas processed from specialty-colored tea leaves possess distinctive quality profiles shaped by their volatile and non-volatile compounds, which serve as critical metrics for evaluating tea cultivars. In this study, we comprehensively characterized the quality attributes of flat green teas produced from three tea cultivars—green-leaved ‘FDDB’, yellow-leaved ‘ZH2’, and purple-leaved ‘ZJ’—using an integrated analytical approach including sensory evaluation, widely targeted metabolomics, GC-E-nose, and HS-SPME-GC-MS. Sensory evaluation revealed distinct sensory characteristics among teas processed from the three cultivars with different leaf colors. GC-E-nose analysis further confirmed that the aroma profiles of these tea samples could be clearly distinguished based on leaf color. Metabolomic analysis identified a total of 2050 non-volatile compounds, among which 18 amino acids, 5 phenolic acids, and 4 flavonoids were pinpointed as key contributors to the unique taste profiles of infusions from ZH2 and ZJ teas. Additionally, a total of 1100 volatile compounds were detected, with 94, 75, and 90 key aroma-active compounds identified in FDDB, ZH2, and ZJ teas, respectively. Collectively, in this study, systematic analysis revealed significant differences in both volatile and non-volatile chemical compositions across the three tea cultivars. These findings provide a scientific foundation for understanding the processing suitability and quality formation mechanisms of tea cultivars with distinct leaf colors. Full article

Metal accumulation in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) cultivation represents an important agronomic and food-safety concern, particularly in acidic tropical soils where cadmium (Cd) and other trace metals can become bioavailable and translocate to plant tissues. Green magnetic nanomaterials offer a potential strategy for reducing metal mobility in agricultural substrates, but their performance depends on surface chemistry, dose, and plant genotype. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated MCRES, defined here as a maghemite–Citrus reticulata extract system, a biofunctionalized γ-Fe₂O₃-based nanosystem prepared by coupling iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with a 3% (w/v) Citrus reticulata peel extract. The objective was to determine whether citrus-mediated biofunctionalization could produce a scalable magnetic nanoamendment capable of modifying Cd and naturally occurring Ni partitioning in cacao seedlings. MCRES was recovered magnetically and dried, yielding 8.44 g of product from 10 g of precursor. Rietveld analysis performed in X ray diffractograms confirmed phase-pure cubic γ-Fe₂O₃ with a lattice parameter of 0.8332 nm, a crystallite size of 11.3(1) nm, and satisfactory refinement quality (χ² ≈ 1.34). Transmission electron microscope images showed quasi-spherical NPs with a log-normal size distribution centered at 7.5 nm. Magnetic measurements showed superparamagnetic-like behavior at 300 K, high saturation magnetization values of 62 emu g⁻¹ at 300 K and 71 emu g⁻¹ at 5 K, and elevated effective anisotropy values obtained from the Law of Approach to Saturation fitting. MCRES was applied at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 g pot⁻¹ to cacao seedlings containing Cd-amended Ultisol with naturally occurring Ni. Plant responses were genotype and dose dependent: TSH-1188 genotype showed limited dose sensitivity for most biometric variables, whereas ICS-95 genotype showed significant dose effects, with maximum growth at the 2 g pot⁻¹ treatment. Metal-partitioning results indicated that Cd remained comparatively mobile toward shoots, whereas Ni was preferentially retained in roots. In TSH-1188 genotype, the Ni translocation factor decreased from 3.07 in the control to 0.85–1.00 at higher MCRES doses. Compared with previous work on non-biofunctionalized nanomaghemite, these results suggest that citrus-mediated biofunctionalization produces a distinct Cd/Ni partitioning response. Overall, MCRES is recommended as a promising nursery-scale green nanoamendment for reducing metal mobility in cacao cultivation, but its agronomic use should be optimized according to genotype and dose. Future work should include side-by-side comparisons with unfunctionalized γ-Fe₂O₃, Citrus reticulata extract alone, and non-contaminated controls under field conditions to validate its long-term effectiveness and environmental safety. Full article

To achieve an optimal trade-off between production efficiency and energy benefits in complex manufacturing environments, this paper addresses the Green Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Problem (GFJSP) by establishing a multi-objective mathematical model that minimizes both makespan and total energy consumption. An Improved Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (INSGA-II) is proposed to solve this model. In the population initialization phase, chaotic mapping is integrated with multiple heuristic rules to generate a high-quality and uniformly distributed initial population. Furthermore, an enhanced elite selection mechanism is employed to effectively prevent premature convergence. Subsequently, adaptive crossover and mutation operators are designed to enable differentiated evolution across sub-populations, effectively coordinating global exploration and local exploitation. Finally, experimental results on the Brandimarte and Hurink benchmark datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm in terms of convergence and diversity, providing a robust solution for optimizing green industrial production scheduling. Full article

Traditional static policy frameworks struggle to effectively respond to dynamic changes in enterprise behavior, thereby undermining the sustainability of policy constraints; therefore, promoting enterprise green technology innovation (GTI) requires adaptive governance, while consumer green preferences play a non-negligible role in this process. This study constructs an evolutionary game model to examine the strategic interactions between governments and enterprises under a dynamic subsidy and penalty mechanism, incorporating consumer green preferences into the analysis. The results show that static subsidy and penalty mechanisms are insufficient to sustain incentives for enterprise GTI; in contrast, dynamic subsidy and penalty mechanisms are more effective in promoting enterprise GTI. Further analysis reveals that the mechanism combining dynamic subsidies and static penalties exhibits superior governance effectiveness, with a “low-subsidy, high-penalty” strategy combination demonstrating a stronger incentive effect in promoting enterprise GTI. Consumer green preferences significantly influence the strategic choices of both governments and enterprises, and their enhancement drives enterprises to engage in GTI. Overall, promoting GTI requires a shift from rigid static policies to adaptive governance, with full considerations on the impact of consumer green preferences on stakeholder behavior. Full article

Under green mine construction and efficient resource utilization, non-pillar mining has been increasingly applied. However, surrounding rock control remains difficult in traditional gob-side entry retaining under large mining height conditions. To address this problem, a cooperative control method combining roof cutting and pressure relief with a pre-placed backfill strip for coal pillar replacement is proposed. Taking the 15,108 and 15,110 working faces of Wangzhuang Coal Industry as the engineering background, a mechanical model and FLAC3D simulations were used to analyze the effects of roof cutting height and backfill strip width. The results show that roof cutting shortens the goaf-side suspended roof, weakens lateral abutment pressure, and improves the stress state of the strip. When the roof cutting height increases from 11 m to 13 m, the peak vertical stress of the strip decreases from 16.2 MPa to 13.9 MPa, with a reduction of 14.2%. When the strip width increases from 1.0 m to 1.5 m, the peak stress decreases by about 12.0%. Thus, the reasonable roof cutting height and strip width are determined to be 13 m and 1.5 m. Field monitoring shows maximum roof-to-floor and rib-to-rib convergences of 178.5 mm and 143.5 mm, respectively, with no obvious strip instability. Full article

Urbanisation has led to dramatic alterations in pre-existing natural environments, resulting in several subsequent phenomena, such as the disappearance of habitats suitable for many plant and animal species and the concurrent arrival of generalist and non-native species, contributing to environmental homogenisation. Towns and cities serve as crossroads for transport, people, and animals, making them susceptible to colonisation by many types of plant species, dispersed either intentionally or unintentionally by these biotic vectors. Abiotic vectors, such as wind and water, also influence the composition of vegetation assemblages. Urban spontaneous vegetation occurs in (1) undisturbed areas, including brownfield sites, commons, and marginal lots, and (2) disturbed sites, such as green areas, parks, lawns (not subject to weeding), ancient monuments and walls, peripheral and industrial areas, and railways. When disturbance occurs, vegetation remains at early successional stages. Within this framework, with the aim of comparing existing contradictions and identifying knowledge gaps, we reviewed the literature on the characteristics of spontaneous plants and vegetation in urban areas, the different habitats in which they grow, the ecosystem services they provide, and management strategies, considering human perception. Our results highlight that studies on spontaneous plants are well-developed in terms of botany and ecology; however, some gaps remain, particularly regarding their integration into urban design and maintenance practices. Concerning public perception and acceptance, cultural and geographical differences emerged that deserve further investigation. In conclusion, spontaneous plants can represent a valuable heritage for cities, helping to address the challenges posed by the climate crisis. Full article

Background/Objectives: Intraoperative perfusion imaging can support determining the anastomosis site to avoid leakages after colorectal surgery. Indocyanine green–fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) have been used recently but suffering from different drawbacks. A comparison of quantitative perfusion parameters from both modalities should substantiate the relevance of HSI next to ICG-FA. A computational framework combining ICG-FA and HSI should be developed to overcome system-specific disadvantages. Methods: ICG-FA and HSI were performed in 26 non-consecutive patients undergoing any colorectal surgery at the University Hospital of Leipzig between November 2022 and December 2023 to compare the position of the transition between well- and poorly perfused areas in both imaging modalities, as well as to compare quantitative perfusion parameters. Hyperspectral data was acquired before, during, and after ICG-FA to reconstruct an ICG-mimicking image from HSI data for future combined applications. This approach was further tested by investigating the influence of ICG on HSI-derived tissue parameters. Results: Anastomotic leakage occurred in one case. Compared to the clinical assessment, the median position of the transection margin was 0.1 cm more proximal, 0.15 cm more proximal, and 0.36 cm more distal for ICG, reconstructed ICG, and HSI, respectively. The reconstructed ICG image resembled the ground truth in 21 cases. ICG did not show any relevant influence on HSI parameters. Conclusions: The results indicated subtle differences between ICG-based blood flow and HSI-derived tissue oxygenation visualisation, which can be combined for comprehensive intraoperative perfusion analyses using one HSI system only and an ICG-related signal reconstruction framework. Further studies need to address dose and the time dependencies of the combined usage of HSI and ICG. Full article

Cell lineage relationship studies in developmental and regenerative biology have been greatly advanced using techniques such as fluorescent labeling driven by cell-type-specific promoters. Nevertheless, unbiased non-invasive tools for distinguishing cell lineages are inevitably desired. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) exhibits wide-range single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among individual cells. Here, we aim to distinguish cell types in organs/tissues of the same individual and in the regenerated liver based on the use of mtDNA SNPs. For this, two approaches—“Mitochondrial Alteration Enrichment and Sequencing” (MAESTER) and “mitochondrial single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing” (mtscATAC-seq)—were adopted to facilitate the detection of mtDNA SNPs in single cells. With MAESTER, we show that specific cell types in the liver and spleen of the same individual can be successfully defined using collective individual-specific markers composed of panels of unique mtDNA SNP combinations. For its application, we performed partial hepatectomy (PH) on a Krt19:Dre^ERT2/+;R26:Rox-ZsGreen-Stop-Rox-tdTomato/+ mouse harboring tdTomato-labeled cholangiocytes following tamoxifen injection and demonstrated that utilizing panels of unique mtDNA SNP combinations detected by mtscATAC-seq in the pre-PH cholangiocytes as markers can faithfully trace the cell fate in the post-PH liver samples. Hence, this approach may serve as an unbiased tool for investigating cell lineage relationships in relevant research areas such as liver regeneration. Full article

Cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄), a transition metal oxide with a cubic spinel structure, shows high potential in peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, while its catalytic efficiency is often limited by sluggish interfacial charge transfer. In this study, a chlorine-doped Co₃O₄ (Cl-Co₃O₄) was synthesized via a hydrothermal method for the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) through PMS activation. Systematic characterizations and electrochemical tests demonstrated that chlorine doping could effectively modulate the surface electronic structure of the catalyst, significantly reducing the interfacial charge transfer resistance. Degradation performance evaluations revealed that, compared to pristine Co₃O₄, Cl-Co₃O₄ exhibited a significantly enhanced BPA degradation, achieving near-complete removal of BPA within 15 min under neutral to weakly alkaline conditions. The optimal operational parameters were determined as catalyst dosage of 0.20 g/L, PMS concentration of 0.10 mM and initial pH of 7.0–9.0, with the pseudo-first-order rate constant reaching 0.37 min⁻¹. High-concentration NO₃⁻ showed weak inhibition, while Cl⁻ showed moderate inhibition; 50 mM HCO₃⁻ drastically reduced the rate constant to 0.05 min⁻¹ and almost completely suppressed the reaction. Sulfate (SO₄•⁻) and superoxide (O₂•⁻) radicals were the primary reactive species in this system, explicitly excluding the role of the non-radical electron transfer pathway. Furthermore, three plausible BPA degradation pathways involving C-C bond cleavage, hydroxylation and C-O bond breakage were proposed with 19 intermediates identified. Ecotoxicological assessments based on ECOSAR verified that both acute and chronic toxicity of the intermediates to fish, daphnid and green algae decreased gradually, and the final small-molecule products exhibited significantly lower toxicity than the parent BPA. This study provides a novel strategy for enhancing the PMS activation performance of cobalt-based catalysts by modulating their electronic structures via halogen doping. Full article

The transition to a low-carbon economy is the cornerstone of global sustainability, requiring high-emission enterprises to shift from carbon-intensive production to genuine green innovation. However, this study uncovers a significant structural impediment to this transition: the “defensive greenwashing” response to climate stress. Focusing on listed companies in China’s high-emission industries (2009–2024), we employ a Debiased Machine Learning (DML) framework and Causal Forest analysis to capture the non-linear impacts of multi-dimensional climate risks. Our findings reveal a robust “threshold-trigger” mechanism: once climate pressures—whether physical shocks or policy-induced transition risks—exceed corporate endurance levels, firms aggressively pivot toward strategic “information arbitrage” rather than substantive decarbonization. We identify a profound “capability paradox” in sustainability governance, where firms with higher digital maturity and resource slack leverage their technical prowess to “calibrate” sophisticated narratives, thereby widening the monitoring gap and distorting green asset pricing. Furthermore, CEO risk preference acts as a psychological accelerator, amplifying strategic decoupling, particularly under transition-risk-induced uncertainty. By demonstrating how climate stress inadvertently incentivizes symbolic compliance over sustainable transformation, this research offers critical micro-level insights for policymakers. These findings are vital for refining sustainability oversight and ensuring that capital allocation fosters a resilient, equitable transition toward true ecological and economic decoupling. Full article

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) is an important vegetable and medicinal crop in tropical/subtropical regions, but suffers severe yield losses (even total failure) from Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. momordicae (Fom). There is no specific detection system available to detect this pathogen, and the methods used for other pathogens exhibit cross-reactivity and require specialized equipment. Therefore, this study developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for early Fom diagnosis. Initially, five sets of LAMP primers targeting the conserved regions of Fom, located within the region amplified by the FOMM-SPF/SPR PCR primers, were tested for specificity and sensitivity. In this experiment, FoM-1-2 showed optimal specificity, identifying 44 Fom strains without cross-reactivity with 10 other non-Fom species after a 60 min incubation at 64 °C. A visual readout based on a fluorescent dye (green for positive, pale orange for negative) eliminated the need for gel electrophoresis and specialized instruments. The LAMP assay was 100-fold more sensitive than conventional PCR (detection limit: 5.6 pg/μL vs. 560 pg/μL). In inoculated seedlings, LAMP detected Fom in basal stems at four days post-inoculation and top leaves at six days, whereas conventional PCR yielded faint bands in the basal stem after eight days. Moreover, LAMP enabled non-destructive detection. Thus, the present study developed a rapid, specific, and sensitive visual LAMP assay, supporting early diagnosis of bitter gourd Fusarium wilt. Full article