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Offshore wind farm (OWF) development raises concerns regarding potential conflicts with local fisheries and marine ecosystems. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of gillnet and trawl fisheries in the coastal waters off Changhua, Taiwan, across various development phases. (2016–2024). Spatial analysis revealed distinct operational patterns: gillnet fleets operated within and adjacent to wind farms, while trawl activities were concentrated in northern offshore waters, largely avoiding the development zone. The gillnet fishery demonstrated a significant increase in Income Per Unit Effort (IPUE), suggesting that local fishers successfully employed adaptive strategies. The IPUE of the trawl fishery indicated a slightly lower value during this period. These findings indicate that current OWF development has historically coexisted with gillnet fisheries without causing economic loss. The catch composition of gillnet fisheries remained stable, dominated by Silver croaker and Pharaoh cuttlefish. The species diversity indices of both fisheries showed a stable to increasing trend driven by seasonal variability rather than construction impacts. The habitat-driven shift in community structure was observed within the wind farm zone (gillnet fisheries), where the dominance of benthic species (e.g., Flatfish) transitioned toward reef-associated taxa (e.g., Spotted catfish, Black Sea bream). This indicates that the turbine foundations may function as artificial reefs, supporting a more complex assemblage. Nevertheless, the observed habitat alterations highlight the necessity for long-term monitoring to ensure the sustainable symbiosis of renewable energy expansion and marine resource conservation. Full article

Enhancing urban ecological resilience is key to addressing resource exhaustion and urban decline in resource-exhausted cities, as it facilitates the re-coordination of the human-land relationship territorial system. Using panel data from 281 prefecture-level cities in China from 2005 to 2023, we apply the multi-period Difference-in-Differences (DID) model to estimate the impact of supportive policies on urban ecological resilience. The results show that supportive policies significantly improve ecological resilience, with pronounced effects on resistance and adaptability, while the effect on recoverability remains limited. Mechanism analysis indicates that the policy works through promoting green innovation, reducing energy consumption, and strengthening environmental governance. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effects vary across geographic locations and resource types. Supportive policies generate significant spatial spillover effects on enhancing urban ecological resilience and exhibit an evolutionary sequence of radiation, siphoning, equilibrium, and decline as geographic distance increases. These findings inform policy design for ecological restoration and regional coordination in resource-dependent regions. Full article

Understanding spatiotemporal changes in landscape ecological risk is essential for regional ecological security and sustainable land management, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas. Using land-use data from five time points (2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020) together with topographic, climatic, vegetation, and socioeconomic data, we assessed landscape ecological risk dynamics in Xinzhou City, a typical ecologically sensitive region in the middle Yellow River Basin. We integrated a landscape ecological risk assessment model, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and an optimal-parameter geographical detector (OPGD) to identify the spatiotemporal patterns and key drivers of ecological risk. Built-up land expanded by 131.47% over the study period, while cropland and grassland both contracted. Land-use change was dominated by bidirectional conversion between cropland and grassland, alongside a net shift of both to built-up land. Overall, ecological risk declined: high- and relatively high-risk areas decreased by 1354.15 km². Spatially, the pattern remained stable, with higher risk in basins and lower risk in mountainous regions, although the trend varied across phases. Risk exhibited significant spatial clustering: low–low clusters remained stable in mountainous ecological source areas, whereas high–high clusters persisted in basin agricultural areas. Elevation was the dominant factor in spatial risk differentiation. Combined natural and anthropogenic factors shaped the overall risk pattern. Despite the regional decline, urbanization-induced disturbance remains the principal driver of local risk increases. Our findings demonstrate the value of coupling long-term land-use data with OPGD to evaluate the relative and interactive contributions of terrain constraints and anthropogenic drivers in complex mountain–basin systems, with implications for spatially targeted ecological restoration and sustainable land management in ecologically sensitive transition zones. Full article

The aim of this study is to provide an alternative bakery practice by evaluating the effects of cold fermentation (backslopping at 7 and 15 °C) and cold storage (stored at 7 and 15 °C) after backslopping on Type I sourdough characteristics and the technological performance of the corresponding breads. Sourdough characteristics (pH, acidity, and microbial counts), bread quality (texture and color), storage behavior, and volatile compound profiles (VoC) were investigated to compare the extent to which these treatments improve product quality. No significant difference was observed in pH and total titratable acidity among the sourdoughs. However, the fermentation quotient of the cold storage group was higher than that of the cold fermented group. Backslopping at cold fermentation temperatures (7 and 15 °C) caused a significant reduction in lactic acid bacteria counts. Conversely, cold fermentation and cold storage at 15 °C led to a significant increase in yeast counts. From a technological perspective, bread produced with sourdough backslopped at 15 °C exhibited a higher specific volume than breads produced with the other cold-treated sourdoughs. At the end of the storage period, the bread made with cold-backslopped sourdough at 7 °C had the highest hardness value, while others remained similar. Principal component analysis (PCA) of volatile compounds revealed that cold-stored sourdoughs were clustered apart from room-temperature-stored sourdoughs, mainly driven by ethyl hexanoate and hexyl acetate. Heptanoic acid was among the key VOCs contributing to the positioning of breads made with cold-stored sourdoughs in the PCA. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that backslopping and storage at 15 °C offer an industrially relevant production strategy while improving textural properties and VoC profiles. Full article

Agriculture faces the challenge of transitioning toward sustainable practices, driving the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). However, these bacteria suffer critical losses in viability due to environmental stress and drying processes. Although synthetic hydrogels offer protection, their low biodegradability and toxicity pose ecological risks, positioning dextran hydrogels produced by Leuconostoc sp. as a biocompatible biotechnological alternative, despite challenges related to their mechanical stability. The methodology employed consisted of systematic literature mapping in the Scopus database for the period 2010–2026. The search was conducted on 2 May 2026, using a defined search equation, and 447 documents were processed using RStudio (Bibliometrix), VOSviewer, and Plotly Studio to analyze trends and collaboration networks. The results of the systematic mapping reveal an exponentially growing field (R² = 0.998), led by Agricultural Sciences (23.5%) and Biochemistry (16%). China and India dominate scientific output in terms of volume, while Italy and the United States lead in qualitative impact, with researchers such as Cimini, Schiraldi, and Pandey as key references. An evolution is confirmed from the basic characterization of Leuconostoc sp. toward the development of matrices for immobilizing PGPB, reducing viability losses from 6 log to manageable levels of 4 log CFU. Cluster analysis shows a clear trend toward nanotechnology and “smart hydrogels” responsive to multiple stimuli. Finally, strategic gaps were identified in the creation of predictive release models, as well as an urgent need to democratize the technology through low-cost processes, essential aspects for consolidating sustainable precision agriculture. Full article

Background and Objectives: The pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection has been named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cancer patients may have been more adversely affected during the COVID-19 Pandemic due to their receipt of immunosuppressive treatments, higher burden of comorbidities, and greater nutritional vulnerability compared to the general population. The aim of our study is to identify potential measures by detecting changes in the nutritional statuses of patients with an oncological diagnosis who presented to our hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the globally accepted NRS-2002 questionnaire. Materials and Method: Our study included 324 patients diagnosed with malignancy who applied to the outpatient clinic of Gaziantep University, Şahinbey Training and Research Hospital, Gaziantep/Türkiye, between December 2021 and January 2022 or were hospitalized in the service. Patients included in the study were evaluated in terms of clinical–demographic information and COVID-19-related characteristics using a sociodemographic data form we developed, and then the NRS-2002 questionnaire was administered. Results: Our study included 324 patients. Overall, 49.07% (159 patients) of the patients were male, and 50.93% (165 patients) were female. A total of 20.37% of our patients (66 patients) had COVID-19 disease. While those living with their families constituted 96.91% of the patients, at least one of the family members of 36.42% of the patients had COVID-19 disease. While 76.23% (247 patients) of the patients were vaccinated, 23.77% (77 patients) were not vaccinated. When NRS analyses were examined according to the type of malignancy, a statistically significant difference was found between NRS analyses according to the type of diagnosis. When NRS analyses were examined according to the stages of the diseases, it was determined that stage 4 patients were in the risk group in terms of nutrition. When NRS analyses according to age were examined, it was determined that patients over the age of 65 were in the risk group in terms of nutrition. When NRS analyses by gender were examined, it was found that male patients were in the risk group in terms of nutrition. When the NRS analyses were examined according to whether or not radiotherapy was administered, it was determined that the patients who received radiotherapy were in the risk group in terms of nutrition. Contrary to the literature, no statistically significant difference was found according to whether or not chemotherapy was administered. Conclusions: According to NRS analysis, no statistically significant differences were found in terms of nutritional status according to COVID-19 transmission and vaccination status. When NRS analyses were examined according to the delay of treatment during the pandemic period, it was found that patients who postponed treatment were in the risk group in terms of nutrition, while patients who did not postpone treatment were mostly in the follow-up group. In multivariable analyses, however, no independent relationship was identified between this parameter and NRS-2002 risk. Full article

Porous Ti-6Al-4V lattice implants combine high specific strength, osseointegrative porosity, and compatibility with additive manufacturing, but conventional stiffness tuning through porosity, pore size, or unit-cell topology compromises biological pore requirements. This study presents a computational design framework in which structural kurtosis, the normalized interlayer offset between neighboring layers of a periodic cubic lattice, regulates elastic response at fixed global porosity. Closed-form expressions for the effective modulus are derived from first principles: the aligned configuration from the axial load-bearing area fraction, and the interlayer-shifted configuration from Euler–Bernoulli beam theory for guided-end connecting members. The derivations reproduce the Gibson–Ashby exponents n = 1 and n = 2, replacing the previously asserted power law, and a calibrated one-parameter interpolation bridges intermediate offsets. At 65% porosity, the effective modulus falls from 16.5 GPa in the aligned lattice to 2.64 GPa in the shifted lattice. A local-yield analysis based on peak bending curvature gives recoverable elastic strains of 1.37% at 89% porosity and 0.68% at 65%; the compliance-based values of 20.5% and 5.12% are kinematic upper bounds that neglect plastic hinging. A prefactor-free benchmark shows that obtaining the same 6.25-fold reduction by increased porosity alone would require 85.9–94.4% porosity and 0.17–0.28 mm struts, outside the osseointegration window and the resolution of selective laser melting. A GAN-CAD-FEA workflow reproduced the analytical moduli to within 7% across six design cases. All results are analytical and numerical; no specimens were fabricated or tested, and experimental validation remains required. Full article

Terrestrial vegetation cover is a critical component of the global carbon cycle, annually assimilating a substantial fraction of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. However, regional estimates of gross primary production (GPP) and net primary production (NPP) remain insufficiently studied, especially for ecologically sensitive areas such as the sub-Mediterranean landscapes of southeastern Crimea. The aim of this study is to calculate and map the spatio-temporal distribution of GPP and NPP across southeastern Crimea over the period 2001–2025 using Earth remote sensing data and geoinformation modeling. This study employed MODIS products (MOD17A2H collection 061) processed in the Google Earth Engine cloud platform, together with temperature and precipitation data (ClimateEU, CHIRPS). Statistical analysis included calculation of the carbon use efficiency (CUE) coefficient and correlation analysis. The results show that the mean GPP for southeastern Crimea is 1.13 kg C/m² and the mean NPP is 0.61 kg C/m², which exceed global average values. Maximum productivity is characteristic of natural forest communities (sessile oak, beech and juniper forests), whereas anthropogenically transformed landscapes (agricultural land, urban coenoses) exhibit the lowest values. The mean CUE is 0.54, with the highest values (0.63–0.66) recorded for agrocoenoses and steppes, and the lowest (0.49–0.57) for forests. A positive correlation between productivity and precipitation and a negative correlation with air temperature were identified, especially for forest ecosystems. This study fills a gap in regional primary productivity assessments and can serve as a basis for ecosystem monitoring under climate change and anthropogenic pressure. Full article

This study maps the development of research on AI-driven productivity in Kazakhstan’s economy through a bibliometric analysis of publications indexed in Scopus. The analysis covers the period 2008–2024 and includes 386 articles and review articles. Using Biblioshiny (version 4.1.4) and VOSviewer (version 1.6.20), this study examines annual scientific production, leading countries and institutions, co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence, and bibliographic coupling. The results show a steady increase in scholarly attention after 2015, with stronger growth after 2020. The field is organized around five major themes: artificial intelligence and digital economy, machine learning and data analytics, economic growth and efficiency, human capital and digital skills, and Industry 4.0. The findings reveal three structural features that have not previously been systematically documented: the institutional concentration of knowledge production, the fragmentation of collaboration networks, and a thematic transition from general digitalization toward sector-specific AI applications, human capital, and Industry 4.0. The study’s scientific contribution lies in integrating these findings into a Kazakhstan-specific analytical framework in which AI-driven productivity is understood as the combined outcome of technological capabilities, organizational readiness, human capital, and institutional support. This framework provides a basis for comparative research in other emerging and resource-dependent economies. Full article

Using vegetation indices for lithological signal detection is a well-known practice; however, these indices are characterized by strong equifinality, as they encapsulate both biochemical and biophysical characteristics, causing subtle lithological differences to be lost. Our study presents a new framework that breaks down the remote-sensed spectrum into physically grounded features. A nine-year (2017–2025) Sentinel-2 time series (310 scenes) was used to estimate biophysical parameters—chlorophyll content (C_ab), water content (C_w), and leaf area index (LAI)—using the 1D PROSAIL radiative transfer model in the Hațeg Basin. Random Forest and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) classifiers were used with a rigorous spatial block-based cross-validation framework. The PROSAIL model decomposes the spectrum into independent, physically meaningful variables and substantially reduces the ambiguity problem associated with empirical indices. Using the combined dataset containing vegetation indices and biophysical parameters along with the MLP, we achieved 66.07% accuracy in forested areas and 68.80% in grassland areas. Feature importance analysis revealed that over dense forest cover, the MLP benefits from the indirect biochemical pathway (C_ab), while for grasslands, it favors the soil brightness scale (r_soil) during the late summer and fall periods. These results establish a PROSAIL-based workflow for vegetation-covered lithological mapping, demonstrating that the vegetative canopy operates as a decodable biogeochemical lens. Full article

Breast cancer constitutes one of the oncological diagnoses with the greatest impact on women’s lives, with consequences that extend beyond active treatment into a survivorship period marked by profound transformations in identity, relationships, and well-being. This study aimed to explore the impacts that breast cancer produces on the everyday lives of survivor women in the municipality of Villarrica, La Araucanía Region. A qualitative methodology with a phenomenological orientation was employed, based on discourse analysis of three focus groups with 20 female breast cancer survivors between 35 and 70 years old. The analysis identified five categories: impact on everyday life and work, management of uncertainty and fear, transformation of self-care and life priorities, support networks and community, and barriers to accessing the healthcare system. The findings demonstrate the coexistence of posttraumatic growth and persistent psychological distress, together with structural inequities that limit access to comprehensive care during the survivorship period. It is concluded that cancer survivorship demands public policy responses that are continuous, multilevel, and integrative of a gender perspective, articulating individual, family, and community interventions from primary healthcare. Full article

Prostate cancer is among the most frequently diagnosed cancers in men globally, with metastatic disease contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality. While conventional therapies remain the standard of care, dietary and lifestyle behaviors are increasingly explored as potentially modifiable factors influencing clinical outcomes, although their role in advanced disease is not well established. We report a 60-year-old, physically active male, lifelong non-smoker without significant comorbidities, diagnosed with de novo metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma (Gleason score 9) and an initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of 808.3 µg/L. The patient received standard androgen deprivation therapy. By personal choice, he adopted a whole-food, low-fat (WFLF) vegan diet, structured physical activity, and periodic fasting-mimicking diet cycles. These interventions complemented, but did not replace or delay, conventional treatment. During the 14-month follow-up period, serial PSA measurements, laboratory tests, blood pressure monitoring, dietary assessment, body composition analysis, imaging, and germline genetic testing were performed. PSA declined from 808.3 µg/L to 1.7 µg/L (>99.8%), and remained suppressed throughout follow-up. Concurrent improvements were observed in body composition and metabolic biomarkers. The WFLF vegan diet increased fiber and micronutrient intake while reducing saturated fat and cholesterol. This case demonstrates the successful application and execution of an integrative oncology approach and highlights metastatic prostate cancer managed with standard therapy alongside patient-initiated lifestyle modifications. The findings should be interpreted as descriptive, exploratory, and hypothesis-generating. Given the single-patient design, the independent impact of lifestyle interventions cannot be determined. Controlled studies are warranted to clarify their potential role in advanced prostate cancer management. Full article

Currently, controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) and hydroponic production systems represent sustainable alternatives for improving leafy vegetable production by controlling the variables that influence their growth. This research studied the effect of variations in photoperiod and nutrient solution concentration on the development of a hydroponic crop. The response variables analyzed were growth, physiological response, and nutrient content of chard. The hydroponic cultivation technique used was the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) under controlled environmental conditions. The experimental design was developed with two photo-period treatments: 12 h light/12 h darkness and 10 h light/14 h darkness, combined with three levels of nutrient concentration at 100%, 75% and 50% of the standard Steiner formulation. The data were analyzed using two complementary approaches: (1) ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test to identify specific group differences, and (2) principal component analysis (PCA). It was observed that the concentration of the nutrient solution had a significant effect on the growth and nutritional quality variables of the crop. Treatments with a 100% nutrient solution resulted in higher values for plant height, biomass, protein, potassium, and calcium. Reducing the nutrient solution concentration resulted in a clear decrease in crop growth variables. The effect of photoperiod on crop development was found to be less significant. The PCA accounted for 96.8% of the total variability. This indicates that nutrient concentration was the primary factor associated with growth and nutritional content in chard. The results show that nutrient reduction directly affects crop productivity and nutritional quality. However, moderate variations in photoperiod had a secondary effect under the conditions evaluated. This research provides relevant information for developing nutritional management strategies and sustainable production in controlled-environment hydroponic systems. It also contributes new knowledge on integrating hydroponic crops in controlled environments into sustainable agri-food systems using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for efficient crop management. Full article

This article examines the understanding of paideia in the writings of Photios of Constantinople (c. 810–893) and argues that his educational vision cannot be reduced to literary cultivation or the preservation of classical learning. While modern scholarship has frequently emphasised Photios’ role in transmitting the intellectual heritage of antiquity, less attention has been given to the anthropological and theological framework within which he interpreted that inheritance. Through an analysis of his Myriobiblos, Amphilochia, letters and homilies, this study demonstrates that Photios understood education as the complete formation of the human person through the harmonious cooperation of body and soul. Classical philosophy, literature and aesthetics are valued not as autonomous disciplines but as instruments serving a higher theological purpose. In Photios’ thought, the Hellenic ideal of paideia undergoes a thorough Christian adaptation, recalibrated by doctrines of creation, incarnation, resurrection and deification. His anthropology is reflected in his understanding of virtue, ascetic discipline, beauty and cultural inheritance. The article argues that Photios’ engagement with the classical tradition was neither antiquarian nor merely apologetic but rather one of the most sophisticated syntheses of classical culture and revealed theology in the middle Byzantine period. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) coating of freshly mixed mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) on its microhardness after setting under conditions of moisture and human blood exposure. MicroMega MM-MTA samples were prepared using Teflon molds (6 mm × 4 mm). Four experimental groups (n = 4) were established: control (MTA + phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)), MTA coated with NBCA (PeriAcryl) + PBS, MTA + blood + PBS, and MTA coated with NBCA + blood + PBS. Samples assigned to the blood-exposure groups were exposed to human blood for 15 min, rinsed, and subsequently stored in PBS. Prior to microhardness testing, all samples were incubated in PBS for seven days. Microhardness was measured using a Vickers microhardness tester, with five indentations performed on each specimen (20 measurements per group). Data were analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test for normality, Levene’s test, and two-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. The analysis revealed significant differences among the experimental groups (p < 0.001). Post hoc analysis demonstrated statistically significant differences between tissue glue-coated and uncoated samples (p < 0.05). Within the limitations of this in vitro study, coating MTA with NBCA tissue glue during the setting period significantly increased its microhardness following exposure to human blood and PBS. Full article