Search Results (2,598)

The growing demand for natural and sustainable skincare products has driven interest in plant-based active ingredients, especially from in vitro cultures. This placebo-controlled study investigated the impact of a facial cream containing 2% Kickxia elatine (L.) Dumort cell suspension culture extract on various skin biophysical parameters. The cream was applied to the cheek once daily for six weeks on 40 healthy female volunteers between the ages of 40 to 49. The evaluated skin parameters including skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), erythema intensity (EI), melanin intensity (MI), skin surface pH, and skin structure, wrinkle depth, vascular lesions, and vascular discolouration. The results indicated that significant improvements were observed in skin hydration (from 40.36 to 63.00 AU, p < 0.001) and there was a decrease in TEWL score (14.82 to 11.76 g/h/m², p < 0.001), while the skin surface pH was maintained (14.82 to 11.76 g/h/m², p < 0.001). Moreover, the K. elatine cell extract significantly improved skin structure values (9.23 to 8.50, p = 0.028), reduced vascular lesions (2.72 to 1.54 mm², p = 0.011), and lowered skin discolouration (20.98% to 14.84%, p < 0.001), indicating its moisturising, protective, brightening, and soothing properties. These findings support the potential use of K. elatine cell extract in dermocosmetic formulations targeting dry, sensitive, or ageing skin. Full article

Agricultural nondestructive testing technology is pivotal in safeguarding food quality assurance, safety monitoring, and supply chain transparency. While conventional optical methods such as near-infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging demonstrate proficiency in surface composition analysis, their constrained penetration depth and environmental sensitivity limit effectiveness in dynamic agricultural inspections. This review highlights the transformative potential of microwave technologies, systematically examining their operational principles, current implementations, and developmental trajectories for agricultural quality control. Microwave technology leverages dielectric response mechanisms to overcome traditional limitations, such as low-frequency penetration for grain silo moisture testing and high-frequency multi-parameter analysis, enabling simultaneous detection of moisture gradients, density variations, and foreign contaminants. Established applications span moisture quantification in cereal grains, oilseed crops, and plant tissues, while emerging implementations address storage condition monitoring, mycotoxin detection, and adulteration screening. The high-frequency branch of the microwave–millimeter wave systems enhances analytical precision through molecular resonance effects and sub-millimeter spatial resolution, achieving trace-level contaminant identification. Current challenges focus on three areas: excessive absorption of low-frequency microwaves by high-moisture agricultural products, significant path loss of microwave high-frequency signals in complex environments, and the lack of a standardized dielectric database. In the future, it is essential to develop low-cost, highly sensitive, and portable systems based on solid-state microelectronics and metamaterials, and to utilize IoT and 6G communications to enable dynamic monitoring. This review not only consolidates the state-of-the-art but also identifies future innovation pathways, providing a roadmap for scalable deployment of next-generation agricultural NDT systems. Full article

The surface of the Great Wall harbors a large number of non-vascular plants dominated by cyanobacteria, lichens and mosses as well as microorganisms, and form biocrusts by cementing with the soils and greatly alters the pore structure of the soil and the ecohydrological processes associated with the soil pore space, and thus influences the soil resistance to erosion. However, the microscopic role of the biocrusts in influencing the pore structure of the surface of the Great Wall is not clear. This study chose the Warring States Qin Great Wall in Weiyuan, Gansu Province, China, as research site to quantify thepore structure characteristics of the three-dimensional of bare soil, cyanobacterial-lichen crusts, and moss crusts at the depth of 0–50 mm, by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray computed tomography and image analysis, and the precipitation infiltration process. The results showed that the moss crust layer was dominated by large pores with long extension and good connectivity, which provided preferential seepage channels for precipitation infiltration, while the connectivity between the cyanobacterial-lichen crust voids was poor; The porosity of the cyanobacterial-lichen crust and the moss crust was 500% and 903.27% higher than that of the bare soil, respectively. The porosity of the subsurface layer of cyanobacterial-lichen crust and moss crust was significantly lower than that of the biocrusts layer by 92.54% and 97.96%, respectively, and the porosity of the moss crust was significantly higher than that of the cyanobacterial-lichen crust in the same layer; Cyanobacterial-lichen crusts increased the degree of anisotropy, mean tortuosity, moss crust reduced the degree of anisotropy, mean tortuosity. Biocrusts increased the fractal dimension and Euler number of pores. Compared with bare soil, moss crust and cyanobacterial-lichen crust increased the isolated porosity by 2555% and 4085%, respectively; Biocrusts increased the complexity of the pore network models; The initial infiltration rate, stable infiltration rate, average infiltration rate, and the total amount of infiltration of moss crusted soil was 2.26 and 3.12 times, 1.07 and 1.63 times, respectively, higher than that of the cyanobacterial-lichen crusts and the bare soil, by 1.53 and 2.33 times, and 1.13 and 2.08 times, respectively; CT porosity and clay content are significantly positively correlated with initial soil infiltration rate (|r| ≥ 0.85), while soil type and organic matter content are negatively correlated with initial soil infiltration rate. The soil type and bulk density are directly positively and negatively correlated with CT porosity, respectively (|r| ≥ 0.52). There is a significant negative correlation between soil clay content and porosity (|r| = 0.15, p < 0.001). Biocrusts alter the erosion resistance of rammed earth walls by affecting the soil microstructure of the earth’s great wall, altering precipitation infiltration, and promoting vascular plant colonisation, which in turn alters the erosion resistance of the wall. The research results have important reference for the development of disposal plans for biocrusts on the surface of archaeological sites. Full article

The treatment of chronic wounds is one of the most complex therapeutic problems of modern medicine. It leads to patients’ protracted recovery, generating high treatment costs. Herbal products may be useful in the treatment of chronic wounds via a wide range of pharmacological properties and multidirectional effects on the wound healing phases. The study aims to determine the ability of selected plant extracts to modulate the processes involved in wound healing. The antimicrobial (MIC, MBC, MFC) and antioxidant (ABTS, DPPH) activities, cytotoxicity (MTT test), scratch wound test, and collagen assay were tested. R. canina (MBC 0.39 mg/mL) and V. venifera (MBC 3.13 mg/mL) extracts had bactericidal activities against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, respectively. The V. vinifera extract showed the highest antioxidant activity in both ABTS (EC50 0.078 mg/mL) and DPPH (EC50 0.005 mg/mL) methods. The percentage of wound closure observed for C. cardunculus, R. rosea, and R. canina extracts with HaCaT, and V. vinifera extract with Hs27 cells was set as 100%. V. vinifera extract (50 μg/mL) stimulated collagen synthesis 5.16 times more strongly than ascorbic acid. Our preliminary study showed that some plant extracts may be promising modulators of the wound healing process, although further in-depth studies are necessary to determine their effectiveness in the in vivo model. Full article

Peatlands store substantial amounts of carbon (C) in the form of peat, but are increasingly threatened by drought and shrub encroachment under climate warming. However, how peat decomposition and its temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) vary with depth and plant litter input under these stressors remains poorly understood. We incubated peat from two depths with different degrees of decomposition, either alone or incubated with Sphagnum divinum shoots or Betula ovalifolia leaves, under five temperature levels and two moisture conditions in growth chambers. We found that drought and Betula addition increased CO₂ emissions in both peat layers, while Sphagnum affected only shallow peat. Deep peat alone or with Betula exhibited higher Q₁₀ than pure shallow peat. Drought increased the Q₁₀ of both depths’ peat, but this effect disappeared with fresh litter addition. The CO₂ production rate showed a positive but marginal correlation with microbial biomass carbon, and it displayed a rather similar responsive trend to warming as the microbial metabolism quotient. These results indicate that both deep and dry peat are more sensitive to warming, highlighting the importance of keeping deep peat buried and waterlogged to conserve existing carbon storage. Additionally, they further emphasize the necessity of Sphagnum moss recovery following vascular plant encroachment in restoring carbon sink function in peatlands. Full article

Anthocyanins, a subclass of flavonoid pigments, impart vivid red, purple, and blue coloration to horticultural plants, playing essential roles in ornamental enhancement, stress resistance, and pollinator attraction. Recent studies have identified B-box (BBX) proteins as a critical class of transcription factors (TFs) involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Despite these advances, comprehensive reviews systematically addressing BBX proteins are urgently needed, especially given the complexity and diversity of their roles in regulating anthocyanin production. In this paper, we provide an in-depth overview of the fundamental structures, biological functions, and classification of BBX TFs, along with a detailed description of anthocyanin biosynthetic pathways and bioactivities. Furthermore, we emphasize the diverse molecular mechanisms through which BBX TFs regulate anthocyanin accumulation, including direct activation or repression of target genes, indirect modulation via interacting protein complexes, and co-regulation with other transcriptional regulators. Additionally, we summarize the known upstream regulatory signals and downstream target genes of BBX TFs, highlighting their significance in shaping anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways. Understanding these regulatory networks mediated by BBX proteins will not only advance fundamental horticultural science but also provide valuable insights for enhancing the aesthetic quality, nutritional benefits, and stress adaptability of horticultural crops. Full article

This study conducts an in-depth analysis of the dynamic characteristics of a single reheat steam turbine generator unit and its speed control system under variable operating conditions. A comprehensive simulation model was constructed to comprehensively evaluate the impact of the heat extraction system on the dynamic behavior of the unit, which integrates the speed control system, actuator, single reheat steam turbine body, and once-through boiler dynamic coupling. This model focuses on revealing the mechanism of the heat extraction regulation process on the core operating parameters of the unit and the system frequency regulation capability. Based on the actual parameters of a 300 MW heat unit in a power plant in Guangxi, the dynamic response of the established model under typical dynamic conditions such as extraction flow regulation, primary frequency regulation response, and load step disturbance was simulated and experimentally verified. The results show that the model can accurately characterize the dynamic characteristics of the heat unit under variable operating conditions, and the simulation results are in good agreement with the actual engineering, with errors within an acceptable range, effectively verifying the dynamic performance of the heat system module and the rationality of its control parameter design. This study provides a reliable theoretical basis and model support for the accurate simulation of the dynamic behavior of heat units in the power system and the design of optimization control strategies for system frequency regulation. Full article

Increased food production demands, labor shortages, and environmental concerns are driving the need for innovative agricultural technologies. However, effective adoption depends critically on aligning robot innovations with the needs of farmers. This paper examines the alignment between the needs of farmers and the robotic systems used in row crop farming. We review current commercial agricultural robots and research, and map these to the needs of farmers, as expressed in the literature, to identify the key issues holding back large-scale adoption. From initial pool of 184 research articles, 19 survey articles, and 82 commercial robotic solutions, we selected 38 peer-reviewed academic studies, 12 survey articles, and 18 commercially available robots for in-depth review and analysis for this study. We identify the key challenges faced by farmers and map them directly to the current and emerging capabilities of agricultural robots. We supplement the data gathered from the literature review of surveys and case studies with in-depth interviews with nine farmers to obtain deeper insights into the needs and day-to-day operations. Farmers reported mixed reactions to current technologies, acknowledging efficiency improvements but highlighting barriers such as capital costs, technical complexity, and inadequate support systems. There is a notable demand for technologies for improved plant health monitoring, soil condition assessment, and enhanced climate resilience. We then review state-of-the-art robotic solutions for row crop farming and map these technological capabilities to the farmers’ needs. Only technologies with field validation or operational deployment are included, to ensure practical relevance. These mappings generate insights that underscore the need for lightweight and modular robot technologies that can be adapted to diverse farming practices, as well as the need for farmers’ education and simpler interfaces to robotic operations and data analysis that are actionable for farmers. We conclude with recommendations for future research, emphasizing the importance of co-creation with the farming community to ensure the adoption and sustained use of agricultural robotic solutions. Full article

To address freshwater scarcity and the underutilization of low-saline water in the North China Plain, a field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of alternating sprinkler irrigation using saline and fresh water on soil water–salt dynamics and corn growth. Two salinity levels (3 and 5 g·L⁻¹, representing S1 and S2, respectively) and three irrigation strategies—saline–fresh–saline–fresh (F1), saline–fresh (F2), and mixed saline–fresh (F3)—were tested, resulting in six treatments: S1F1, S1F2, S1F3, S2F1, S2F2, and S2F3. S1F1 significantly improved soil water retention at a 30–50 cm depth and reduced surface electrical conductivity (EC) and Na⁺ concentration (p < 0.05). S1F1 also promoted more uniform Mg²⁺ distribution and limited Ca²⁺ loss. Under high salinity (5 g·L⁻¹), surface salt accumulation and ion concentration (Na⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺) increased, particularly in S2F3. Corn growth under alternating irrigation (F1/F2) outperformed the mixed mode (F3), with S1F1 achieving the highest plant height, leaf area, grain number, and 100-grain weight. The S1F1 yield surpassed others by 0.4–3.0% and maintained a better ion balance. These results suggest that alternating irrigation with low-salinity water (S1F1) effectively regulates root-zone salinity and improves crop productivity, offering a practical strategy for the sustainable use of low-saline water resources. Full article

In the irrigation districts of Northern China, the flood resources utilization for deep storage irrigation, which is essentially characterized by active excessive irrigation, aims to have the potential to mitigate freshwater shortages, and long-term groundwater overexploitation. It is crucial to detect the effects of irrigation amounts on agricultural yield and the mechanisms under deep storage irrigation. A three-year field experiment (2020–2023) was conducted in the Guanzhong Plain, according to five soil wetting layer depths (RF: 0 cm; W1: control, 120 cm; W2: 140 cm; W3: 160 cm; W4: 180 cm) with soil saturation water content as the irrigation upper limit. Results exhibited that, compared to W1, the W2, W3, and W4 treatments led to the increased plant height, leaf area index, and dry matter accumulation. Meanwhile, the W2, W3, and W4 treatments improved kernel weight increment achieving maximum grain-filling rate (W_max), maximum grain-filling rate (G_max), and average grain-filling rate (G_ave), thereby enhancing the effective spikes (ES) and grain number per spike (GS), and thus increased wheat grain yield (GY). In relative to W1, the W2, W3, and W4 treatments increased the ES, GS, and GY by 11.89–19.81%, 8.61–14.36%, and 8.17–13.62% across the three years. Notably, no significant difference was observed in GS and GY between W3 and W4 treatments, but W4 treatment displayed significant decreases in ES by 3.04%, 3.06%, and 2.98% in the respective years. The application of a structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that deep storage irrigation improved ES and GS by positively regulating W_max, G_max, and G_ave, thus significantly increasing GY. Overall, this study identified the optimal threshold (W3 treatment) to maximize wheat yields by optimizing both the vegetative growth and grain-filling dynamics. This study provides essential support for the feasibility assessment of deep storage irrigation before flood seasons, which is vital for the balance and coordination of food security and water security. Full article

This study analyzes the lacustrine hydrocarbon source rocks of the Lower Cretaceous in the Erdengsumu sag of the Erlian Basin, evaluating their characteristics and identifying areas with oil resource potential, while also investigating the ancient lake environment, material source input, and controlling factors, ultimately developing a sedimentary model for lacustrine hydrocarbon source rocks. The findings suggest the following: (1) The lower Tengger Member (K₁bt₁) and the Aershan Formation (K₁ba) are the primary oil-producing strata, with an effective hydrocarbon source rock exhibiting a lower limit of total organic carbon (TOC) at 0.95%. The Ro value typically remains below 0.8%, indicating that high-maturity oil production has not yet been attained. (2) The oil generation threshold depths for the Dalestai and Sayinhutuge sub-sags are 1500 m and 1214 m, respectively. The thickness of the effective hydrocarbon source rock surpasses 200 m, covering areas of 42.48 km² and 88.71 km², respectively. The cumulative hydrocarbon generation intensity of wells Y1 and Y2 is 486 × 10⁴ t/km² and 26 × 10⁴ t/km², respectively, suggesting that the Dalestai sub-sag possesses considerable petroleum potential. The Aershan Formation in the Chagantala sub-sag has a maximum burial depth of merely 1800 m, insufficient to attain the oil generation threshold depth. (3) The research area’s productive hydrocarbon source rocks consist of organic matter types I and II₁. The Pr/Ph range is extensive (0.33–2.07), signifying a reducing to slightly oxidizing sedimentary environment. This aligns with the attributes of small fault lake basins, characterized by shallow water and robust hydrodynamics. (4) The low ratio of ∑nC₂₁₋/∑nC₂₂₊ (0.36–0.81), high CPI values (>1.49), and high C₂₉ sterane concentration suggest a substantial terrestrial contribution, with negligible input from aquatic algae–bacterial organic matter. Moreover, as sedimentation duration extends, the contribution from higher plants progressively increases. (5) The ratio of the width of the deep depression zone to the width of the depression in the Erdengsumu sag is less than 0.25. The boundary fault scale is small, its activity is low, and there is not much input from the ground. Most of the source rocks are in the reducing sedimentary environment of the near-lying gently sloping zone. Full article

Invasive plant species pose an increasing threat to mangroves globally. This study assessed the impact of Paspalum vaginatum invasion on carbon loss and early recovery following four years of restoration in a mangrove forest with Rhizophora racemosa in Benin. Organic carbon was quantified in the total biomass, including both aboveground and belowground components, as well as in the soil to a depth of −50 cm. In addition, soil gas fluxes of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O were measured. Three sites were evaluated: a conserved mangrove, a site degraded by P. vaginatum, and the same site post-restoration via hydrological rehabilitation and reforestation. Invasion significantly reduced carbon storage, especially in soil, due to lower biomass, incorporation of low C/N ratio organic residues, and compaction. Restoration recovered 7.8% of the total biomass carbon compared to the conserved mangrove site, although soil organic carbon did not rise significantly in the short term. However, improvements in deep soil C/N ratios (15–30 and 30–50 cm) suggest enhanced soil organic matter recalcitrance linked to R. racemosa reforestation. Soil CO₂ emissions dropped by 60% at the restored site, underscoring restoration’s potential to mitigate early carbon loss. These results highlight the need to control invasive species and suggest that restoration can generate additional social benefits. Full article

Skin aging causes reduced hydration, elasticity, and increased wrinkles. Recent safety and compliance concerns over oral collagen supplements have increased interest in plant-based alternatives like Hibiscus sabdariffa with antioxidant and anti-aging properties. However, clinical evidence regarding its efficacy remains limited. We aimed to evaluate the effects of this plant-based collagen alternative (VC-H1, Hibiscus Enzyme Extract) supplement on skin hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), desquamation, elasticity, and wrinkle reduction in photoaged individuals. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted with 98 participants (aged 35–60 years) presenting with dry skin and periorbital wrinkles. Participants randomly received 1.5 g/day of VC-H1 or placebo for 12 weeks. Skin hydration, TEWL, deep moisture, keratin index, elasticity, and wrinkle parameters were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. VC-H1 supplementation significantly increased skin hydration, reduced the TEWL and keratin index, and improved deep moisture content for those receiving it compared with the controls. Wrinkle depth significantly decreased, and skin elasticity also improved. Those in the VC-H1 group showed greater overall improvement than those in the control group. Oral VC-H1 supplementation significantly improved skin hydration, elasticity, and wrinkle reduction, suggesting its potential as a plant-based alternative to traditional collagen supplements for skin rejuvenation. Full article

In comparison to shallow coal seams, deep coal seams exhibit characteristics of high temperature, pressure, and in-situ stress, leading to significant differences in reservoir properties that constrain the effective development of deep coalbed methane (CBM). This study takes the Carboniferous deep 8# coal seam in the Yulin area of Ordos basin as the research subject. Based on the test results from core drilling wells, a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics and variation patterns of coal reservoir properties and a comparative analysis of the exploration and development potential of deep CBM are conducted, aiming to provide guidance for the development of deep CBM in the Ordos basin. The research results indicate that the coal seams are primarily composed of primary structure coal, with semi-bright to bright being the dominant macroscopic coal types. The maximum vitrinite reflectance (R_o,max) ranges between 1.99% and 2.24%, the organic is type III, and the high Vitrinite content provides a substantial material basis for the generation of CBM. Longitudinally, influenced by sedimentary environment and plant types, the lower part of the coal seam exhibits higher Vitrinite content and fixed carbon (FC_ad). The pore morphology is mainly characterized by wedge-shaped/parallel plate-shaped pores and open ventilation pores, with good connectivity, which is favorable for the storage and output of CBM. Micropores (<2 nm) have the highest volume proportion, showing an increasing trend with burial depth, and due to interlayer sliding and capillary condensation, the pore size (<2 nm) distribution follows an N shape. The full-scale pore heterogeneity (fractal dimension) gradually increases with increasing buried depth. Macroscopic fractures are mostly found in bright coal bands, while microscopic fractures are more developed in Vitrinite, showing a positive correlation between fracture density and Vitrinite content. The porosity and permeability conditions of reservoirs are comparable to the Daning–Jixian block, mostly constituting oversaturated gas reservoirs with a critical depth of 2400–2600 m and a high proportion of free gas, exhibiting promising development prospects, and the middle and upper coal seams are favorable intervals. In terms of resource conditions, preservation conditions, and reservoir alterability, the development potential of CBM from the Carboniferous deep 8# coal seam is comparable to the Linxing block but inferior to the Daning–Jixian block and Baijiahai uplift. Full article

The GRAS gene family not only performs a variety of regulatory functions in plant growth and development but also plays a key role in the defense mechanisms of plants in response to environmental stresses. Although GRASs have been identified in many species, research on them in Nicotiana benthamiana remains relatively limited until now. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the GRAS gene family in N. benthamiana plants. Phylogenetic analysis displayed that all identified NbGRASs were classified into eight different subfamilies. Gene duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplication was the main driving force for the expansion of the NbGRAS gene family, with a total of 40 segmental duplication pairs identified. NbGRASs were unevenly distributed across the 19 chromosomes. Additionally, both gene families exhibited a relatively weak codon usage bias, a pattern shaped by mutational and selective pressures. Expression analysis showed that NbGRASs had tissue-specific expression patterns, with relatively high expression levels being observed in leaves and roots. The expression of NbGRASs was significantly changed under tomato yellow leaf curl virus or bamboo mosaic virus infection, suggesting that these NbGRASs can be involved in the plant’s antiviral response. These findings provide new perspectives for in-depth understanding of the evolution and functions of the GRAS gene family in N. benthamiana. Full article