Search Results (1,433)

Supply chain resilience (SCR) is the core support for building a modernized industrial system and guaranteeing industrial security. In this paper, we aim to evaluate the impact of the Climate-Adaptive City Construction (CACC) pilot policy on SCR and to investigate its underlying mechanisms using a quasi-natural experiment based on the 2017 pilot initiative. We employ the difference-in-differences (DID) model on the panel data of 249 prefectural-level cities in China from 2006 to 2023. The results show that CACC significantly improves SCR, and this effect is stronger on the southeastern side of the Hu Huanyong line, as well as in non-resource cities and non-“two-control” cities. The mechanism analysis reveals that CACC enhances the resilience of the urban industrial chain by fostering environmental awareness, increasing the level of green technology innovation, and reducing the extent of urban sprawl. In addition, the positive spatial spillover effect of the pilot policy on SCR is further verified using the Spatial Durbin Model (SDM). The results presented in this paper serve as a reference for the continued promotion of CACC and offer policy optimization recommendations. Full article

A precise understanding of the carbon dynamics of agricultural land use is essential for advancing China’s “dual carbon” goals and promoting sustainable rural development. Drawing on panel datasets for 31 Chinese provinces over the period 1997–2022, this study comprehensively analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution, regional disparities, and transition dynamics of agricultural carbon capture and emissions. Using a combination of the emission factor method, the Dagum Gini coefficient, kernel density estimation, and Markov chain models, the study finds that China’s total agricultural carbon capture has continued to increase, yet regional disparities are widening, with the central region leading and the northeastern region lagging. Meanwhile, agricultural carbon emissions exhibit a “strong west, weak east” spatial pattern and demonstrate a high degree of club convergence. Club convergence refers to the phenomenon where regions with similar initial levels converge to the same steady-state over the long run, while remaining persistently different from other regions. The net carbon effect exhibits a dual structure of carbon surplus zones and carbon deficit zones: 23 provinces act as carbon surplus zones, while 8 provinces are carbon deficit zones, primarily located in ecologically fragile or special-function regions. These findings highlight the spatial heterogeneity, path dependence, and policy sensitivity of carbon effects from agricultural land use. Accordingly, the study proposes differentiated policy recommendations, including region-specific carbon management strategies, the establishment of a unified agricultural carbon trading system, and the integration of technological and institutional innovations to achieve a balanced and low-carbon agricultural transformation. Full article

Reinforced soil retaining walls (RSWs) for railways are key subgrade structures that bear cyclic loads from trains, and their long-term durability directly affects railway operation safety. The mechanical behavior of RSWs under cyclic loading has been extensively investigated in previous studies, primarily focusing on seismic conditions or conventional structural configurations. While these works have established fundamental understanding of load transfer mechanisms and deformation patterns, research on their responses to long-term train-induced vibrations, particularly for concrete-block-panel-wrapped RSWs, an improved structure based on traditional concrete-block-panel RSWs, remains limited. To investigate the dynamic responses of the concrete-block-panel-wrapped RSW, a model test was conducted under cyclic loading conditions where the amplitude was 30 kPa and the frequency was 10 Hz. The model size was 3.0 m in length, 1.0 m in width, and 1.8 m in height, incorporating six layers of geogrid. Each layer of geogrid was 2.0 m in length with a vertical spacing of 0.3 m or 0.15 m. The results indicate that as the number of load cycles increases, deformation, acceleration, static and dynamic stresses, and geogrid strain also increase and gradually stabilize, exhibiting only marginal increments thereafter. The maximum horizontal displacement reaches 0.08% of the wall height (H), with horizontal displacement increasing uniformly along the height of the wall. The vertical acceleration in the non-reinforced soil zone is lower than that in the reinforced soil zone. The horizontal dynamic stress acting on the back of the panel remains minimal and is uniformly distributed along the height of the wall. The maximum geogrid strain was found to be 0.88%, corresponding to a tensile stress amounting to 20.33% of its ultimate tensile strength. The predicted failure surface approximates a bilinear configuration, consisting of one line parallel to the wall face at a distance of 0.3H from the back of the soil bags and another line inclined at an angle equal to the soil’s internal friction angle (φ) relative to the horizontal plane. This study has important reference significance for the application of concrete-block-panel-wrapped RSWs in railways. Full article

Indocalamus tessellatus (Munro) P. C. Keng is a bamboo species with significant economic and ecological value, and exhibits considerable resistance to abiotic stresses. However, systematic evaluation of reference genes for gene expression analysis in this species is lacking. Analysis of multi-tissue transcriptomes yielded 3801 relatively stable genes; from these, we selected eleven new candidates along with nine widely adopted reference genes. We then evaluated these candidates under four conditions: drought (15% PEG-6000), salt (200 mM NaCl), waterlogging (root submergence in water), and a multi-tissue panel (leaf, leaf sheath, culm, shoot, and root). Under stress, early and sustained time points were sampled to capture dynamic transcriptional responses. Expression stability was assessed using geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and ΔCt, and results were integrated with RefFinder to generate comprehensive stability rankings for each condition. The most stable reference genes were condition-dependent: MD10B and PP2A under drought, eIF1A and Ite23725 under salt stress, PP2A and eIF4A under waterlogging, and 60S and UBP1 across different tissues. Notably, commonly used genes such as UBI and Actin7 were less stable. Peroxidase (POD) was used as a validation marker because it is a known stress-responsive gene, providing a sensitive readout of normalization accuracy. Validation confirmed that selecting suitable reference genes is essential for dependable expression quantification. These findings provide a robust set of reference genes for qRT-PCR studies in I. tessellatus, supporting future molecular and functional research in bamboo. Full article

This study investigates the use of thermally activated composite panels (TACP) as an energy-efficient retrofitting solution for existing buildings. By utilizing low-grade heat sources, TACP offers significant energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction. To address the challenges posed by high embodied carbon, exterior envelope delamination, and fire safety risks associated with conventional insulation materials, three TACP configurations were proposed: external insulation with externally embedded pipes (EE-TACP), external insulation with internally embedded pipes (EI-TACP), and internal insulation with internally embedded pipes (II-TACP). These were proposed for adapting TACP-walls to the diverse climate zones of Gansu Province. To clarify the thermal performance, energy-saving potential, and reduction effect on conventional insulation thickness of TACP-walls under different climatic conditions and heat source temperatures, dynamic heat transfer models of the TACP-wall were developed and validated. Three energy-saving rate (ε) indicators were introduced to analyze the dynamic thermal behavior in typical cities across the three climate zones of Gansu Province. A comparison was made among the three configurations in terms of instantaneous thermal response characteristics, cumulative internal surface heat load, and ε, relative to both non-insulated walls (NI-walls) and conventional insulated energy-saving walls (CE-walls). The results demonstrate that the application of TACP-walls significantly enhances thermal performance under all three climatic conditions. Irrespective of operating conditions, the ε remains essentially constant corresponding to the four insulation thicknesses, indicating that traditional thickness can be drastically curtailed. EE-TACP, EI-TACP, and II-TACP achieve pronounced ε values of 7.57/7.97/7.50 relative to NI-wall and CE-wall at inlet temperatures of 28–36 °C. Among the three configurations, EI-TACP performs most prominently across all climate zones. The findings provide a valuable reference for the application and optimization of thermally activated technology in energy-efficient retrofits of existing buildings. Full article

This work focuses on research into innovative lead-free perovskite materials to be employed as a sensitive layer for a new generation of solar cells, exploiting their potential applications in covering greenhouses to move toward an eco-friendly environment. Two types of lead-free perovskites—yellow and orange double-cation Cs₂AgBiBr₆, synthesized with an innovative method without chemical thinners—have been used, for the first time, as a cover for greenhouses in indoor experiments by analyzing the incident electromagnetic radiation. Two plant species, Solanum lycopersicum L. and Artemisia annua L., were cultivated indoors under controlled light, temperature, and humidity, covering the greenhouses with yellow (PY+) and orange (PO+) panels for comparison with control plants (P−) roofed by a glass panel. The growth and development parameters of all plants were investigated, referring to the aerial and root parts. Significant differences were found in terms of the plant growth parameters and photosynthetic pigments of both PY+ and PO+ compared to P− and also between them, with the yellow panel being less invasive. These results, dealing with two different plant species, confirm the feasibility of using perovskite-based panels for indoor cultivation and pave the way for outdoor application in greenhouses under sunlight. Full article

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive genetic condition affecting nearly 1 in 4000 newborns. Early diagnosis and treatment have been shown to improve the care of individuals with CF, which is enhanced through newborn screening (NBS). The state of Florida has been performing CF NBS since 2007, and in 2022, Florida implemented enhanced next generation sequencing (NGS). The goal of this change was to identify individuals from under-represented racial and ethnic groups, who may have rare or de novo variants. NBS screening for CF involved a first tier with immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT) ≥ 50 or the top 4% of daily specimens, whichever is lower, reflexing to a second tier. As of 2022, the second tier has evolved to an expanded sequence with an Agena 74-variant panel. Single variants would then reflex to the third tier utilizing NGS. NGS is able to confirm what is detected in second-tier testing, adding variants not included in the Agena panel, and refining the TG replications for Poly-T variants to determine pathogenicity of 5T results. When there is a variant of varying clinical consequence between the two databases, the most conservative classification is selected. Individuals with variants would then be referred to one of the contracted CF NBS referral centers for confirmatory sweat chloride testing (sweat). With implementation of NGS, referrals nearly tripled in 2022–2024, with 538 referrals in 2019; 485 in 2020; and 805 in 2021; followed by 1223 referrals made in 2022; 1146 in 2023; and 1294 in 2024. In 2022–2024, 71% of referrals to the contracted NBS CF referral centers were for single variant results, and no cases of CF were identified from these referrals. The number of CF cases remained about the same, ranging from 23 to 40 through the years 2019–2024. The number of CRMS/CFSPID cases, however, tripled going from 10 to 12 in 2019–2022 to over 100 in 2024. The reason for this change seems to be related to complex heterozygous genetic variants as opposed to abnormal sweat. Implementation of NGS for CF in Florida led to a significant increase in the identification of CFTR variants which affected all aspects of the NBS CF process, from an increased workload on the NBS laboratory and follow-up staff, to an increase in referrals to the NBS CF referral centers. The majority of referrals were for single-variant results, which meant the infants had a very low likelihood of having CF. It is recommended that when an algorithm involving NGS is utilized, one should verify that there are appropriate processes for sweat, including the manner in which single-variant CF results are handled, avoiding unnecessary healthcare utilization. Full article

How to achieve common prosperity has become the key to enhancing residents’ well-being in digital government construction (DG), which is particularly important for developing countries with relatively large income gaps. Using Chinese provincial panel data from 2018 to 2023, this study employs the entropy weight method and two-way fixed effects models to empirically examine the nonlinear impact of digital government development on common prosperity. This study has found that DG has a significant U-shaped impact on common prosperity, which first inhibits and then promotes. This effect operates primarily through improving digital inclusive finance and increasing education expenditure. Regional heterogeneity analysis indicates that the U-shaped relationship is more significant in the eastern region. From a single dimension of DG, service supply capacity and service intelligence capacity have a significant U-shaped impact on common prosperity. This study enriches the theory of the relationship between DG and common prosperity, providing policy references for promoting common prosperity and sustainable development. Full article

Implementation of molecular detection methodology of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in Danish patients began in 1997. Since then, changes in molecular detection methods and diagnostic criteria have led to the present situation, in which almost all diarrhoeal stool specimens are examined for STEC. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of STEC isolates referred to the national reference laboratory has increased the detailed characterisation, and revealed a large spectrum, of STEC types, including cross-over pathotypes typically associated with extraintestinal disease or traveller’s diarrhoea. Association of subtype stx2a (and stx2d) with the risk of developing haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) was confirmed. These changes have resulted in an increase in the number of diagnosed STEC cases from 31 cases in 1997 to 1432 in 2023. Similar increases in Europe have also been recorded. Culture of STEC is, on the other hand, declining, which poses a challenge to the identification of multiple STEC infections and outbreaks. Syndromic (PCR) test panels have also resulted in an increase in the detection of multiple microorganisms. Double or triple infections have increased the role of clinical microbiologists in interpreting and assessing the significance of diagnostic results and have also increased the need for high-quality curation of surveillance data. Full article

Energy poverty is one of the major challenges to global sustainable development, while digital development, as a significant trend of the current era, is considered a key pathway to transcend traditional energy governance frameworks. Anchored in provincial panel data spanning 30 regions across China from 2003 to 2023, this study systematically examines the impact and heterogeneity of digital development on energy poverty and further explores the underlying mechanisms and nonlinear characteristics. The findings show that digital development can significantly alleviate energy poverty, and this conclusion remains valid after addressing endogeneity issues and conducting a series of robustness tests. However, the poverty reduction effect of digital development exhibits significant regional heterogeneity: the mitigation effect in central and western regions is significantly stronger than that in eastern regions, the effect in northern regions is higher than that in southern regions, and the effect in energy-disadvantaged regions is better than that in advantageous regions. Additionally, digital development alleviates energy poverty through mediating pathways such as promoting non-agricultural employment, improving human capital levels, and driving technological innovation. Notably, digital development demonstrates threshold effects and quantile heterogeneity in relation to energy poverty, characterized by diminishing marginal returns as digital development progresses; regions with higher levels of energy poverty experience more significant poverty reduction effects from digital development. This research provides a theoretical basis for energy poverty governance under the global energy crisis and offers empirical references for other countries to achieve energy sustainability goals (SDG7) through context-specific digital transformations. Full article

This study investigates the shear behavior of concrete elements reinforced with both traditional steel reinforcement and macro-synthetic fibers, with an emphasis on evaluating the predictive capabilities of current shear design provisions. A review of available experimental data, involving 52 beams and 8 panel specimens, revealed limitations in both quantity and consistency, hindering the formulation of robust design recommendations. To address this, an extensive parametric numerical study was conducted using the VecTor2 nonlinear finite element program, incorporating a recently developed modeling approach for PFRC shear response. A total of 288 simulations were carried out to explore the influence of fiber content, transverse reinforcement ratio, and concrete compressive strength, particularly in ranges not previously captured by experimental programs. The performance of existing design codes, including ACI, CSA, EC2, AASHTO, and the Fib Model Code, was assessed against both experimental data and the enriched parametric dataset. The Fib Model Code demonstrated the most reliable and consistent predictions, maintaining close alignment with reference strengths across all fiber contents, reinforcement ratios, and concrete strengths. AASHTO provisions performed moderately well, showing generally conservative and stable predictions, though some underestimation occurred for beams with higher shear reinforcement. In contrast, ACI and CSA models were consistently conservative, especially at higher concrete strengths, potentially leading to uneconomical designs. EC2 models exhibited the highest variability and least reliability, particularly in the presence of fibers, indicating limited applicability without modification. The results highlight that most conventional codes do not fully account for the synergistic action between fibers and transverse steel reinforcement, and that their reliability deteriorates for high-strength PFRC. These findings have practical implications for the design of PFRC elements, suggesting that the Fib Model Code may be the most suitable for current applications, whereas other provisions may require recalibration or modification. Future research should focus on expanding experimental datasets and developing unified design models that explicitly consider fiber–steel interactions, concrete strength, and fiber distribution. Full article

Background: Duplex ultrasonography (DUS) of the extracranial arteries is essential for the primary and secondary prevention of ischemic stroke and the diagnosis of other cerebrovascular pathologies. The aim of the Italian Society for Vascular Investigation (SIDV) is to provide a standardised approach for the ultrasound evaluation of extracranial arterial disease. Methods: A multidisciplinary SIDV expert panel conducted a comprehensive literature search and performed a narrative review of the recent medical literature; the updated operative procedures were subsequently developed through a consensus-driven process that included dedicated meetings and national congress sessions for discussion and validation. Results: This document outlines a comprehensive approach to the ultrasound evaluation of extracranial arteries, detailing techniques such as Brightness Mode (B-mode), Colour Doppler, Power Doppler, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), micro-vascular flow imaging (MVFI), and Three-Dimensional (3D) ultrasound. The text provides an in-depth discussion of clinical indications, technical protocols, plaque characterisation, stenosis quantification, and hemodynamic criteria. Emerging technologies are also examined for their potential to improve cerebrovascular risk stratification. Conclusions: The updated SIDV operative procedures for the ultrasound evaluation of extracranial cerebrovascular disease are intended to serve as a valuable reference for clinicians and vascular laboratories. Full article

Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) is a globally important cattle pathogen causing substantial economic losses. In Kazakhstan, BVDV’s epidemiological status remains poorly characterized due to the absence of systematic surveillance. We carried out a cross-sectional study of cattle herds across Kazakhstan, using ELISA to detect anti-BVDV antibodies and RT-PCR to identify active infections. Positive samples underwent sequencing for phylogenetic analysis of circulating strains. Additionally, a standard reference serum panel was developed to measure virus neutralization titers (ND₅₀) and to evaluate cross-neutralization with Border Disease virus (BDV). Antibodies against BVDV were prevalent, with seropositivity ranging from 28.89% to 96.13% across surveyed regions. Active BVDV infection was confirmed by RT-PCR in 17 animals. Phylogenetic analysis with 2 samples from Mangystau region classified the virus as BVDV2 genotype. The reference serum panel exhibited high neutralizing titers ND₅₀ up to 1:286 against the local BVDV-1 isolate. Notably, these sera also neutralized BDV, albeit at lower titers ND₅₀ 1:45. These findings provide crucial baseline epidemiological data and enhanced diagnostic tools for BVDV in Kazakhstan. They highlight the need for improved surveillance and will inform strategic control measures against this economically significant cattle disease. Full article

Precision medicine approaches rely on accurate somatic variant detection, where the DNA input into genomic workflows is a key variable. However, there are no gold standard methods for total DNA quantification. In this study, a pentaplex reference gene panel using digital PCR (dPCR) was developed as a candidate reference method. The multiplex approach was compared between two assay chemistries, applied to healthy donor genomic DNA and plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) to measure the ERBB2 (HER2) copy number variation in cancer cell line DNA. The multiplex approach demonstrated robust performance with the two assay chemistries, demonstrating comparable results and a wide dynamic range. Ratios of reference genes were close to the expected 1:1 in healthy samples; however, some small but significant differences (<1.2-fold) were observed in one of the five targets. Expanded relative measurement uncertainty was 12.1–19.8% for healthy gDNA and 9.2–25.2% for cfDNA. The multiplex approach afforded lower measurement uncertainty compared to the use of a single reference for total DNA quantification, which is an advantage for its potential use as a calibration method. It avoided potential biases in the application to CNV quantification of cancer samples, where cancer genome instability may be prominent. Full article

Background/Objectives: Laboratory tests are a cornerstone of modern medicine, and their interpretation depends on reference intervals (RIs) that define expected values in healthy populations. Standard RIs are obtained in cohort studies that are costly and time-consuming and typically do not account for demographic factors such as age, sex, and ethnicity that strongly influence biomarker distributions. This study establishes a data-driven approach for deriving RIs directly from routinely collected laboratory results. Methods: Multidimensional joint distributions of lipid biomarkers were estimated from large-scale real-world laboratory data from the Puerto Rican population using a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). GMM and additional statistical analyses were used to enable separation of healthy and pathological subpopulations and exclude the influence of comorbidities all without the use of diagnostic codes. Selective mortality patterns were examined to explain counterintuitive age trends in lipid values while comorbidity implication networks were constructed to characterize interdependencies between conditions. Results: The approach yielded sex- and age-stratified RIs for lipid panel biomarkers estimated from the inferred distributions (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides). Apparent improvements in biomarker profiles after midlife were explained by selective survival. Comorbidities exerted pronounced effects on the 95% ranges, with their broader influence captured through network analysis. Beyond fixed limits, the method yields full distributions, allowing each individual result to be mapped to a percentile and interpreted as a continuous measure of risk. Conclusions: Population-specific and sex- and age-segmented RIs can be derived from real-world laboratory data without recruiting healthy cohorts. Incorporating selective mortality effects and comorbidity networks provides additional insight into population health dynamics. Full article