Search Results (9,108)

Joints and other discontinuities in rock masses cause overbreak, underbreak, and instability during tunnel blasting. This paper reviews recent advances in damage control for jointed rock tunnels and validates key findings through numerical simulations. At the microscale, joints affect stress wave propagation, energy distribution, and crack growth patterns. We used ANSYS/LS-DYNA 19.0 to simulate 16 parametric cases and quantify the effects of joint geometry on blasting response. Results show that joint-to-borehole distance is the primary factor controlling damage distribution. A joint dip angle of 45° produces the most severe damage anisotropy, with cracks propagating preferentially along the joint plane. A three-dimensional tunnel model was then developed to assess water-pressure blasting. Compared with conventional methods, water-pressure blasting reduces damage depth by 20.4% and peak particle velocity by 57.6% in jointed rock. The paper also discusses parameter optimization methods, intelligent evaluation techniques, and dynamic control strategies. Engineering recommendations are provided for different geological conditions, including horizontally layered rock, inclined joints, and deep high-stress environments. This work offers both theoretical insights and practical guidance for precision blasting in jointed rock tunnels. Full article

Background/Objectives: Reversibility of glaucomatous optic-disc cupping, following intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction, represents a fascinating structural response observed in both pediatric and adult patients. This review summarizes evidence on its mechanisms, diagnostic evaluation, and clinical significance. Methods: A comprehensive review of experimental, clinical, and imaging-based studies investigating optic-disc cupping reversibility was conducted. Findings were categorized by patient population, imaging technique, and follow-up duration. Results: Experimental models established a strong correlation between IOP reduction and optic-disc structural recovery. Pediatric glaucoma demonstrated the greatest reversibility due to enhanced ocular tissue elasticity, whereas adult cases showed limited yet measurable structural changes after sustained IOP lowering. Imaging modalities, including confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), consistently confirmed quantitative disc-shape changes correlated with pressure reduction. Conclusions: Although optic-disc cupping reversal reflects biomechanical and glial remodeling rather than true neuronal recovery, it remains an important biomarker of successful IOP control. Advanced imaging provides valuable insights into optic-nerve-head (ONH) biomechanics and may improve glaucoma management. Full article

Ecosystems provide essential services to local communities, which in turn offer incentives for the preservation of natural resources, as these resources are crucial to the sustainability and evolution of human societies. So, this study examined the demand for ecosystem services among communities surrounding the Luki Biosphere Reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 361 randomly selected individuals and focus group discussions in 18 villages, complemented by field observations on local resource use (agriculture, charcoal production, wood harvesting, and tree felling). The services provided by the reserve were identified according to citation frequency, perceived usefulness, and level of agreement among respondents. Results indicate that agricultural products (28.5%), charcoal (19.1%), non-timber forest products (17.5%), and firewood (10%) are the most requested. The Chi-square test showed significant associations between dependence on ecosystem services and socio-economic variables such as gender (p = 0.014 < 0.05), education level (p = 0.033 < 0.05), and annual income (p = 0.000 < 0.05), while age was not significant (p = 0.504 > 0.05). Poverty and rapid demographic growth were identified as key drivers of demand and factors contributing to growing pressure on natural resources. The study emphasizes feedback loops between changes in ecosystem service supply and community responses, as well as trade-offs between services and actors. It recommends integrating ecosystem values into agricultural and forestry policies, while raising awareness and educating local communities to promote sustainable resource management. Full article

Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen that can cause widespread infections as well as severe outbreaks of food poisoning. Recent studies have drawn attention to foodborne pathogens such as S. aureus endowed with the ability to form biofilms and increase resistance to antimicrobial agents as well as environmental stress, posing challenges to food safety. The Clp (caseinolytic protease) protein complex plays a crucial role in energy-dependent protein hydrolysis processes. This mechanism is a common way to maintain intracellular homeostasis and regulation in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, especially under stress conditions. In S. aureus, multiple genes encoding Clp ATPase homologues have been identified: clpC, clpB, clpY, clpX, and clpL. This study investigated the roles of clpC in stress tolerance and biofilm formation of foodborne S. aureus RMSA24 isolated from raw milk. Our results showed that the deletion of the clpC gene significantly reduced the bacterium’s tolerance to heat, desiccation, hydrogen peroxide, and high osmotic pressure compared to wild type (WT). Furthermore, the clpC knockout mutant also exhibited a marked decrease in biofilm formation using Crystal Violet Staining (CVS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Finally, compared to WT, there was a total of 102 DEGs (differentially expressed genes), with a significant downregulation of genes related to biofilm formation (isaA and spa) and heat-shock response (clpP and danJ). These findings suggest that clpC regulates environmental tolerance in S. aureus by modulating the expression of stress- and biofilm-related genes, positioning it as a potential biomarker and a novel target for controlling contamination in the food industry. Full article

Cardiovascular clamping procedures can cause tissue traumatization, leading to serious adverse events interrupting blood flow and causing life-threatening hemorrhage. The aim of the study is to evaluate the properties of 3D-printed, high-elasticity elastomeric materials—BioMed Flex 50A and 80A (Formlabs Inc., Sommerville, MA, USA)—in terms of their suitability for the fabrication of atraumatic inserts used for surgical clamping instruments. To show the importance of the elaboration of the new atraumatic materials, finite element simulations of blood vessel compression by a surgical tool were validated experimentally with porcine vessels, and histopathology assessed the tissue response. These results confirm that excessive clamping forces can cause vessel wall stratification and rupture. Specimens BioMed Flex 50A and 80A underwent surface, mechanical, and biological testing, including topography, wettability, acoustic microscopy for structural voids, cytotoxicity with human dermal fibroblasts, pro-inflammatory marker analysis, and bacterial biofilm assessment. The results of the testing of the 3D-printed BioMed Flex 50A and 80A materials show good potential for applications in safe atraumatic surgical instruments. Further research may include the possibilities to develop 3D-printed metamaterials with pressure adapting properties. Full article

Achieving stable contact on uneven terrain remains a key challenge in humanoid robotics, as most feet rely on rigid or passively compliant structures with fixed stiffness. This work presents the design, fabrication, and analytical modeling of a compact soft pneumatic submodule capable of tunable longitudinal stiffness, developed as a proof-of-concept unit for adaptive humanoid feet. The submodule features a tri-layer architecture with two antagonistic pneumatic chambers separated by an inextensible layer and reinforced by rigid inserts. A single-step wax-core casting process integrates all materials into a monolithic soft–rigid structure, ensuring precise geometry and repeatable performance. An analytical model relating internal pressure to equivalent stiffness was derived and experimentally validated, showing a linear stiffness–pressure relation with mean error below 10% across 0–30 kPa. Static and dynamic tests confirmed tunable stiffness between 0.18 and 0.43 N·m/rad, a rapid symmetric response (2.9–3.4 ms), and stable stiffness under cyclic loading at gait-relevant frequencies. These results demonstrate the submodule’s suitability as a scalable building block for distributed, real-time stiffness modulation in next-generation humanoid feet. Full article

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a pressing public health concern, exacerbated by the prescribing of antibiotics in primary care settings when they are not clinically indicated. Research shows that providers often feel pressured to prescribe antibiotics in response to patients’ expectations. To address this challenge, we developed a theory-informed video intervention to enhance antibiotic stewardship communication skills among current and future primary care providers, with emphasis on college health settings. The intervention consisted of five videos targeting core skills: explaining diagnosis and treatment, discussing antibiotic risks, advising on symptom management, offering patient support, and navigating visits with emerging adults. Program effectiveness was assessed immediately and three months post-intervention. Methods: Providers and medical students (N = 135) completed a three-wave study. At baseline, they reported demographics, perceived importance of the five skill sets, as well as self-efficacy, and completed closed- and open-ended skill assessment. Two weeks later, participants viewed the intervention videos, reassessed their skills, and rated their motivation to improve. Three months after video exposure, they completed the same skill assessments. Results: Participants showed improvements in all communication skills immediately post-intervention, except for supporting patients. While some skills showed sustained improvements at three months, the overall long-term effects were less pronounced. Perceived skill importance, baseline self-efficacy, and post-intervention motivation moderated these effects. Conclusions: A brief video-based intervention effectively enhanced current and future providers’ antibiotic stewardship communication skills. Sustaining these gains, however, requires ongoing reinforcement. Notably, the intervention was especially beneficial for those with low motivation and self-efficacy, key targets for such programs. Full article

Local scour around support structures has remained a critical barrier to tidal stream turbine deployment in energetic marine channels since loss of embedment and bearing capacity has undermined stability and delayed commercialization. This review identifies key mechanisms, practical implications, and forward-looking strategies related to local scour. It highlights that rotor operation, small tip clearance, and helical wakes can significantly intensify near-bed shear stress and erosion relative to monopile foundations without turbine rotation. Scour behavior is compared across monopile, tripod, jacket, and gravity-based foundations under steady flow, reversing tides, and combined wave and current conditions, revealing their influence on depth and morphology. The review further assesses coupled interactions among waves, oscillatory currents, turbine-induced flow, and seabed response, including sediment transport, transient pore pressure, and liquefaction risk. Advances in prediction methods spanning laboratory experiments, high-fidelity simulations, semi-empirical models, and data-driven techniques are synthesized, and mitigation strategies are evaluated across passive, active, and eco-integrated approaches. Remaining challenges and specific research needs are outlined, including array-scale effects, monitoring standards, and integration of design frameworks. The review concludes with future directions to support safe, efficient, and sustainable turbine deployment. Full article

Rising residential land prices push up housing prices and worsen credit misallocation. These patterns emerge amid cyclical real estate fluctuations and heavy land-based public finance. Such pressures undermine macroeconomic stability and sustainable land-use. The land price circuit breaker is widely applied with a price cap and state dependence, yet its trigger mechanism and interaction with inflation targeting remain underexplored. This study addresses three core questions. First, how does the circuit breaker’s discrete trigger and rule-switching logic differ from traditional static price ceilings? Second, can the mechanism, via the collateral channel, restrain excessive land price hikes, improve credit allocation, and, thereby, stabilize land price dynamics and long-run macroeconomic performance? Third, how does the circuit breaker interact with inflation targeting, and through which endogenous channels does a strict target dampen housing prices and raise activation probability? This study develops a multi-sector DSGE model with an embedded land price circuit breaker. The price cap is modeled as an occasionally binding constraint. A dynamic price band and trigger indicator capture the policy’s switch between slack and binding states. The framework incorporates interactions among local governments, the central bank, developers, and households. It also links firms and the secondary housing market. Under different inflation-targeting rules, this study uses impulse responses, an event study, and welfare analysis to assess trigger conditions and macroeconomic effects. The findings are threefold. First, a strict inflation target increases the probability of a circuit breaker being triggered. It channels housing-demand shocks toward land prices and creates a “nominal anchor–relative price constraint” linkage. Second, once activated, the circuit breaker narrows the gap between land price and house-price growth. It weakens the procyclicality of collateral values. It also restrains credit expansion by impatient households. These effects redirect credit toward firms, improve corporate financing, reduce the decline in investment, and accelerate output recovery. Third, the circuit breaker limits new land supply and shifts demand toward the secondary housing market. This generates a supply-side effect that releases existing stock and stabilizes prices, thereby weakening the amplification mechanism of housing cycles. This study identifies the endogenous trigger logic and cross-market transmission of the land price circuit breaker under a strict inflation target. It shows that the mechanism is not merely a price-management tool in the land market but a systemic policy variable that links the real estate, finance, and fiscal sectors. By dampening real estate procyclicality, improving credit allocation, and stabilizing macroeconomic fluctuations, the mechanism offers new insights for sustainable land-use policy and macroeconomic stabilization. Full article

Soil microbial communities face the combined pressures of climate change and biodiversity loss, yet how these stressors interact to shape ecosystem function remains a critical uncertainty. To investigate this, we established a constructed grassland plant community and conducted a fully factorial experiment manipulating plant diversity (1, 3, and 6 species), temperature (ambient, +2 °C), and precipitation (ambient, +50%). High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that plant diversity exerted a stronger influence on soil bacterial community structure than did warming or precipitation changes. Beta diversity analysis revealed a distinct clustering of bacterial communities corresponding to the plant diversity gradient. This shift was characterized by a consistent enrichment of the metabolically versatile genus Sphingomonas in medium-diversity plots that experienced elevated precipitation, suggesting a predicted potential for enhanced organic matter decomposition. Despite overall stability in alpha diversity, the interaction between plant diversity and warming significantly modulated bacterial diversity and dominance patterns. Our findings highlight that plant diversity plays a key role in mediating soil bacterial responses to simulated climate factors in the short term. Incorporating these plant–soil feedback mechanisms into ecological models appears crucial for advancing predictions of ecosystem dynamics under future climate conditions. Full article

Genotypic characteristics may determine the body’s response to stressful conditions as well as its susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Old age worsens the course of these diseases, and often concomitant hypertension can negatively affect brain function, especially in cases of social isolation. In this work, we studied how social isolation and hypertension affect the transcription activity of genes associated with glucocorticoid signaling in the rat brain. The study was performed on 10-month-old rats of the outbred Wistar stock (n = 48) and the inbred spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) strain (n = 28). The animals of each genotype were divided into groups, one of which was kept in home cages in groups of 3–4 individuals, and the other in single cages for 3 months. Physiological parameters and plasma corticosterone were controlled before the start and after 3 months of isolation. Each group was additionally divided into two subgroups: one subjected to 1 h of restraint stress, and changes in blood glucose and corticosterone levels were assessed. At the end, the levels of Nr3c1, Nr3c2, Hsd11b1, and Fkbp5 mRNAs were measured in the hippocampus and frontal cortex using the Q-PCR technique. After isolation, weight gain stopped in SHRs, although blood pressure did not change, and heart rate increased in rats of both genotypes. In response to restraint, there was practically no increase in corticosterone in isolated Wistar rats, whereas in SHRs, there were significant glucose and corticosterone responses. Significant disruptions in the system responsible for corticosterone-activated signaling cascades were found in the brains of SHR rats. The transcriptional activity of genes encoding corticosterone receptors and proteins regulating their action was reduced in the hippocampus and frontal cortex in SHRs compared to Wistar rats. However, neither isolation nor acute stress significantly affected the contents of transcripts studied. Meanwhile, after isolation, the relationships between the expression of these genes changed significantly, in different directions, in rats of the studied genotypes, both within and between brain structures. Thus, the SHR genotype is associated with persistent changes in the brain that affect the expression of glucocorticoid-associated genes. This indicates a more complex regulation of the stress response, not limited only by the feedback system within the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical or sympatho-adrenomedullary systems, but operated at the level of the limbic system and the cerebral cortex. Full article

Laterally loaded slender piles present a classic soil–structure interaction problem where pile displacements and flexural demands are governed by the mobilized lateral resistance of the surrounding soil and the axial-bending capacity of the reinforced concrete section. In response to increasing pressure to reduce embodied emissions, this study develops LAVERCO, an optimization framework for cost- and CO₂-efficient design of bored reinforced-concrete piles in cohesive soils subjected to combined lateral and axial actions. The framework integrates Eurocode-based geotechnical checks with full N–M section verification of the RC pile and applies a genetic algorithm over a multi-parametric grid of lateral load, vertical load, and undrained shear strength, using economic cost and embodied CO₂ as alternative single objectives. Rank-based (Spearman) sensitivity analysis quantifies how actions, soil strength, and design variables influence the optimal solutions. The results reveal two consistent geometry regimes: CO₂-optimal piles are systematically longer and slimmer, while COST-optimal piles are shorter and thicker. In both cases, the objective is dominated by pile length and is reduced by higher undrained shear strength; vertical load has a moderate direct effect, while horizontal load contributes mainly through deflection and bending checks. Feasibility improves significantly in stronger clays, and CO₂-optimal geometries generally incur higher costs, clarifying the trade-off between economic and environmental performance. The framework provides explicit geometry-level guidance for selecting bored pile designs that balance cost and embodied CO₂ across a wide range of soil and loading conditions and can be directly applied in both preliminary and detailed designs. Full article

Cities increasingly face urban sustainability challenges due to rapid urbanization, climate pressures, and infrastructure demands. In response, smart city frameworks have emerged as transformative strategies that promote sustainability, efficiency, and resilience. Among the enabling technologies, the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain is gaining traction for supporting data-driven, transparent, and inclusive forms of sustainable smart cities. This systematic review analyzes peer-reviewed studies to examine how IoT and blockchain contribute to smart and sustainable urban development. The findings are organized into five thematic areas: (1) applications of IoT and blockchain for sustainable urban development; (2) operational applications across urban sustainability sectors such as energy, mobility, waste, and environmental management; (3) blockchain-enabled urban governance mechanisms including smart contracts, identity systems, and emergency response; (4) direct citizen engagement through transparent participation platforms and incentive-based systems; and (5) challenges and opportunities associated with IoT and blockchain technologies in the context of sustainable city development. In addition, the study proposes a conceptual framework that illustrates how IoT and blockchain integration support sustainable urban innovation. The review highlights the transformative potential of IoT–blockchain convergence in shaping future smart and sustainable cities and aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11. Full article

Background/objectives: Tropoelastin is a highly hydrophobic extracellular matrix protein responsible for the extensibility and elastic recoil of various organs. The Windkessel effect in blood vessels dampens pressure variations during the cardiac cycle to provide continuous perfusion of tissues, such as the fragile gill capillaries in fish. The teleost-specific whole-genome duplication was followed by structural and functional divergence of the duplicated tropoelastins, of which ElnB confers the uniquely low stiffness of the bulbus arteriosus. Methods: We have examined the diversity of tropoelastins in all major fish clades by searching for tropoelastin (eln) genes in the sequenced genomes. Duplication of eln genes in tetraploid salmonids and cyprinids was examined by maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis, and cardiac eln expression in rainbow trout was quantified by qPCR. Results: The tetraploid salmonid genomes harbor two elna genes but a single elnb, except for the tandem duplicated elnb genes in sockeye salmon and lake whitefish, while the tetraploid common carp possesses four elna and elnb genes on separate chromosomes. Rainbow trout showed strong elastin staining in the larval bulbus and ventral aorta, and the bulbar expression of elnb was 15 times higher than the ventricular levels in juvenile fish. The expression of elna1 and elna2 was also significantly higher in the bulbus, and together their transcript levels were almost similar as the elnb levels. The overall hydrophobicity of the fish tropoelastins differed considerably among the species ranging from 28.6% in Emerald rockcod ElnB to 56.3% in lesser devil ray Eln, but showed no significant difference with the tetrapods examined, except for the lower hydrophobicity of teleost ElnB. Conclusions: The inclusion of tetrapods in the analysis revealed a positive relationship between ventral aortic blood pressure and tropoelastin hydrophobicity. Full article

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing global health challenge requiring effective dietary management strategies. While the Mediterranean diet shows promise for cardiovascular and metabolic health, the last comprehensive meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining its effects on glycemic control and body mass index (BMI) in T2DM was published in 2015. Multiple RCTs, including culturally adapted interventions with extended follow-up, have since been completed, but remain unsynthesized. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA 2020 guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420251147035), searching PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase from inception through 17 August 2025. Unlike previous syntheses that combined observational cohorts or mixed dietary approaches, our analysis focused strictly on RCTs in adults with established T2DM and incorporated trials published after 2015. We included RCTs comparing Mediterranean diet interventions against non-Mediterranean control diets in adults with T2DM. Primary outcomes included glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and body mass index (BMI). Secondary outcomes comprised low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Pooled effects were estimated using random-effects models. Results: Eleven RCTs (10 publications) involving diverse populations met inclusion criteria. Compared with control diets, Mediterranean diet interventions showed reductions in HbA1c (mean difference [MD] −0.307%, 95% CI: −0.451 to −0.163), FPG (MD −0.845 mmol/L, 95% CI: −1.307 to −0.384), and BMI (MD −0.828 kg/m², 95% CI: −1.4 to −0.256). Secondary analyses revealed reductions in LDL-C (MD −8.060 mg/dL, 95% CI: −14.213 to −1.907), SBP (MD −5.130 mmHg, 95% CI: −10.877 to 0.617), and DBP (MD −2.008 mmHg, 95% CI: −3.027 to −0.989). Sensitivity analyses supported stability of findings, with no substantial publication bias detected. Subgroup analyses revealed geographic variation in blood pressure responses, with greater benefits observed in non-Mediterranean populations. Conclusions: Mediterranean dietary patterns were associated with modest improvements in glycemic control, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk factors among adults with T2DM. The cultural adaptability of this approach may support implementation in clinical practice, though larger multicenter trials with standardized protocols and extended follow-up remain necessary. Full article