Search Results (10,339)

The decarbonization of international shipping has accelerated interest in ammonia as a zero-carbon marine fuel. However, its acute toxicity poses safety challenges fundamentally different from those associated with LNG. This study presents a structured comparative regulatory analysis of the IGF Code and the IMO Interim Guidelines for Ships Using Ammonia as Fuel through a chapter-by-chapter review of key safety domains. The results show that, despite structural similarities, the two frameworks diverge significantly in their underlying safety logic: LNG regulation is primarily oriented toward flammability and explosion prevention, whereas ammonia regulation adopts a toxicity-driven safety architecture. This shift is reflected in ppm-level gas detection thresholds, ammonia release mitigation systems (ARMS), toxic area and Safe Haven concepts, broader secondary containment measures, and enhanced personnel protection requirements. These findings suggest that ammonia safety cannot be adequately addressed through incremental extensions of LNG-based rules alone. Instead, it requires a dedicated regulatory approach that explicitly incorporates toxic exposure management into ship design and operation. Full article

Climate change poses significant challenges to the operation and safety of dam and reservoir (D&R) systems, particularly in regions characterized by water scarcity and high climate variability. This study presents a structured methodology for climate risk assessment that integrates regional climate projections, system-specific thresholds, and a semi-quantitative risk matrix approach. A key innovation is the explicit linkage between climate indicators and system performance through physically based thresholds, combined with empirically derived exceedance probabilities from high-resolution climate projections. The methodology is applied to the Almopeos D&R system in northern Greece, using an ensemble of statistically downscaled CMIP6 simulations under two emission scenarios (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) and two future periods (2041–2060 and 2081–2100). Three climate indicators are analyzed: TX35 (temperature extremes), CDD (consecutive dry days), and Rx1day (extreme precipitation). Results indicate that temperature increase is the dominant climate risk hazard, leading to increased irrigation demand and reduced system reliability, with risks classified as high to very high. Drought conditions represent a secondary but important risk, becoming critical during prolonged dry periods affecting reservoir storage, while extreme precipitation events exhibit low likelihood but potentially high consequences for dam safety. Adaptation measures are prioritized using a qualitative multi-criteria approach, highlighting the effectiveness of operational measures, while structural and monitoring interventions remain essential for ensuring system safety. The proposed methodology provides a transparent and transferable framework for climate-resilient planning of water infrastructure systems. Full article

The rapid emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria has become a major health concern, driving the need to identify new antimicrobial resources. Recently, endophytes, inhabiting in internal tissues of medicinal plants, have drew important interest from the scientific community, as reservoirs of bioactive metabolites. Numerous studies highlight the symbiotic relationship between plants and their endophytes, in which these microorganisms produce antimicrobial compounds, helping the host plant’s defense against pathogens. Plantago major (commonly known as plantain) is widely recognized for its therapeutic properties, especially for its antimicrobial properties. In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from Plantago major, morphologically characterized and identified using ITS sequencing. Their antibacterial activity was assessed using the agar diffusion assay. In total, 21 endophytic fungal isolates were obtained from different plant tissues, including leaves, stems, roots, and flowers. Antibacterial assays against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were investigated on PDA, SDA, and CDA media. Amongst the isolates, nine strains (MD-H1, MD-L1, MD-L2, MD-L3, MD-L4, MD-L5, MD-R1, MD-T1, MD-T2, and MD-T10) showed medium to strong antibacterial effects, with inhibition zones exceeding 15 mm. The result suggests that endophytic fungi associated with Plantago is a valuable source of anti-MRSA compounds. Further work will focus on identifying the secondary metabolites responsible for this activity and elucidating their chemical structures, providing a basis for the development of new potent antibiotic agents. Full article

Conventional powdered biochar encounters severe bottlenecks in practical water treatment, such as difficult separation, easy loss, and potential secondary pollution. This work aimed to develop recyclable and high-performance adsorbents by preparing iron-doped biochar/sodium alginate composite microspheres (BC/MBC500-ALF) through Fe³⁺ cross-linking. Using corn stalk biochar and KMnO₄-modified biochar as adsorbent components and sodium alginate (SA) as a green shaping matrix, SA formed a stable egg-box hydrogel network to convert powdered biochar into uniform microspheres. Batch adsorption experiments revealed that the optimal pH for oxytetracycline (OTC) adsorption was 9, with adsorption capacities of 136.28 mg/g for BC500-ALF and 182.91 mg/g for MBC500-ALF. Kinetic analysis showed that BC500-ALF followed pseudo-first-order kinetics (R² = 0.983) dominated by physisorption, while MBC500-ALF fitted pseudo-second-order kinetics (R² = 0.994) dominated by chemisorption. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacities at 308 K were 220.75 mg/g and 495.05 mg/g, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters confirmed a spontaneous and endothermic process. The adsorption mechanisms involved hydrogen bonding, π–π stacking, electrostatic attraction, metal-bridging complexation, and Fe–Mn oxide-mediated redox reactions. SA exerted dual functions in structure stabilization and adsorption enhancement. This composite provides an efficient and eco-friendly approach for tetracycline antibiotic pollution control in aqueous environments. Full article

This study evaluates the seismic performance and life-cycle economic implications of designing essential urban mid-rise reinforced concrete moment-resistant frame (MRF) buildings to maintain linear elastic behavior up to the Immediate Occupancy (IO) performance level. While most urban buildings are commonly designed to respond non-linearly in order to reduce initial construction costs, the current Mexico City Building Code (MCBC) permits that essential facilities, such as hospitals and schools, maintain linear behavior during moderate-to-strong earthquakes. This code establishes a maximum story drift ratio equal to 0.0075 for essential buildings constituted by MRF subjected to seismic events with a 250-year recurrence interval; in addition, it recommends ductile structural behavior to achieve Life Safety performance at a 450-year recurrence interval. Given the significant differences in occupancy, functionality, and contents of critical facilities, here it is analyzed whether the linear elastic design criterion is efficient for both secondary care hospitals and public schools. Two three-story and five-story MRF buildings, located on firm and transition soil, respectively, are analyzed. This study addresses the probability of brittle-type failure risk, the optimal allowable story drift at the IO performance level, the potential need for use-dependent drift limits, and the contribution of contents and nonstructural components to the total expected seismic losses. The seismic risk and economic performance are quantified through seismic hazard analysis, incremental dynamic analysis, fragility modeling, Monte Carlo simulation, and life-cycle cost evaluation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Managing postoperative drainage and reducing the length of hospital stays continue to represent significant challenges in thoracic surgery. While systemic antifibrinolytics are effective, concerns persist regarding neurotoxicity and thromboembolic risks. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of a unique, high-volume topical tranexamic acid (t-TXA) lavage protocol designed to optimize pleuroparenchymal contact and stabilize local hyperfibrinolysis. Methods: A retrospective comparative study was conducted involving 52 patients undergoing major lung resection, divided into a t-TXA group (n = 26) and a control group (n = 26). The t-TXA group received an intrathoracic lavage consisting of 5 g of tranexamic acid (TXA) diluted in 500 mL of saline, while the control group received 500 mL of saline alone. The primary outcomes included postoperative day (POD) 1 drainage volumes and length of stay (LOS). The secondary outcomes were focused on hematological parameters and safety profiles, including a structured one-year follow-up for all patients. Due to the study’s exploratory nature, primary outcomes were assessed using 95% confidence intervals for hypothesis generation rather than a priori sample size calculations. Results: No significant differences were observed between groups regarding sex, surgical approach, or resection type. The t-TXA group demonstrated a significantly shorter LOS (4.20 ± 1.23 days) compared to the control group (5.88 ± 2.23 days; p = 0.001). While POD 1 drainage was numerically lower in the t-TXA group (189.23 ± 235.06 mL) versus the control (284.23 ± 169.40 mL), this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.101). However, exploratory correlation analysis revealed a moderate negative association between t-TXA application and POD 1 drainage (r = −0.412; p = 0.002). Postoperative platelet counts were significantly lower in the t-TXA group (p = 0.009). No thromboembolic events, late complications, or deaths occurred in either group during the one-year follow-up period. Conclusions: High-volume t-TXA lavage is a promising adjuvant associated with significantly shorter hospital stays and a trend toward reduced postoperative drainage. While our 12-month follow-up confirmed a favorable safety profile with no adverse events, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary and hypothesis-generating. The retrospective nature of this study precludes definitive recommendations, underscoring the need for well-powered prospective randomized trials to establish the long-term safety and clinical utility of t-TXA in thoracic surgery. Full article

This study presents a morphometric characterization of the cranial structure of Bos grunniens based on linear measurements taken from adult skulls. Twenty yak skulls (10 males and 10 females) were collected from slaughterhouses in the Bishkek region of Kyrgyzstan. A total of 27 linear cranial measurements were recorded from each specimen, focusing on neurocranial, facial, orbital, and occipital regions. The aim of this study was to describe morphological patterns and structural integration within the yak skull, and to provide baseline morphometric data for a species that remains relatively underrepresented in the literature. Correlation analyses indicated a high degree of morphological association among cranial length, width, and dental parameters. Notably, highly correlated measurement clusters were observed among total cranial length, condylobasal length, dental length, and lateral facial length, indicating coordinated growth and dimensional interdependence in the skull. The first two principal components together explained approximately 75% of the total morphometric variance. PC1 was primarily associated with global skull size and elongation, while PC2 reflected variation in orbital and frontal structures. Additionally, independent t-tests revealed statistically significant differences in selected measurements such as total cranial length, dental length, greatest mastoid breadth, greatest inner height of the orbit, and occipital heights, indicating a secondary role of sexual dimorphism in shaping cranial morphology. The findings contribute to anatomical standardization, taxonomic studies, and future comparative morphometric research in large ruminants. Full article

Tunnels excavated in non-coal oil- and gas-bearing strata may experience the seepage and intermittent ingress of an oil–gas–water mixture during construction, creating aggressive corrosive conditions that can compromise the integrity of primary support and the safety margin of the final lining. However, the coupled degradation mechanism of primary support and its cascading effect on lining safety under such conditions remain poorly understood. Based on the Huaying Mountain Tunnel project, this study investigates the corrosion-driven damage evolution of primary support and its implications for the structural safety of the secondary lining under wet–dry cycling exposure. Accelerated wet–dry cycling tests were performed on concrete specimens using an on-site crude-oil–formation-water mixture collected during tunnelling, with exposure levels ranging from 0 to 120 cycles. Laboratory observations were then combined with inverse identification of degradation-dependent material parameters to establish a corrosion-informed mechanical description, which was implemented in numerical simulations for structural response assessment. Results show a staged evolution of mechanical properties, with an initial increase followed by progressive deterioration. After 120 cycles, compressive strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus decreased by approximately 18.9%, 23.1%, and 17.4%, respectively. Degradation is more pronounced in the corroded zone, with tensile capacity and stiffness deteriorating earlier than compressive resistance. Numerical results indicate that corrosion leads to significant stress redistribution and damage development. The sidewall tensile stress reaches 2.80 MPa after 120 cycles, exceeding the post-corrosion capacity, while the safety factor drops below the code threshold at 90 cycles. The overall safety probability decreases from 1.0 to 0.4, accompanied by a degradation in safety grade from Level I to Level IV. These findings provide a quantitative basis for deterioration assessment, safety verification, and maintenance planning for tunnels subjected to oil–gas corrosive environments. Full article

This systematic review examines the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental performance of sparkling wine production across its value chain. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a structured search in Scopus and Web of Science identified 17 relevant studies published between 2015 and 2025. The results show that environmental hotspots are consistently associated with viticultural inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, and fuel use), energy consumption in winery operations, packaging—particularly glass bottle production—and distribution. Carbon footprint values typically range from 0.9 to 1.9 kg CO₂eq per bottle, with packaging accounting for up to 55–60% of total impact. Methodologically, most studies adopt an attributional LCA approach, apply partial system boundaries, and focus primarily on climate change, limiting comparability and completeness. Conversely, sparkling wine-specific stages, such as secondary fermentation and aging, remain underrepresented. Overall, the findings reveal substantial methodological heterogeneity across studies, particularly in functional units, system boundaries, and impact assessment methods. However, processes specific to sparkling wine production remain underrepresented, limiting the accuracy of environmental characterization for these systems. This review highlights the need for harmonized cradle-to-grave LCA frameworks, bottle-based functional units, and broader impact categories to improve the robustness and comparability of LCA applications in sparkling wine production. Full article

Uranium exploration in southeastern Mongolia remains constrained by fragmented Soviet-era datasets and limited modern synthesis. This study addresses the problem of integrating historical geological records with contemporary exploration methods to evaluate uranium mineralization potential. A comprehensive GIS-based database was compiled from Soviet reports legally acquired from the Mineral Resources Authority of Mongolia and expanded with geological, geophysical, and drilling data collected between 2006 and 2011. Methodological advances included remote sensing detection of anomalous radioactivity in arid environments, stratigraphic modeling, and hydrogeochemical surveys. The dataset encompasses more than 1100 radioactive anomalies and approximately 300 mineralized zones, with emphasis on the Han Bogd granite massif, Ail Bayan coal deposit, Suujin Tal structural system, Zuunbayan depression, and Naarst structural complex. Results indicate that most anomalous zones are sub-economic, commonly associated with organic-rich facies such as coal seams, while the continuity of mineralized bodies remains uncertain. Nevertheless, the dual consideration of granitic source terrains and coal-bearing sedimentary traps provides new insights into uranium mobility and deposition. The significance of this work lies in its systematic integration of historical and modern data, offering a refined geological framework and highlighting key areas for future investigation, thereby contributing to ongoing discussions on sedimentary uranium resources in Mongolia. Results indicate that most anomalous zones are sub-economic, commonly associated with organic-rich facies such as coal seams, while the continuity of mineralized bodies remains uncertain. Importantly, the study highlights granitic intrusions and volcanic complexes as the primary uranium sources, with coal-bearing and sedimentary basins acting as secondary depositional environments. The dual consideration of source terrains and depositional traps provides new insights into uranium mobility and deposition. Full article

School leadership practices may influence teachers’ motivation and professional engagement, which, in turn, may affect overall school performance. This study explores how secondary school teachers and deputy head teachers perceive head teachers’ leadership practices and how these practices are understood to influence teacher motivation and professional engagement. Drawing on a qualitative design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers and six deputy head teachers from six government secondary schools in Kabwe District, Zambia. A qualitative approach enabled an in-depth exploration of leadership perceptions across participants from multiple school contexts. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify patterns in leadership practices described by participants. The findings indicate that participants frequently described leadership practices aligned with delegation, mentorship, and open communication, shaped by contextual and organisational factors. However, these practices were not consistently experienced across all school contexts. Participants also described the presence of democratic and autocratic leadership practices. Participants perceived participatory and supportive leadership practices as contributing to their motivation and professional engagement. However, participants from several schools reported that autocratic leadership practices continued to shape decision-making, largely due to contextual, institutional, and workload-related constraints. The study highlights the importance of understanding leadership as contextually negotiated and relationally enacted. It contributes to African educational leadership research by demonstrating how leadership practices are experienced and interpreted within specific school contexts and emphasising the value of examining leadership beyond a single theoretical model. The implications of these findings for school leadership practice, policy development, and international educational leadership research are discussed. Full article

This study investigated the influence of Mn content (70 wt.%, 75 wt.%, and 80 wt.%) on the microstructure, mechanical properties and damping capacity of Mn-Cu alloys using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), mechanical testing and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The results indicate that during cooling after aging, the Mn-Cu alloy undergoes martensitic transformation, resulting in a dual-phase structure of fcc and fct. The 70 wt.% Mn alloy exhibits a mixed-grain structure with mostly long, straight twin bands, while the 75 wt.% and 80 wt.% Mn alloys consist of fine equiaxed grains with mostly intersecting twin bands. The microstructure determines the properties of the alloy. As the Mn content increases, the mechanical properties initially increase and then decrease, and the 75 wt.% Mn alloy has the best mechanical performance (UTS = 534 MPa, YS = 263 MPa). In contrast, the damping capacity shows a decreasing trend, and the 70 wt.% Mn alloy exhibits the best damping capacity (tanδ = 0.064). The main damping peak of tanδ in Mn-Cu alloys is derived from the relaxation of the twin boundaries, and the less obvious secondary peak is the internal friction peak of martensitic transformation. Full article

We performed a protein-docking study for eight DNA aptamers (SEQ1–SEQ8) against chicken Cluster of Differentiation 40 (chCD40), which were experimentally identified via SELEX in our previous study. In silico and molecular docking analyses were performed to predict and obtain the secondary and tertiary structures of the aptamers. Aptamers SEQ3 and SEQ4, which showed the best inhibitory effects, were selected and utilized to produce a DNA-based vaccine adjuvant using rolling circle amplification (RCA). These aptamers had been previously characterized via mass spectroscopy to determine their molecular weight and regions that could potentially interact with chCD40. In the present study, these results were corroborated and expanded. A series of free software methods, including Mfold v.1.0, 3dADN v.2.0, ClusPro v.2.0, Hdock v.1.0, and PLIP v.1.0, were used to determine the aptamers’ secondary and tertiary structures and docking interactions, as well as the specific residues involved in the interactions and their distances. The structures were used to explain and thus understand their effect on the binding, selectivity, and stability of the aptamers. The main objective of the study was to determine whether these aptamers could be used as vaccine adjuvants against viral and bacterial pathogens, specifically chicken avian influenza. The docking results were in good agreement with the experimental and biological results. The procedure employed in this study could be an easy and effective tool for exploring the potential of the new technology of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) in the preparation of aptamers to control viral and bacterial infections as well as diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. Full article

This study comparatively assesses the Municipal Emission Reduction Plans (MERPs) of Spetses, Platanias, and Souli, examining their role as analytical and strategic tools for local climate planning, with particular emphasis on water-related infrastructure. A descriptive comparative analysis was conducted using secondary data extracted from officially approved MERPs, covering sectoral and total greenhouse gas emissions for 2019 and 2023, as well as reported mitigation actions and 2030 targets. The results reveal significant inter-municipal variations in emission patterns, driven by geomorphological characteristics, infrastructure configuration, and energy consumption, but also by governance structures and system boundaries. Water supply and irrigation systems are identified as highly energy-intensive sectors, particularly in municipalities with extensive, pumping-dependent networks. At the same time, the analysis shows that the inclusion or exclusion of outsourced services—such as water supply and wastewater management—substantially affects the representation of emissions and the prioritization of mitigation actions. The study concludes that MERPs can support climate planning at the municipal level, but their effectiveness is conditioned by data completeness, system boundaries, and governance models. These findings highlight the need to move beyond purely accounting-based approaches toward integrated planning frameworks that capture the full operational scope of municipal systems, enabling more accurate emission assessment and more effective, context-specific mitigation strategies within the water–energy–nexus. Full article

Whether industrial artificial intelligence (industrial AI) contributes to environmental sustainability remains an open empirical and theoretical question. While digital and intelligent technologies are widely promoted as drivers of green transformation, their net impact on carbon emissions is ambiguous due to potentially offsetting efficiency gains and rebound effects. This study examines how industrial AI influences urban carbon emissions using panel data for 260 Chinese cities from 2005 to 2019. We construct a novel city-level industrial AI development index by integrating information on data infrastructure, AI-related talent supply and intelligent manufacturing services using the entropy weight method. Employing two-way fixed-effects models, instrumental-variable estimations, lag structures, and multiple robustness checks, we identify the causal impact of industrial AI on carbon emissions. The results indicate that industrial AI significantly reduces urban carbon emissions. Mechanism analyses suggest that this effect operates primarily through improvements in energy efficiency and green technological innovation, while being partially offset by scale expansion. Furthermore, a higher share of secondary industry mitigates the emission-reducing effect of industrial AI. Heterogeneity analysis further indicates stronger emission-reduction effects in eastern regions, large cities, and areas with higher human capital and stronger environmental regulation. The findings suggest that intelligent industrial upgrading can simultaneously enhance productivity and support climate mitigation, but this effect is highly context-dependent, offering policy insights for achieving sustainable industrial modernization and carbon neutrality in emerging economies. Full article