Search Results (29,575)

Polygalacturonase (PG) is a key enzyme in cell wall metabolism and fruit ripening. Atemoya (Annona cherimola Mill. × A. squamosa L.) is a high-value tropical fruit that undergoes rapid postharvest softening at room temperature. However, the role of the atemoya PG gene family in this process remains unknown. This study determined that storing atemoya at 28 °C significantly reduced fruit firmness and the total pectin content but increased water-soluble pectin (WSP) and PG activity compared to storage at 15 °C. Genome-wide identification of the AaPG gene family in atemoya revealed that 40 AaPG genes were unevenly distributed across seven chromosomes. Nineteen genes were located within six tandem duplication clusters. AaPG proteins exhibited clade-specific differences: Clades B-E contained the polysaccharide lyase family 6 (PL-6) superfamily domain, while Clade A harbored the Aspergillus niger polygalacturonase 1 (Pgu1) domain and lacked several conserved motifs. Expression profiling and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) showed that AaPG19, AaPG21, AaPG23 and AaPG24 were specifically induced at 28 °C. Subcellular localization confirmed that these four proteins were located on the plasma membrane. These findings provide insights into the evolution and temperature-dependent regulation of the AaPG family, identifying candidate genes responsible for the rapid softening of atemoya fruit. Full article

Water is an indispensable resource for the survival of all living organisms on Earth. However, many coastal villages continue to face challenges in accessing potable water, particularly during extended droughts. This comprehensive study evaluates the implementation and performance of a solar desalination system that employs photovoltaic (PV) panels and a parabolic solar concentrator to meet clean water demand in a drought-prone area of Indonesia. The system harnesses both solar-generated electricity and thermal energy to power an advanced desalination apparatus, effectively converting seawater into safe drinking water. Over a rigorous 4-month testing period, the device maintained an average steam outlet temperature of 105.9 °C, enabling a direct single-stage evaporation and condensation desalination process. Under optimal sunlight conditions, the system produced 1500 mL of purified water every 30 min, resulting in a total daily output of approximately 12 L (1500 mL × 8 cycles over 4 h). Laboratory analysis revealed a decrease in pH from 8.0 in raw seawater to 6.8 in treated water after post-treatment pH adjustment, meeting established safety standards for human consumption. Electrical conductivity measurements fell from 40–50 mS/cm to 480–500 µS/cm, confirming substantial salt removal. These results demonstrate the system’s capacity to generate potable water using sustainable energy sources and support circular economy principles by repurposing renewable resources for water desalination in water-scarce environments. Full article

Introduction: The European catfish (Silurus glanis) has expanded rapidly across Europe, significantly impacting native freshwater biodiversity. Despite its well-documented ecological and economic effects as a top predator, reproductive biology data from non-native populations remain scarce, limiting the development of effective management strategies. Objective: This study examines key reproductive traits, sex ratio, size at first maturity, spawning period, fecundity, and oocyte diameter, of an invasive European catfish population in the Lower Tagus River (LTR), Portugal, approximately 15 years after its establishment. Methodology: A total of 674 individuals were collected monthly from January 2022 to November 2023 using electrofishing, gill nets, baited hook-lines, and catches from professional fishermen. Sex and reproductive stage were assessed via gonadal analysis. Size at first maturity was estimated using logistic regression. Fecundity was determined by the gravimetric method, and oocyte stage and diameter were assessed histologically. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) was used to characterise the reproductive cycle. Results: The sex ratio was significantly female-biased (1.4:1). Size at first maturity (TL₅₀) was 72.9 cm TL for females and 68.8 cm TL for males. The spawning season extended from February to June, coinciding with water temperatures of 11–23 °C, with the highest GSI values reported to date for this species (GSI max = 22.5%). Histological analysis confirmed asynchronous oocyte development. Absolute fecundity ranged from 8364 to 319,000 oocytes per female and was positively correlated with total length and body weight. Mean mature oocyte diameter ranged from 1.50 to 3.21 mm. Conclusions: The European catfish in the LTR exhibits high reproductive plasticity, early maturity, a prolonged spawning season, and elevated fecundity, likely facilitated by warm water temperatures and abundant prey resources. Crucially, these parameters reveal earlier maturation and greater reproductive investment relative to native populations, demonstrating an extreme phenotypic plasticity characteristic of successful invasions in southern European aquatic ecosystems. These findings provide essential biological parameters for targeted management, including selective removal of large females, intensified fishing effort during the spawning season, and population monitoring to prevent compensatory reproductive responses. Full article

This paper presents a full-scale case study on real-time corrosion monitoring in an underground reinforced-concrete potable water tank built in 1968. The study aims to demonstrate how continuous electrochemical monitoring can support durability assessment and predictive maintenance in ageing water-retaining infrastructure, where direct inspection is often limited and exposure conditions are spatially variable. Fourteen monitoring points were installed in beams, columns and domes subjected to different exposure conditions. Corrosion potential, concrete resistivity, corrosion current density and temperature were recorded every 3 h and used to assess the corrosion state of the reinforcement. The monitored durability indicators were reinforcement section loss, estimated from corrosion current density using Faraday’s law, and corrosion-induced crack-width evolution, used as a serviceability-related indicator for maintenance planning. The results show that beams remained predominantly passive, with corrosion current densities below 0.1 µA/cm² and incremental sectional losses below approximately 2 µm during the monitoring period. Columns showed the highest vulnerability, particularly at lower elevations subjected to prolonged immersion, with estimated incremental section losses reaching approximately 4–6 µm and a clear correlation between submerged time and corrosion progression. Domes exhibited intermediate behaviour, with occasional activation events associated with environmental fluctuations. A multivariable model combining resistivity and temperature was used to interpret corrosion kinetics, while Faraday-based section-loss estimates were coupled with empirical crack-width models to forecast serviceability indicators up to 2045. These forecasts are presented as scenario-based maintenance-support indicators rather than deterministic predictions of future damage, since corrosion propagation and crack development may evolve nonlinearly under changing exposure conditions. The proposed approach demonstrates how continuous corrosion monitoring can be linked to durability limit-state assessment, enabling risk-informed and performance-based maintenance of critical water infrastructure. Full article

The southeastern coastal region of China is extensively influenced by the circum-Pacific geothermal activity, particularly during the excavation of deep-buried tunnels, where the confined space leads to the accumulation of heat flow, resulting in high-temperature and high-humidity environments. These conditions are detrimental to both the physical and mental health of workers and the safe operation of equipment. Based on this, the Lijiashan deep-buried high-temperature tunnel along the Wen-Yu High-Speed Railway (Wenling-Yuhuan) was selected as a case study. Field monitoring was conducted to assess the surrounding rock stress, temperature distribution characteristics of the surrounding rock and structure, and the humid and high-temperature environment within the tunnel during construction. A comprehensive evaluation index considering both temperature and humidity was employed to evaluate the tunnel construction environment. The results indicate the following: (1) During tunnel excavation, the maximum surrounding rock pressure occurs at the arched shoulder, and the fractures induced by blasting effectively relieve stress, mitigating the risk of rockburst. (2) The seepage paths of the surrounding rock are redistributed during excavation, converging towards the invert, with the osmotic pressure being approximately 10 times that of the upper structure. (3) The temperature at the tunnel face, secondary lining, and surrounding rock is significantly influenced by the heat released from concrete hydration. The closer the surrounding rock is to the support structure, the higher the temperature, with the secondary lining reaching up to 58.6 °C and the working area up to 35.2 °C. (4) Water spraying can reduce the temperature in the construction area by approximately 0.65% at the Kelvin temperature conditions, but it increases humidity by about 16%. The average humidity levels within the tunnel are 75.3% during the day and 87.5% at night. (5) Evaluation of workers’ physiological parameters reveals that the humid and high-temperature environment during tunnel construction is consistently unfavorable for workers’ health. Full article

This study investigates the population dynamics and seasonal reproductive patterns of Gambusia holbrooki, an invasive fish threatening biodiversity within arid springs of the Edgbaston Spring complex in Queensland, Australia. Using daily aging techniques, we uncover critical life history traits that inform targeted species management. Our findings reveal marked sex-specific mortality rates, with males exhibiting higher mortality than females, a pattern consistent with findings from Tasmania. Reproductive activity peaks were observed between September and November, but persisted throughout the year, excluding January and April of 2020, likely due to elevated water temperatures during these months. Growth modeling identified the power function as the best fit for describing G. holbrooki growth trajectories. These insights highlight the importance of seasonally informed control strategies to mitigate the ecological impact of this pest species. The study provides essential data to support conservation efforts and guide effective management of invasive fish in fragile arid spring ecosystems. Full article

The Dadonggou Mo deposit in Western Hebei, within the Yanshan–Liaoning Mo metallogenic belt, is a newly recognized medium-sized porphyry Mo system. Exploration has delineated 126 orebodies, most of which are blind, with identified resources of ~22,000 t Mo at an average grade of 0.071% Mo. Integrated lithogeochemistry, zircon U-Pb chronology, molybdenite Re-Os geochronology, quartz fluid-inclusion microthermometry, and H-O-S isotope analyses constrain the mineralization age, ore-fluid evolution, and sources of ore-forming materials. The zircon U-Pb dating of the ore-bearing granite porphyry and quartz porphyry from the Dadonggou molybdenum deposit yields ages ranging from 135.8 Ma to 141.5 Ma. The low Ti content in zircons indicates that they are super-wet magmatic rocks. The magmatic evolution experienced a change in oxygen fugacity from oxidizing to reducing conditions, which facilitated the initial enrichment of molybdenum. Molybdenite yields a Re-Os isochron age of 135.9 ± 4.0 Ma and a weighted mean model age of 134.2 ± 1.6 Ma, indicating Early Cretaceous mineralization. Ore fluids evolved from an early CO₂-H₂O-NaCl system with relatively high temperature and salinity to a later H₂O-NaCl system with lower temperature and salinity. Isotopic data indicate progressive meteoric-water incorporation into dominantly magmatic fluids. Sulfur isotopes and high Re contents in molybdenite indicate a mixture of mantle magma mixed with some seawater. Lower late-stage trapping pressures record post-ore depressurization and hydrothermal-system shallowing. Full article

Strigolactones (SLs) have emerged as important regulators of plant adaptation to abiotic stress, functioning not as isolated hormones but as integrative signaling molecules. Beyond stress responses, SLs regulate key biological processes, including shoot branching, root architecture, leaf senescence, nutrient acquisition, rhizosphere communication, flowering-related development, and growth–developmental plasticity. This review synthesizes current knowledge on how SLs modulate plant responses to drought, salinity, heavy metal toxicity, high temperature, and low temperature through crosstalk with abscisic acid, auxin, cytokinin, ethylene, and gibberellin. We examine SL structural diversity, biosynthesis, transport, and signaling together with their roles in growth–stress coordination, hormonal networking, and stress-specific mitigation, while distinguishing endogenous SL functions from responses inferred from exogenous analogs such as GR24. Across stresses, SL-mediated resilience converges on adaptive modules, including water regulation, root–shoot architectural remodeling, redox protection, ion and osmotic homeostasis, photosynthetic maintenance, and rhizosphere-assisted resource acquisition. The mechanistic basis involves transcriptional reprogramming, ROS/RNS-linked redox regulation, metabolic protection, and root–microbe interactions. Translational prospects include SL analogs, genetic manipulation, and breeding for adaptive plasticity, nutrient efficiency, and stress tolerance. However, species specificity, dosage dependence, limited field validation, unclear structure–function relationships, and parasitic-weed stimulation remain major constraints. Full article

This study presents an integrated framework for agricultural drought monitoring in data-scarce regions, utilizing the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform to analyze multisource Earth observation data over the South Wollo highlands, Ethiopia, from 2001 to 2024. The analysis was complemented by Mann–Kendall trend testing, Sen’s slope estimation, and Pettitt change-point detection to identify and quantify long-term trends and abrupt shifts in drought dynamics. The methodology integrates climatic and satellite-derived indicators within a hybrid analytical framework. It incorporates the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), vegetation condition index (VCI), vegetation health index (VHI), temperature condition index (TCI), and land surface temperature (LST), which are derived from MODIS (NDVI, LST, PET) and CHIRPS precipitation datasets. The analysis focused on the main growing season (June–September) to capture critical crop growth and moisture-sensitive periods for agricultural production in the study area. The findings reveal pronounced interannual variability in drought occurrence and intensity across the study period. Severe agricultural drought conditions were most extensive in 2009 and 2014, with VHIs indicating 15% and 4% of the area under severe and extreme drought in 2009, respectively, and 2.6% and 2% in 2014, respectively. In contrast, 2001, 2005, 2020, and particularly 2024 were characterized by predominantly no-drought to mild-drought conditions, with no-drought coverage increasing from 86.7% (2009) to 98.0% (2024). Vegetation-based indices demonstrate that drought impacts are episodic rather than persistent and strongly controlled by rainfall timing and early-season moisture availability. The LST exhibited marked year-to-year variability (28.8 °C to 33.8 °C), with elevated temperatures coinciding with drought periods and suppressed evaporative cooling. Correlation analysis confirmed a strong positive relationship between the SPEI and VHI (r = 0.77), with moderate correlations for the VCI (r = 0.40) and TCI (r = 0.36), underscoring the sensitivity of integrated vegetation health to the climatic water balance. The study concludes that combining the SPEI with satellite-derived vegetation and thermal indices provides a robust, scalable approach for agricultural drought assessment in regions with limited ground-based observations. The integrated framework effectively captures both moisture deficits and thermal stress components, offering a scientific basis for improving drought early warning systems and climate-resilient agricultural planning in Ethiopia and similar environments. Full article

To reveal the electromagnetic response characteristics and hydro-thermal evolution mechanism of frozen soil under microwave irradiation, we used remolded frozen soil prepared from undisturbed parent soil collected in Hegang, China, as the research object. We conducted dielectric parameter tests across the 715–1150 MHz and 2250–2650 MHz frequency bands and 1.5 kW microwave heating tests on specimens with three gravimetric water contents (15%, 20%, and 25%) paired with a coupled numerical simulation of electromagnetic field-heat transfer-moisture migration. The results show that water content is the dominant factor controlling the dielectric response of frozen soil. The dielectric loss and water content sensitivity of frozen soil in the low-frequency band (dominated by unfrozen water) are significantly higher than those in the high-frequency band (dominated by ice phase and soil matrix). Microwave-induced temperature rise exhibits a three-stage characteristic, as follows: slow temperature rise, isothermal plateau at the freezing point, and rapid temperature rise. Specimens with a lower initial water content show a higher temperature rise efficiency in the late heating stage, with a maximum rate of 1.112 °C·s⁻¹ for the 15% water content specimen. Mass loss is negatively correlated with initial water content, with a maximum value of 1.8 g after 120 s of irradiation. In addition, the non-uniformity of the electromagnetic field results in a temperature field pattern characterized by a high-temperature core at the specimen center and lower temperatures at the edges. This study provides fundamental theoretical support and technical guidance for the application of microwave thawing technology in geotechnical engineering, particularly for frozen soil foundation treatment in cold regions. Full article

Curcuminoids from Curcuma longa L. (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin) are attractive bioactives yet constrained by low water solubility and chemical instability. Herein, we introduce a Supramolecular Deep Eutectic Solvent (SupraDES) as a “Janus” green platform, combining extraction and stabilization with a subsequent solvent-to-material strategy. Eight NaDES/SupraDES formulations based on choline chloride (ChCl) or betaine with glycerol (Gly) or citric acid (CitA), with/without β-cyclodextrin (βCD), were assessed. The extinction coefficients of the most promising solvents were extrapolated at 425 nm for the UV–vis quantification of curcuminoids, to determine extraction performance. The SupraDES ChCl:Gly:βCD gave the best performance during the first solvent screening, improving at the same time the bioactive stability (after 30-day, 47.5% loss vs. 62.8% of ChCl:Gly alone). Subsequent microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) optimization identified 80 °C as the optimal process temperature, with near-equilibrium reached within 15 min (3139.4 µgCurc/gEXT). Peleg modelling (R² = 0.997) indicated a fast extraction rate and limited benefit from longer residence times. Finally, the curcuminoid-loaded SupraDES was incorporated into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) networks crosslinked with CitA and 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF); thermal analysis confirmed the formation of a stable crosslinked structure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a βCD-based SupraDES acting as a Janus platform that couples supramolecular extraction of lipophilic bioactives with their direct incorporation into bio-based polymeric materials, exemplifying an integrated green chemistry approach aligned with circular bioeconomy principles. Full article

Rapeseed is a major source of vegetable oil and contains a wide variety of metabolites. Recent advances, particularly the integration of metabolomics with other omics approaches, have enabled not only comprehensive but also detailed analyses of key metabolites that respond to specific conditions. To date, these recent advances in the metabolomics of Brassica crops have not yet been fully clarified. In this review, we seek to summarize the recent progresses in metabolomics studies of Brassica rapa, B. napus and B. juncea, introduce the key metabolites spanning nucleic acids, amino acids, fatty acids, lipids, organic acids, alkaloids, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, flavonoids and glucosinolates uncovered by this approach, focusing on those associated with growth and development, and abiotic/biotic stresses, including macronutrient availability, temperature, water stress, salt stress, aluminum and cadmium toxicity, and infection of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Leptosphaeria maculans, and Plasmodiophora brassicae. Future perspectives and current challenges in metabolomics integrating with other omics are also discussed, along with its potential for breeding applications, especially in new marker discovery, trait prediction, and even metabolic selection, aimed at developing new rapeseed varieties with stable, high-yielding, and quality traits. Full article

Crack opening and reinforcement stress are two complementary indicators of the service state of reinforced concrete hydraulic structures, yet they are often predicted separately. This study develops a data-driven multi-task temporal fusion framework for joint 48 h ahead prediction of dam crack responses and rebar stress using multi-source monitoring data. The measured data comprise five crack-monitoring series, five rebar stress series, local temperature channels, reservoir water level, antecedent rainfall, and an auxiliary environmental signal over approximately four years. Target responses are aligned only at common measured timestamps; no synthetic target observations are introduced. A simplified engineering layout and plan-based crack–rebar distances are further used to examine whether an explicit spatial prior can strengthen the shared temporal representation without introducing synthetic target values. A residual multi-task temporal fusion network (MTTF-Net) is proposed with a shared Transformer encoder, attention pooling, task-specific decoders, and a response-continuity regularization term. The model is compared with persistence, Ridge regression, random forest, Extra Trees, XGBoost, and GRU baselines under a chronological train/validation/test split. For the independent test period, Ridge regression obtains the lowest overall RMSE (2.2968), whereas MTTF-Net provides the lowest crack RMSE (0.0141), the lowest overall MAE (1.0035), and the second-best overall RMSE (2.3813). Distance-informed ablation, denoted as MTTF-Net-S, remains close to MTTF-Net in macro-averaged $R^2$ but is not superior in the overall test metrics, indicating that the available horizontal distances are valuable engineering metadata but cannot replace richer three-dimensional structural connectivity. These results indicate that the monitoring data contain a strong linear autoregressive component, while multi-task temporal fusion improves nonlinear crack response prediction and remains competitive for stress forecasting. The source code is prepared as a public implementation package, whereas the measured monitoring dataset is subject to data owner restrictions. Full article

In response to the conflicting issues faced by tugboats under different operating conditions, where they simultaneously require “high thrust” while aiming for “low fuel consumption and low thermal load operation”, this paper focuses on the tugboat main engine propulsion system. A multi-objective optimization-based fuel-saving control strategy is proposed. The engine speed and cooling water valve opening are used as control variables, and three performance indicators—the thrust output, fuel consumption rate, and diesel engine operating temperature—are considered comprehensively. A multi-objective optimization mathematical model is established, incorporating the tugboat’s main engine thrust model, fuel consumption model, and engine temperature model. An improved multi-objective genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is introduced to solve the tugboat fuel consumption optimization problem. Through case analysis, the Pareto optimal solution set for the tugboat’s operating conditions is obtained, revealing the trade-off relationships between the thrust, fuel consumption, and temperature under different control variable combinations. The results indicate that this method provides effective control strategy references for tugboat operation under high thrust, fuel-saving, and balanced economic conditions. It has a certain engineering application value for improving the economic efficiency and the safety of tugboats. Full article

The synergistic utilization of post-mining spaces and geothermal energy through underground seasonal thermal energy storage (USTES) provides a promising pathway for sustainable heating and the low-carbon redevelopment of mining regions. To advance the thermal management and reveal the thermo-hydraulic evolution patterns within these repurposed environments, this study proposes an integrated approach that utilizes post-mining roadways as heat storage reservoirs, within the scope of a single idealized case study. A comprehensive USTES heating system model was established to systematically evaluate operational characteristics and environmental impacts under diverse conditions assuming homogeneous rock properties and idealized thermal boundaries. Results demonstrate that the surrounding ground temperature and the low thermal conductivity of the rock mass contribute to limiting heat dissipation and maintaining stable seasonal storage performance. For a roadway with a 20,000 m³ water storage capacity and an optimal 3900 m² solar collector area, the system successfully satisfies the thermal demand of 30,000 m² of building area. The configuration achieves 1239 MWh of cumulative heat storage over a 245-day cycle, maintaining a direct heating-to-heat-pump-upgraded heating ratio of 1.02. Furthermore, the implementation of variable-frequency thermal management strategies demonstrates remarkable economic and environmental superiority, yielding a 35.8% cost reduction compared to coal-fired heating, an overall energy saving rate of 77.5% relative to electric heating systems and a 13.5% decrease in CO₂ emissions relative to gas-fired systems. This research provides fundamental design parameters for the synergistic exploitation of mineral and geothermal resources, advancing the development of green heating and the sustainable utilization of post-mining spaces. Full article