Search Results (2,795)

Industrial water treatment plants are increasingly dependent on cyber–physical systems (CPS) and automated control processes for their operational safety and efficiency. However, the embedding of digital control networks exposes these critical infrastructures to sophisticated cyber–physical attacks, including malicious tampering with chemical dosing units and physical actuators. This paper proposes a robust, AI-enhanced anomaly detection framework designed to identify multi-stage malicious activities in water treatment systems using real-world industrial datasets. The proposed system is developed and validated on the Secure Water Treatment (SWaT) dataset, which contains multivariate sensor and actuator time-series data collected from a fully operational physical testbed under both normal operations and targeted cyber–physical attacks. First, high-frequency sensor noise is filtered, and cross-channel measurement reliability is maximized using a Kalman filter-based sensor fusion module. Subsequently, the fused-state vector is analyzed using an unsupervised Isolation Forest algorithm optimized for high-dimensional boundary isolation. To eliminate false negatives caused by stealthy, low-amplitude data injections that bypass purely statistical models, a deterministic, rule-based verification layer derived from physical process control logic is integrated. By integrating a discrete linear Kalman filter with an unsupervised Isolation Forest and deterministic physical rules, the framework effectively suppresses high-frequency sensor noise, achieving a 67.8% reduction in root mean square error (RMSE), while maintaining high detection accuracy across complex industrial attack scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed hybrid framework yields superior detection capability, achieving a Precision of ≈95%, a Recall of ≈93%, a scenario-level F1-score of 94.1 % (alongside a sample-level F1-score of 21.5 %) and an edge inference latency of 0.6 ms, effectively demonstrating its suitability for deployment within simulated real-time industrial edge computing environments. The findings further confirm that combining statistical machine learning, state-space sensor fusion, and invariant physical process logic provides a resilient defense paradigm for securing critical industrial infrastructure against modern cyber–physical threats. Full article

Peri-urban belts are where most metropolitan residents actually meet farmland, and where urban food policy and agroecological transition physically overlap. They are also where wild food plants (WFPs) grow: on verges, ditch bank, and field margins, the interstitial biodiversity that complements cultivated crops. We ask whether the knowledge that makes those plants usable survives peri-urbanisation, and whether it can serve as a proxy for the resilience of the surrounding agroecosystem. Two Northern Italian landscapes with comparable perennial monoculture but opposite positions on the urban–rural gradient were compared through a diachronic design: the peri-urban lowland of the Trevigiano (Veneto), inside the dispersed-city fabric of the Venice–Padua–Treviso region and under rapid Prosecco expansion, and the Langhe (Piedmont), a UNESCO-listed hill district of low settlement density whose agriculture is nonetheless fully industrialised around wine grapes, hazelnuts, and tourism. Interviews with 74 informants were conducted through complementary designs: a cohort-structured approach in the Trevigiano and actor-diversified and diachronic interviews in the Langhe, recorded 13 folk food taxa in the Trevigiano against 43 in the Langhe (Jaccard 0.19). The peri-urban repertoire is thin and mostly inert: recognition survives while practice does not, with gaps of up to 86 percentage points between the two, and only Humulus lupulus, anchored in ritual, dialect, and a commercial product, is transmitted intact. The non-peri-urban repertoire is broader and still mobile, relocated by younger foragers onto unmanaged refugia and partly professionalised. The proxy, however, has a precondition. WFP knowledge indexes a healthy agroecosystem only where the land is clean enough to gather from, and the Trevigiano is not: informants avoid treated margins. The one EU instrument that would have banned pesticides in public green areas was withdrawn in 2024. We conclude that peri-urban planning should treat edges, unmanaged interstitial land, and treatment transparency as food-system infrastructure, and propose paired habitat and knowledge indicators for peri-urban agroecological assessment. Full article

The intensification of Cannabis sativa cultivation has increased the need for effective and sustainable plant-health strategies. Pathogen control is particularly challenging because pesticide residues may compromise product safety and quality, while repeated chemical treatments can favour the emergence of fungicide-resistant populations. Microbial biological control agents (BCAs) represent a promising component of integrated disease management, although their discovery and validation remain largely empirical. This narrative review examines the current literature on the biological control of fungal and oomycete diseases of cannabis, with particular emphasis on Fusarium-associated syndromes, Golovinomyces-associated powdery mildew, grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea and major oomycete root rots. Cannabis-specific research remains limited and heterogeneous regarding reproducible efficacy across host genotypes, pathogens, and environments; mechanisms of protection; and application-oriented assessment of biosafety, crop quality, and formulation performance. To address these gaps, available evidence is organised within a prospective multi-omics-guided framework combining host and pathogen genomic characterisation, microbiome profiling, targeted BCA isolation, strain-level genomic analysis, preliminary safety screening and comparative in planta evaluation. Transcriptomic, metabolomic, and microbiome analyses can complement these stages by identifying molecular and community-level patterns potentially related to direct antagonism, resource competition, host defence priming and microbiome-mediated protection. The relevance of these patterns to disease suppression requires functional validation, while the resulting evidence may inform the design and evaluation of synthetic microbial communities. Integrating omics across these stages could support more traceable and application-relevant BCA development by enabling mechanistic investigation while providing a structured roadmap for advancing biological control strategies against fungal and oomycete pathogens of cannabis. Full article

Though many food systems on Earth offer benefits to space travelers, their ability to meet the demands of spaceflight remains unestablished. This study examines the application of magnesium oxide-coated halloysite nanotubes (MgO-HNTs), synthesized via electrodeposition, to enhance seed germination and early plant development under Earth, lunar, and Martian soil conditions. Successful surface modification was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Growth experiments with Heirloom Cherry Tomato and Golden Tomato seeds were conducted under hydroponic and soil-based conditions and subsequently extended to lunar and Martian regolith simulants. A Response Surface Methodology approach, based on a Box-Behnken Design, evaluated the effects of temperature, MgO-HNT concentration, and light duration on multiple growth responses, identifying seedling length and the root length stress tolerance index (RLSI) as the most responsive indicators of treatment. Optimal conditions (25 °C, 12 h photoperiod, 100 mg/mL MgO-HNTs) produced the greatest increases in root and shoot length in Earth soil. In lunar regolith, optimal root development occurred at 100 mg/mL (root length: 17.7 mm, shoot length: 5.08 mm, RLSI: 141.1%, germination: 80%), whereas Martian regolith peaked at 10 mg/mL (root length: 12.3 mm, shoot length: 4.28 mm, RLSI: 167.9%, germination: 100%), which may be associated with differences in the physicochemical properties of the two substrates. These findings offer preliminary evidence that MgO-HNTs can enhance early plant development across terrestrial and extraterrestrial substrates. As this study was limited to a single crop species under short-term, controlled laboratory conditions without direct physiological or biochemical biomarker measurements, further validation will be required to support broader agricultural or in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) applications. Full article

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that represents continuous synovial inflammation, oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, and progressive cartilage degradation and bone erosion. Although disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including methotrexate (MTX), have improved clinical outcomes, treatment-limiting adverse effects remain a concern. Increasing evidence suggests that natural bioactive compounds may serve as adjunctive approaches by modulating multiple pathogenic pathways. This review summarizes biomarker-based modulation of inflammatory, oxidative, and immune pathways by plant-derived extracts, nutraceuticals, and biologically derived compounds, with particular emphasis on evidence from adjuvant arthritis (AA). AA is a widely used experimental model that reproduces several inflammatory and oxidative features relevant to RA, including cytokine activation, NF-κB/MAPK signaling, Th17/JAK-STAT3 signaling, redox imbalance, and tissue degeneration. Studies in AA indicate that selected natural compounds, alone or in combination with MTX, can reduce inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A), matrix-remodeling markers (e.g., MMP-9), and oxidative-stress markers (e.g., protein carbonyls and lipid peroxidation) while supporting antioxidant defenses (e.g., HO-1 and CAT). Overall, natural bioactive substances may have potential as adjunctive candidates for further investigation in RA, particularly because of their effects on inflammatory and oxidative pathways. Preclinical studies of MTX combinations have reported additional improvements in selected disease-associated outcomes; however, these findings require confirmation in well-designed clinical studies. This review critically evaluates the preclinical evidence for natural bioactive compounds, with a focus on mechanistic studies in AA and the potential for combination strategies with methotrexate. Full article

This study investigated the removal of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals substances (SASs) in wastewater treatment systems through kinetic analysis and response surface modeling based on a full factorial experimental design (3³). Quadratic models best described the removal of most SASs, revealing nonlinear interactions among experimental factors and identifying the SASs mixture ratio as the key determinant of removal efficiency. Based on their removal behavior, the investigated SASs were classified into three groups: reversible adsorption (FAV, REM), enhanced bioavailability (DCV, DRV) and irreversible adsorption (LOP, RIT). LOP and RIT exhibited the highest adsorption affinities and formed the initial layer on activated sludge, whereas the limited removal of DRV and FAV reduced the overall treatment efficiency. The increased bacterial Colony-Forming Unit (CFU) suggests enhanced microbial activity, which may have promoted extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production, contributing to reduced toxicity toward Aliivibrio fischeri. Finally, integrating RSM-derived polynomial models with artificial intelligence offers a promising approach for predicting and optimizing the removal of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals in conventional wastewater treatment plants. Full article

Phosphorus (P) is one of the main limiting factors for sugarcane establishment and longevity in tropical soils, requiring biotechnological strategies to improve fertilizer use efficiency. This study evaluated the effects of inoculation with Bacillus velezensis UFV 3918, alone or combined with reduced monoammonium phosphate (MAP) doses, on the morphological, nutritional, and root nutrient uptake responses of sugarcane grown in a dystrophic Red Latosol under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with six treatments and four replicates: absolute control (AC, without MAP), commercial control (CC, recommended MAP dose), B. velezensis alone (Bv), and Bv combined with 1/3, 2/3, or the full recommended MAP dose. Plant growth responses varied across treatments and stages, with Bv promoting greater leaf area than the CC at 120 and 180 DAP, whereas Bv + 1/3 MAP maintained leaf area comparable to the CC throughout the evaluation period. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a clear separation among treatments, with Bv exhibiting the most distinct plant response, primarily associated with greater stalk diameter, root and stalk biomass, higher concentrations of potassium and phosphorus in stalks, sulfur and magnesium in roots, and greater boron-use efficiency. Bv + 1/3 MAP displayed an intermediate multivariate profile, mainly associated with phosphorus uptake per unit root length and nutritional attributes related to phosphorus acquisition under reduced fertilizer supply. Correlation analysis further revealed strong positive associations among growth-related traits, biomass accumulation, and phosphorus-related variables, indicating a close relationship between P acquisition and plant responses to bacterial inoculation. Overall, inoculation with B. velezensis UFV 3918 improved early sugarcane growth and nutrient acquisition, and its combination with 1/3 of the recommended MAP rate maintained plant performance. These findings indicate the potential for reducing mineral P inputs during early sugarcane establishment; however, long-term field trials are required to determine whether these responses can be sustained throughout the crop cycle and under commercial production conditions. Full article

Increasing fertilizer costs, climate-related stresses, and soil degradation caused by the prolonged use of chemical fertilizers threaten the sustainability of agricultural production. Organic soil amendments offer a promising approach to restoring soil health while reducing dependence on synthetic inputs. This study evaluated the combined effects of biochar and organic fertilizer on soil health and soybean (Glycine max L.) productivity under acidic soil conditions. During the 2024 growing season, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design (CRD) comprising seven treatments. Each treatment was replicated three times, resulting in a total of 21 pots. The treatments consisted of different combinations of biochar (B) and organic fertilizer (F), applied at rates of grams per 10.5 kg of soil: control (B0F0), B35F70, B35F105, B35F140, B70F70, B70F105, and B70F140. Treatment means were compared using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at p < 0.05. The results showed that the highest soil pH value (5.41) was recorded under the B35F70 treatment at 45 days after amendment of the acidic soil. Application of the B35F140 treatment resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.05) in electrical conductivity (0.23 mS cm⁻¹) compared with the control. Soil organic matter and available phosphorus reached their highest values under B70F140, at 5.25% and 13.87 mg kg⁻¹, respectively, and were significantly greater than those in the control treatment. Soil available iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) concentrations also increased significantly (p < 0.05) compared with the control, with the B35F70 and B70F70 treatments resulting in the highest Fe (371.29 mg kg⁻¹) and Mn (37.77 mg kg⁻¹) concentrations, respectively. At 100 days after amendment of the reddish-brown acidic soil, exploratory Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine relationships between soil health indicators and soybean performance. Soil available phosphorus and potassium exhibited positive associations with soil pH (r = 0.69 and r = 0.65, respectively; p < 0.01). Soybean growth traits, including plant height and number of leaves, were positively associated with seed yield (r = 0.56 and r = 0.77, respectively; p < 0.01). Furthermore, seed yield was positively correlated with SPAD values (r = 0.80, p < 0.01), soil pH (r = 0.56, p < 0.01), available K (r = 0.68, p < 0.01), and Mg (r = 0.47, p < 0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) further demonstrated clear treatment clustering and consistent positive relationships among soil properties, plant growth traits, and soybean yield variables. The control treatment was clearly separated from all biochar-organic fertilizer treatments along PC1. Among all treatments, B35F140 (3.33 g biochar kg⁻¹ soil + 13.33 g organic fertilizer kg⁻¹ soil) showed the strongest positive association with soil health and plant growth and produced the highest soybean seed yield (10.77 g plant⁻¹). Overall, the combined use of biochar and organic fertilizer improved soil health, soybean growth, and yield, demonstrating its potential as a sustainable strategy for enhancing soybean productivity under acidic soil conditions. Full article

Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRESs) have emerged as a promising solution for improving the sustainability and energy independence of critical infrastructure with continuous electricity demand. This study presents a techno-economic optimization framework for a hybrid photovoltaic (PV), wind turbine (WT), battery energy storage system (BESS), and pumped storage hydropower (PSH) configuration designed to supply a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The optimization simultaneously minimizes the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and renewable energy surplus while satisfying a predefined Maximum Allowed Deficiency (MaxDef) reliability constraint. The framework is validated using two years (17,554 hourly records) of measured meteorological and operational data collected from the Ariel University wastewater treatment plant. The results demonstrate that the coordinated operation of BESS and PSH significantly improves renewable energy utilization and system reliability while reducing excess energy generation. For the investigated case study and the adopted technical and economic assumptions, an energy storage of approximately 25 kWh provides the most favorable techno-economic balance between investment cost, renewable energy utilization, and reliability. However, the optimal battery capacity is site-specific and may vary depending on local renewable resources, load characteristics, economic conditions, and reliability requirements. The proposed optimization framework provides a practical methodology that can be adapted to the design of reliable hybrid renewable energy systems for wastewater treatment plants and other critical infrastructure by incorporating site-specific operational and environmental data. Full article

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a regulatory molecule with potential to increase plant tolerance to water stress by modulating stomatal function, redox balance, and photosynthetic efficiency. However, its physiological effects depend on dose, species, and stress intensity, and studies on Coffea canephora under recurrent drought are scarce. This study evaluated the effects of exogenous melatonin (0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 µM) on young plants of conilon coffee genotype 02 (Clone V12) subjected to three consecutive cycles of water deficit and rehydration. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using a randomized block design, with evaluations of gas exchange, water potential, and biomass allocation. Melatonin improved physiological recovery after rehydration, particularly at 100 and 300 µM during the second stress cycle, when photosynthesis reached values similar to the irrigated control. The 400 µM treatment maintained root dry mass close to the control under prolonged deficit, suggesting preferential biomass allocation to the root system. Overall, melatonin effects were more pronounced during recovery than stress, indicating a possible priming action. These results highlight the potential of melatonin as a phytoprotective agent in C. canephora, although responses depend on dose and stress cycle. Full article

Wheat ideotypes for dense indoor cultivation require compact architecture, maintained reproductive development, and sufficient biomass accumulation with high planting density and restricted rooting space. Milyang54 is an extremely short-stature winter wheat line developed as a candidate for space-efficient cultivation, but its response to indoor cultivation conditions differing in planting density and rooting space has not been characterized. In this study, Milyang54 and Jokyoung were grown with eight tray, pot, and spacing treatments in a speed-breeding greenhouse. These treatments were designed to generate contrasting planting densities and rooting-space conditions, ranging from low-density pot cultivation to high-density plug-tray and 1.5 cm spacing treatments. Agronomic and reproductive traits, shoot and root biomass, and root-to-shoot ratio were evaluated using a two-factor GLM with variety, cultivation treatment, and their interaction as fixed effects. Cultivation treatment significantly affected all measured traits, and significant variety × treatment interactions were detected for most traits. Across treatments, Milyang54 had a markedly lower mean plant height than Jokyoung (25.62 vs. 42.81 cm) but showed greater mean grain number per spike (11.03 vs. 7.51), shoot dry weight (25.85 vs. 21.58 g), and root dry weight (1.69 vs. 0.97 g). The grain-number advantage of Milyang54 was particularly evident in high-density and restricted-rooting-space tray treatments, including the 105-, 128-, and 162-cell trays. Root-to-shoot ratios varied among cultivation treatments, but a high ratio was not consistently associated with greater grain number. These results indicate that Milyang54 combines compact plant architecture with maintained reproductive performance and biomass accumulation under dense indoor cultivation conditions, suggesting its potential value as a compact wheat ideotype for controlled-environment agriculture. Full article

This study evaluated the dose-dependent effects of a nodule-associated bacterial isolate subsequently identified by whole-genome sequencing as Kosakonia cowanii on nodulation, nitrogen status, growth, phenology, and yield components of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Centenario) under greenhouse conditions in northern Ecuador. A randomized complete block design with five treatments and three replicates was used, including three inoculation doses (6 × 10⁹, 6 × 10^4.5 and 6 × 10^2.25 CFU mL⁻¹), a non-inoculated control and a nitrogen-fertilized control. Significant differences were detected for plant height, SPAD index, phenological development, nodulation and 100 seed weight. The lowest inoculation dose (T3) produced the strongest biological response, reaching 227.67 nodules plant⁻¹, approximately 6.5 times more than the non-fertilized control, and the highest SPAD value at 60 days after sowing (41.16), exceeding both the non-fertilized control (26.84) and the nitrogen-fertilized treatment (33.14). T3 also achieved the greatest plant height (80.31 cm) and accelerated flowering and pod formation by up to two days compared with higher inoculation doses. Although grain yield did not differ significantly among treatments because of high experimental variability and limited statistical power, inoculated plants maintained yields comparable to the nitrogen-fertilized control while improving seed filling. Whole genome sequencing confirmed the identity of the dominant genome as K. cowanii (ANI = 96.73%; completeness = 99.03%; contamination = 0.63%), supporting the interpretation that this bacterium acts primarily as a plant growth-promoting and nodule-associated bacterium rather than a classical nitrogen-fixing symbiont. These findings highlight the potential of native K. cowanii as a component of sustainable biofertilization strategies for Andean bean production systems. Full article

The Texas High Plains (THP) is a major cotton-producing region facing challenges from continuous cotton monoculture, which has increased weed pressure and reduced system sustainability. Over 90% of cotton acreage relies on herbicides, accelerating the evolution of herbicide-resistant weed development. Declining Ogallala Aquifer water levels and erratic rainfall further stress the system, highlighting the need for diversified, drought-resilient cropping systems. Sorghum, known for its drought tolerance and allelopathic properties, offers an effective rotational crop to suppress weeds and improve water-use efficiency. This study evaluated the effects of sorghum–cotton rotation on weed dynamics, crop growth, and yield. A two-year field experiment (2024–2025) was conducted at the Quaker Research Farm, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, using a split-plot design with crop rotations [sorghum–cotton (S–C), sorghum–sorghum (S–S), and cotton–cotton (C–C)] as main plots and weed management treatments (weeded and unweeded) as subplots, with four replications. Results showed that the C–C system had 41% higher weed density and 57% greater early-season biomass than S–C; cotton growth improved in S–C with 17–22% taller plants and 36–90% more biomass compared to cotton monoculture. Under weeded conditions, lint yield increased by 53% and seed yield by 30% compared with cotton monoculture. Under unweeded conditions, yields were 21% to 41% greater in the S–C system due to lower weed density, biomass and reduced competition. Overall, integrating sorghum into cotton-based systems reduced weed pressure, increased cotton plant height and biomass, improved lint and seed yield, and minimized yield losses under limited weed control, supporting more sustainable production in the THP. Full article

Background: Phytogenic feed additives are being explored as alternatives to conventional rumen modulators, yet their effects on the ruminal ecosystem remain insufficiently characterized when assessed only through conventional fermentation parameters. This study evaluated the effects of ethanolic and hydroethanolic extracts of Urochloa brizantha on ruminal fermentation, methanogenic archaeal diversity, and the ruminal metabolome of sheep. Methods: Eight rumen-cannulated wethers were assigned to a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with four 28-day periods. Treatments consisted of no additive (CTL), ethanolic extract of U. brizantha (EE; 50 mL/day), hydroethanolic extract (HE; 80 mL/day), and monensin (MON; 25 mg/kg of DMI). Ruminal fluid was evaluated for fermentation traits, archaeal 16S rRNA gene diversity, and untargeted metabolomic profiles. Results: Dry matter intake and fermentation parameters were unaffected by treatment. Archaeal alpha diversity showed a contrast-dependent response, with lower Shannon diversity in sheep receiving plant extracts than in those receiving monensin (p = 0.034), and Methanimicrococcus was selectively enriched in the EE group (p = 0.012). Untargeted metabolomics revealed the clearest response: despite substantial overlap in global PCA profiles, PLS-DA indicated treatment-specific temporal separation between day 0 and day 21 only in EE-treated sheep, supported by permutation testing based on classification error rate (p = 0.027), although predictive performance should be interpreted cautiously. This EE-specific response was characterized by a significant shift in the carboxylic acid subclass (FDR = 0.022). Top VIP-ranked discriminants (aspartate, succinate, glutamate, phenylalanine, leucine, and choline) decreased nominally but failed multiple-testing correction (FDR = 0.0602–0.2580). CTL, HE, or MON showed no temporal separation. Conclusions: Urochloa brizantha extracts produced limited effects on conventional ruminal fermentation parameters but were associated with selective archaeal responses. In particular, the ethanolic extract was associated with a treatment-specific temporal metabolomic pattern, including a significant shift in the carboxylic acid subclass, while individual metabolite changes remained exploratory and warrant further investigation. Full article

Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) suffers severe yield and quality losses from white leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria alternata. Spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) presents a sustainable alternative to traditional chemical fungicides. To maximize the biocontrol efficacy of this approach, we designed dsRNAs targeting two candidate virulence-associated genes of Alternaria alternata: AaGH10, encoding a cell wall-degrading enzyme critical for host penetration, and AaSOD, an antioxidant enzyme crucial for reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging. We comprehensively evaluated the antifungal efficacy by assessing mycelial growth inhibition, spore germination, and lesion development through in vitro and in vivo assays. The results demonstrated that both single and combinatorial treatments effectively inhibited fungal growth and spore germination, thereby reducing disease incidence on detached leaves and intact greenhouse plants. The application of the dual-target dsRNA formulation achieved an 86.7% control efficacy on detached leaves. Furthermore, it significantly alleviated in vivo disease severity, decreasing the average number of necrotic lesions from 15.6 to 1.3 per leaf. These results demonstrate that the dual-target combination exerts an enhanced protective effect compared with individual interventions. This specific dual-target dsRNA formulation establishes a robust foundation for the control of Chinese chive white leaf spot disease. Full article