Saved Queries

by Danielle Alice Vieira da Silva, Micaely Cristina dos Santos Tenório, Fabiana Andréa Moura, Nassib Bezerra Bueno, Nathálya da Silva Severino, Alexandra Rodrigues Bezerra, Bianca Gomes de Souza, Marilene Brandão Tenório Fragoso, Tauane Alves Dutra, Orlando Roberto Pimentel de Araújo, Amylly Sanuelly da Paz Martins, Marília Oliveira Fonseca Goulart and Alane Cabral Menezes de Oliveira

Pharmaceuticals 2026, 19(9), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph19091344 (registering DOI) - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of oral administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in pregnant women with preeclampsia (PE), using serum markers of redox imbalance and cytokine levels and perinatal outcomes. Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study was carried out from 2021 to 2023. The study was retrospectively registered with REBEC (Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry). After screening, women were randomized into 2 groups according to the type of supplementation: 600 mg of NAC (NAC group) or capsules containing 2% colloidal silicon dioxide and 98% microcrystalline cellulose (placebo group) until delivery. Blood samples were collected to quantify biomarkers of redox imbalance and cytokine levels. Questionnaires containing socioeconomic, clinical, obstetric, and anthropometric data were applied. Results: A total of 51 pregnant women with PE were included (26 in the placebo group and 25 in the NAC group). The use of NAC was associated with a higher gestational age at birth (GA) of the conceptus (placebo group: 37.39 weeks ± 1.96 SD vs. NAC group: 38.45 weeks ± 1.51 SD; p = 0.044). A moderate effect size was observed for this variable (Cohen’s d = 0.52). However, treatment allocation (NAC vs. control) was not independently associated with gestational age at birth after adjustment for covariates (F(1,28) = 0.144; p = 0.707; η²p = 0.005). The adjusted mean difference between groups was 0.92 weeks (95% CI: −0.16 to 2.00). No other significant effects on redox and inflammatory markers were identified using NAC. Conclusions: NAC supplementation did not impact the mode of delivery between the NAC and placebo groups. As a secondary exploratory finding, a possible trend toward prolonged gestational age was observed in the NAC group; however, this result should be interpreted with caution, given the exploratory nature of the analysis, the neutrality of the primary outcome, and the limited sample size. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Pharmacology)

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19 pages, 9615 KB

Open AccessArticle

Altitude and Geographic Sensitivity Characteristics of the AIRS Satellite Spectrometer and Drift Correction Using Methane (CH₄) Data

by Eugenia Fedorova, Vadim Rakitin, Andrey Skorokhod, Natalia Kirillova, Andrey Belov, Natalia Pankratova, Yusheng Shi, Lin Wang and Vladimir Semenov

Remote Sens. 2026, 18(17), 2875; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18172875 (registering DOI) - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

We analyzed AIRS CH₄ volume mixing ratio (VMR) Standard L3 v6/v7 IR-Only Daily products and ground-based measurements from 16 stations of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) at 24 pressure levels from 1000 to 1 mbar. We assessed the dependence of maximum AIRS sensitivity on latitude. At high latitudes, the zone of maximum sensitivity is closer to the surface, at 700–500 mbar; in mid-latitudes, it is 500–250 mbar; and in tropical and subtropical regions, good initial agreement between satellite and ground-based data is observed at 400–200 mbar for both AIRS product versions. At the vast majority of pressure levels and all comparison sites, a unidirectional negative drift in the difference between satellite and ground-based measurements (i.e., discrepancy drift) was observed. Drift coefficients were calculated for each statistically supported pressure level. Two regions of maximum drift were identified: one in the lower atmosphere (925–850 mbar) and another near 50 mbar. The smallest drift was observed at 400–200 mbar. As the main result of the study, we developed and applied correction factors for all 23 AIRS v6 and v7 levels. Using these coefficients led to much better agreement between long-term methane trends from ground-based and satellite measurements and to higher correlation coefficients across all comparison sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Remote Sensing for Global and Regional Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Assessment)

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25 pages, 7883 KB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Rock Mechanics Response Characteristics of Through-Going Structures with Different Dip Angles

by Hongwei Deng, Jingbo Xu, Jun Shen, Zeru Cui and Junren Deng

Geotechnics 2026, 6(3), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/geotechnics6030078 (registering DOI) - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Through-going structures are widely distributed in rock masses of underground engineering, and their dip angles act as the core factor affecting the stress field and mechanical response of surrounding rock. To reveal the mechanical mechanism of rock masses containing through-going structures with different dip angles, this study adopts a combined method of theoretical derivation, indoor model testing and numerical simulation. Firstly, a plane strain mechanical model is established to classify Tectonically-induced Stress, Residual Gravitational Stress and engineering-induced stress, and the theoretical formulas for stress components, stress residual coefficient and stress deflection angle are derived. Secondly, rock-like specimens with through-going structures of various dip angles are prepared and biaxial compression tests are carried out to monitor mechanical parameters such as surrounding rock strain and peak strength. Finally, a large-scale numerical model is built by FLAC2D (version 7.0) software to simulate the whole process of stress equilibrium and excavation unloading of rock mass under a normal stress of 20 MPa. Then the data of principal stress, stress components, stress residual coefficient and deflection angle under different dip angles are extracted. The results show that the dip angle of through-going structure exerts a prominent regulatory effect on the rock mass stress field. With the increase of the dip angle, the Tectonically-induced Stress decreases continuously while the Residual Gravitational Stress rises gradually. The variation trend of stress deflection angle is highly consistent with structural dip angle, and the influence of Residual Gravitational Stress on deflection angle is limited. Due to the differences in loading modes and model sizes between indoor tests and numerical simulations, the evolution laws of stress residual coefficient show opposite trends, but both results verify the dominant effect of structural dip angle. Combined with theoretical, experimental and numerical results, the proposed theoretical system can effectively describe the stress evolution law of rock masses with through-going structures, which provides theoretical reference and technical support for the stability analysis of surrounding rock in similar underground engineering. Full article

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18 pages, 960 KB

Open AccessArticle

Loss of Independence Among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Older Adults: An ICF-Based Analysis of NHATS

by Young-Shin Lee, Seon-Hi Shin, Alison Moore, Leticia Camacho, Juan A. Cruz and Hee-Jin Jun

Healthcare 2026, 14(17), 2710; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14172710 (registering DOI) - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Background: Preventing mobility-related loss of independence (LoI) is a critical public health priority. While the drivers of LoI are complex, this study examines how personal, social, and environmental factors influence these outcomes to identify actionable preventive targets. We applied the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework to examine these pathways across racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Using 2023 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) data (N = 7106), we conducted path analyses among non-Hispanic (NH) White, NH Black, and Hispanic older adults. We assessed associations between health conditions, body function, physical performance, social participation, and environmental factors. Results: The ICF-based model explained 36.6–38.2% of LoI variance. While physical performance was the strongest direct predictor of independence across all groups, indirect pathways varied. Social participation restrictions are associated with higher LoI score among NH White and Black adults. For Hispanic adults, limited English proficiency functioned as a key environmental variable negatively associated with body function and physical performance. Additionally, shared living arrangements among NH Black participants were negatively associated with physical performance. By gender, only NH White females exhibited associations with better physical and social outcomes. Conclusions: Pathways to LoI are associated with group-specific structural factors. To effectively prevent functional decline, healthcare policies should move beyond generic services toward culturally responsive interventions. Prioritizing targeted lifestyle behaviors—specifically social engagement for NH Black populations and linguistic accessibility for Hispanic adults—may help reduce health inequities and proactively preserve independence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Public Health and Preventive Medicine)

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45 pages, 11764 KB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Geometric Parameters on Hybrid Darrieus–Savonius Hydrokinetic Turbine Performance: A CFD and Experimental Study

by Andrés Felipe Rodriguez-Valencia, Emerson Escobar-Nunez and Guillermo Andrés Jaramillo-Pizarro

Processes 2026, 14(17), 2715; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14172715 (registering DOI) - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Reliable electricity supply in Colombia’s Non-Interconnected Zones requires sustainable and low-cost energy technologies. Vertical-axis hydrokinetic turbines are promising for this purpose; however, their relatively low power coefficient remains a major challenge. This study combines transient 2D and 3D

k

–

ω

SST computational [...] Read more.

k

–

ω

SST computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations with hydraulic channel experiments to investigate a hybrid Darrieus–Savonius turbine. A 27-case Design of Experiments (DoE) based on 2D CFD was first applied to screen the effects of rotor radius ratio (RR), attachment angle (AA), and water velocity. Within the investigated design space, the configuration with

R R = 0.5

and

A A = 0^{\circ}

produced the most favorable average performance. The selected configuration was subsequently analyzed using 3D CFD and experimentally evaluated at TSR values of 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2. At TSR = 1.0, the 3D model predicted

C_{P} = 0.1525

, closely matching the experimental value of 0.1541 with a relative error of 1.05%. The results demonstrate that 2D CFD is useful for computationally efficient parameter screening and qualitative trend identification, but it overpredicts absolute performance because it neglects blade tip vortices, spanwise flow, and volumetric wake interactions. Three-dimensional CFD is therefore required for reliable performance prediction and analysis of the complex flow structures governing hybrid hydrokinetic turbine behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue CFD Applications in Renewable Energy Systems (2nd Edition))

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29 pages, 18914 KB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting the Mechanical Properties of Super Large Aggregate Asphalt Mixture from Volumetric Parameters Using Back Propagation Neural Networks

by Xiaoping Ji, Juntao Yang, Teng Yuan, Jianyong Ma, Jie Liu, Xueyuan Zhang, Bo Wang, Chao Pu and Shiyu Zhu

Materials 2026, 19(17), 3608; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19173608 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Super-large aggregate asphalt mixtures (SLAM-50) are expected to improve rutting resistance while reducing asphalt demand, but the quantitative relationships between volumetric parameters and key performance indicators remain unclear, limiting performance-oriented mixture design. This study experimentally evaluated the volumetric properties and key performance indices of SLAM-50 across four aggregate gradations and seven asphalt contents. The measured performance indices included compressive strength, splitting strength, compressive resilient modulus, fracture energy, and dynamic stability. With increasing asphalt content, the air voids (VV) decreased, the voids in mineral aggregate (VMA) decreased initially and then increased, and the voids filled with asphalt (VFA) increased monotonically. All performance indices exhibited a non-monotonic trend, increasing first and then decreasing, with a balanced overall performance at 3.0–3.2% asphalt content. Linear regression models showed limited predictive capability (R² = 0.5944–0.8845). To address this gap, a Backpropagation (BP) neural network was developed using asphalt content, volumetric parameters, mixture density, and gradation type as inputs, and the measured performance indices as outputs. This framework enables simultaneous multi-output prediction and captures the nonlinear, coupled relationships among variables. The model achieved R² > 0.91 for both training and testing datasets, demonstrating its ability to accurately predict SLAM-50 performance. These findings provide a practical, data-driven basis for performance-oriented mixture design and optimization, addressing the current scientific gap and offering guidance for engineering practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Materials Simulation and Design)

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27 pages, 40730 KB

Open AccessArticle

Monitoring Vegetation Dynamics and Climate Variability of Burned Areas: The Case of İzmir, Türkiye

by Mehmet Ali Çelik, Zehra Işık, Figen Akpınar and Yasin Paşa

Forests 2026, 17(9), 1011; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17091011 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Forest fires are among the most critical disturbance agents reshaping Mediterranean ecosystems under accelerating climate change. This study employs a multi-scale remote sensing approach to examine the relationship between post-fire vegetation dynamics and climate variability in high-fire-risk areas of southern İzmir, Türkiye. Burned areas were delineated using the Burned Area Index (BAI) and differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) applied to Landsat imagery (1990–2024) and Sentinel-2 imagery (2017–2024). Post-fire vegetation recovery was quantified through the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Leaf Area Index (LAI), and Land Surface Temperature (LST) derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products. Climate variables, including soil moisture, precipitation, and maximum, minimum, and mean air temperature, were derived from the TerraClimate dataset. Long-term spatiotemporal trends were assessed using the non-parametric Mann–Kendall (MK) test and Sen’s slope estimator for the 2000–2023 period. Results indicate a statistically significant increase in mean temperature (p < 0.05) and a concurrent decline in soil moisture over the past three decades, consistent with progressive atmospheric aridification. Vegetation indices exhibited marked seasonal asymmetry: significant declines in NDVI, SAVI, and LAI were recorded during summer months, whereas partial recovery was confined to the winter–spring wet season. A pronounced warm-dry shift was identified in the post-2015 period, characterized by positive Land Surface Temperature anomalies and compressed vegetation recovery windows. These findings highlight that increasing thermal stress and diminishing soil moisture collectively constrain post-fire ecosystem resilience in the Mediterranean climatic zone (MCZ). The integrated remote sensing framework developed here provides a robust and transferable basis for fire ecosystem monitoring and the formulation of climate adaptation strategies in fire-prone dryland regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Forest Fire Detection and Monitoring)

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17 pages, 2026 KB

Open AccessArticle

Two-Phase Multi-Objective Inverse Design of Rotary Burnishing Regimes and Compliant-Roller Tools: Full-Factorial Grid Enumeration and NSGA-II

by Kirill A. Bashmur, Alexander V. Zagulyaev and Ivan S. Nekrasov

Appl. Syst. Innov. 2026, 9(9), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/asi9090173 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

The design of regular microreliefs requires process and tool variables that satisfy surface-coverage, lubricant-retention, and residual-depth requirements. This theoretical and computational study formulates the task as a two-objective inverse problem for rigid-ball burnishing of external cylinders and compliant-roller burnishing of internal tubes. The [...] Read more.

F_{n}

, and specific oil capacity q. A full-factorial grid generates a discrete catalog of process settings and provides the initial seeds for continuous refinement by the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). Under a common budget of 648 forward evaluations, the two-phase method achieved

95.9 %

of the median target-centered hypervolume of pure NSGA-II and produced a higher hypervolume than Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) in eight of ten paired runs. A comparison calibrated at the 200 N data point yielded a held-out axial-width error of

- 6.5 %

at 400 N, consistent with the predicted force–width trend under the stated comparison conditions. Morris screening identified imposed displacement as the most influential variable for both objectives, with crown-base thickness also strongly influencing q. The resulting candidates are illustrative model-based solutions that satisfy the stated constraints and lie within the reference machine-coordinate envelope; process-specific calibration and experimental assessment are required before quantitative implementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering)

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18 pages, 1928 KB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing Vegetation Sensitivity to Precipitation Patterns in China’s Drylands

by Wei Yuan and Shaojie Mu

Water 2026, 18(17), 2093; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18172093 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Global warming is intensifying precipitation variability, yet how vegetation sensitivity to different precipitation patterns changes through time remains unclear. Here, we quantified vegetation sensitivity to total precipitation (SI_Tpr), precipitation frequency (SI_Frq), and consecutive dry days (SI_CDD) across China’s drylands from 1982 to 2020 using satellite-derived leaf area index (LAI) and high-resolution precipitation data. Temporal changes in these sensitivity indices were assessed using a moving-window framework, and their environmental associations were examined using random forest models combined with Shapley Additive Explanations (RF-SHAP). Our results showed that all sensitivity indices increased significantly over the past four decades and exhibited non-stationary temporal changes, with breakpoints detected in 2000 and 2007 for SI_Tpr, and in 1997, 2004, and 2011 for SI_CDD. SI_Tpr and SI_Frq decreased along the aridity gradient, whereas SI_CDD was highest in relatively moist subhumid areas. Vegetation greening was associated with intensified sensitivity trends, particularly for SI_CDD, whereas SI_Tpr and SI_Frq exhibited nonlinear responses along greening gradients. RF-SHAP analysis identified distinct environmental associations among the three sensitivity indices. SI_Tpr was primarily associated with potential evaporation and temperature, whereas SI_Frq and SI_CDD were more closely associated with atmospheric water demand and soil conditions. These findings suggest that continued greening in drylands may coincide with increasing sensitivity to prolonged dry spells, highlighting the need to consider precipitation timing and dry spells when evaluating dryland ecosystem vulnerability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Ecohydrology)

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26 pages, 13943 KB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Properties and Damage Evolution of Cemented Gangue–Rubber Paste Backfill (CGRPB) Under Monotonic and Cyclic Compressions

by Chengjin Gu, Matilde Costa e Silva, Baogui Yang, Qifan Ren and Paula Falcão Neves

Mining 2026, 6(3), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/mining6030067 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Cemented paste backfill (CPB) is widely used in mining, but its high brittleness, low toughness, and limited ductility can cause it to crack and spall, or even damage the overall structure, thereby limiting its application in deep underground mine excavations. To this end, this study investigates the damage and failure mechanisms of cemented gangue–rubber paste backfill (CGRPB) and analyses its energy evolution characteristics. The aims are to: (i) assess the CGRPB mechanical properties, i.e., toughness, ductility, and brittleness due to incorporating rubber; (ii) analyze the fracture propagation process of CGRPB from an energy evolution perspective. Therefore, monotonic and cyclic compression tests were conducted on CGRPB samples containing 0%, 5%, and 10% recycled rubber powder. This study focuses on analyzing compressive strength, failure modes, stress–strain responses, energy evolution and the damage evolution process. Key findings include: (1)the effect of rubber incorporation on strength is dosage- and curing-age-dependent; a moderate rubber content (5%) improves early-age strength, whereas excessive rubber addition reduces strength due to increased porosity and weakened load-bearing capacity; (2) samples with rubber significantly reduce the length, number, and width of cracks, achieving better structural integrity; (3) introducing rubber improves the pre-peak deformation capacity of the samples; (4) the strain growth magnitude is positively correlated with the rubber content, enhancing their toughness and ductility; (5) adding rubber effectively reduces the damage propagation rate within the sample; (6) under loading, rubber elastic deformation in samples dissipates energy, which describes the approximately linear energy storage and dissipation trend; (7) among the investigated rubber contents, 5% rubber incorporation achieved a favorable balance between mechanical strength, toughness, and ductility. Full article

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32 pages, 25125 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Thermal State Field Forecasting Framework for Intelligent Ventilation Decision-Making in Granary Based on a Hierarchical TCN-Mamba Network

by Hongwei Zhang, Jingyu Yang, Yating Zhu, Zhuo Gao, Enze Ren and Bixian Li

Sensors 2026, 26(17), 5362; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26175362 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Temperature forecasting from distributed temperature sensing supports thermal characterization and ventilation decisions in grain storage. However, existing studies mainly focus on individual sensor points and are insufficient to describe spatial thermal evolution. This study proposes a thermal state field forecasting framework integrating a Temporal Convolutional Network and Mamba. Sensor observations are aggregated into spatial blocks to construct average temperature, temperature variance, and three-dimensional temperature gradients. Spatial attention captures local correlations, while the hierarchical TCN and Mamba encoder and Cross-Scale Trend Attention extract multi-scale temporal features and long-range evolution patterns. Across all 30 spatial blocks, the proposed model achieved RMSE values of 0.2988 ± 0.0374, 0.5573 ± 0.0112, 0.0380 ± 0.0009, 0.0442 ± 0.0031, and 0.0788 ± 0.0050, and MAE values of 0.2591 ± 0.0330, 0.4270 ± 0.0093, 0.0344 ± 0.0008, 0.0379 ± 0.0031, and 0.0684 ± 0.0053 for average temperature, temperature variance, and gradients in the X, Y, and Z directions, respectively. Based on the predicted thermal state field, an illustrative forecast-driven decision-support framework provides event-triggered ventilation decision support and regional priority recommendations. The decision analysis further illustrates the relationship between predicted thermal evolution and ventilation timing and regional prioritization under predefined rules. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Smart Agriculture)

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21 pages, 4331 KB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Flat-Sheet Membrane Gas Exchange Unit for Oxygen Control in Microfluidic Systems

by Anubhav Bussooa, Amaury de Hemptinne, Quentin Galand, Matthieu Briet, Müge Bilgen and Wim de Malsche

Micromachines 2026, 17(9), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17091003 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Precise control of dissolved oxygen is essential for reproducing physiologically relevant conditions in microfluidic cell culture systems. Here, we present a standalone, polydimethylsiloxane-free gas exchange unit (GEU) which enables controlled oxygenation and deoxygenation of perfused liquids and is suitable for integration with existing microfluidic platforms. The GEU employs a flat-sheet membrane contactor design to achieve efficient gas–liquid mass transfer while remaining independent of the downstream device. Oxygen transfer was experimentally characterised using optical oxygen sensors under different liquid and gas flow conditions. Reoxygenation efficiency decreased with increasing liquid flow rate because of reduced residence time, whereas active airflow through the gas compartment enhanced oxygen transfer. Controlled deoxygenation was achieved by flowing nitrogen through the gas compartment, with higher nitrogen pressures producing progressively lower oxygen levels. Numerical flow simulations demonstrated uniform flow distribution within the device, and a simplified analytical diffusion model accurately predicted the observed oxygen transfer trends. The proposed GEU provides a simple, robust and modular strategy for regulating dissolved oxygen upstream of microfluidic devices without requiring device redesign or specialised fabrication. This approach offers a practical solution for incorporating physiologically relevant oxygen control into a wide range of microfluidic and cell culture applications. Full article

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15 pages, 2031 KB

Open AccessArticle

ROMO1 and CD47 in Cervical Cancer: Parallel but Independently Regulated

by Angel Yordanov, Stoyan Kostov, Polina Damyanova Dimitrova, Ihsan Hasan and Eva Tsoneva

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2026, 48(9), 862; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb48090862 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

Reactive Oxygen Species Modulator 1 (ROMO1) and CD47 have both been implicated in cervical carcinogenesis, but their relationship within the same tumor has not been investigated. We retrospectively analyzed immunohistochemical H-scores for ROMO1 and CD47 in 221 invasive cervical carcinomas, including 205 tumors with evaluable expression of both markers, and examined their associations with clinicopathological characteristics. ROMO1 and CD47 expression did not correlate at the individual-tumor level (Spearman ρ = −0.08, p = 0.25; κ = −0.10). CD47 expression decreased significantly with increasing local tumor extent (ρ = −0.21, p = 0.002) and FIGO stage (p = 0.006), while ROMO1 showed a weaker, non-significant trend in the same direction. The ROMO1-high/CD47-high phenotype was observed in 15.7% of early-stage tumors but was absent in locally advanced (pT2–pT4) tumors (χ² p = 0.001). These findings suggest that ROMO1 and CD47 are not directly co-regulated in cervical cancer, despite showing similar changes with local tumor progression. Their parallel expression patterns may therefore reflect separate responses to common factors involved in cervical carcinogenesis rather than a direct relationship between the two proteins. Further functional studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying these findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Insights into Pathogenesis and Targeted Therapy of Gynaecological Cancers)

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30 pages, 7271 KB

Open AccessArticle

Phenological Shifts and Optimization of the Sowing Date for Spring Maize Under Climate Change: A Framework Based on the 24 Solar Terms for Shanxi Province, China

by Wencai Zhang, Yitong Chen, Meiting Yan, Fenwu Liu, Lanjun Li and Lu Xia

Agronomy 2026, 16(17), 1630; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16171630 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

The 24 solar terms (STs) comprise a traditional Chinese seasonal calendar that has long guided agricultural practices, but their agronomic relevance under observed historical climate change remains uncertain. We assessed 24 STs’ applicability in Shanxi Province using climate records from 23 meteorological stations during 1960–2019. Climate trends were analyzed at the ST scale, and the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) CERES-Maize model, calibrated for Denghai 679, was applied to simulate maize phenology and yield for evaluating phenological shifts and sowing-date effects. Results showed that (1) warming was concentrated during Yushui–Qingming and Xiaoxue–Dahan, with sunshine declines across Mangzhong–Xiaoshu and Bailu–Hanlu. Precipitation trends were weak and spatially variable. (2) The calibrated CERES-Maize model reliably reproduced regional yields and phenology. Simulated V3 growth stage, anthesis, and maturity dates advanced by 1.53, 1.88, and 3.11 days per decade, respectively. V3 was associated with early-spring hydrothermal and radiation conditions, while anthesis and maturity were closely associated with summer heat during the STs Xiazhi, Xiaoshu, and Dashu. (3) Model-derived optimal ST/hou sowing windows were Guyu–H2–H3, Xiaoman–H1–H2, and Xiaoman–H2–H3 for Northern, Central, and Southern Shanxi, respectively. Optimized sowing shifted V3 towards Xiaoman–Mangzhong, delayed anthesis from early Xiaoshu to late Dashu–Liqiu, and postponed maturity towards Qiufen, all referring to STs. These findings provide a scientific basis for continued use of the 24 STs in guiding agricultural practices for maize. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Precision and Digital Agriculture)

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25 pages, 26286 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of γ-Polyglutamic Acid on Nutrient Availability and Enzyme Activities in Coal Gangue-Based Soil

by Jing Shi and Li Feng

Agronomy 2026, 16(17), 1629; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16171629 - 25 Aug 2026

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) on the physicochemical properties and enzyme activities of coal gangue-based soils, focusing on how different application rates influence soil indicators and enzyme functions for ecological restoration. Soil samples with varying weathering ages were collected from a coal gangue pile, and a pot experiment was conducted with five γ-PGA treatments (0–43.2 g dissolved in 300 mL water). Soil pH, electrical conductivity, nutrient contents, aggregate composition, and enzyme activities (urease and sucrase) were measured, and redundancy analysis (RDA) was applied to evaluate the relationships between soil properties and enzyme activities. γ-PGA rapidly increased soil pH and altered conductivity trends. Its effects on organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were complex and dependent on both dosage and time. Optimal γ-PGA addition enhanced organic matter and nitrogen transformation, increased potassium availability, and modified water-stable aggregate distribution. Enzyme activities were significantly affected by γ-PGA dosage, exhibiting distinct initial levels and temporal trends across soils of different weathering ages. RDA revealed clear differentiation in soil properties under different treatments, with enzyme impacts evolving over time. DFT results revealed a distinct valence-dominated ion-binding hierarchy, with trivalent cations (Al³⁺, Cr³⁺, Fe³⁺) showing the strongest affinity, followed by divalent cations and monovalent ions/oxyanions. Overall, γ-PGA markedly improves the quality of coal gangue-based soils, providing theoretical guidance and practical reference for ecological restoration and soil management strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Soil and Plant Nutrition)

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