Search Results (5,907)

Fiber-optic devices are widely used in communication, sensing, and other fiber-optic systems, and their quality directly affects system performance and reliability. However, internal defects in packaged devices remain difficult to characterize nondestructively, limiting their application in extreme environments. This work presents an active thermal-excitation method that uses the fiber embedded within the device as a distributed sensor. Controlled temperature changes are applied to excite the thermal response of the internal structure. Optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR) then measures the distributed thermal strain along the fiber at millimeter-scale spatial resolution, enabling characterization of otherwise invisible internal defects. Using fused-fiber couplers as representative devices, we evaluated non-uniformity defects in the fused-taper and package-bonding regions. A finite-element model of an idealized coupler under thermal excitation was established to define the ideal thermal-response characteristics. The experimental results were broadly consistent with the simulated responses. Deviations from the predicted bonding-region symmetry and fused-taper uniformity indicated the possible presence of package-bonding and fused-taper defects, respectively. Dismantling representative couplers confirmed the locations and types of the defects. Applying the same criteria to the tested 2 × 2 and 1 × 3 couplers supported the applicability of the method across configurations within the present sample set. This method provides a transferable, high-spatial-resolution, and nondestructive means for quality assessment and reliability screening of packaged fiber-optic devices. Full article

To address the issues of low mechanical rock-breaking efficiency and severe tool wear in hard rock, this study investigates the mechanical deterioration and abrasivity response of granite subjected to rapid flame-jet heating followed by liquid nitrogen cooling, with rock pre-treatment in thermal-assisted rock breaking as the background. Fine-grained granite specimens were heated by flame jet to temperatures ranging between 200 and 600 °C and then subjected to natural cooling or sudden liquid nitrogen cooling. Physical parameter measurements, uniaxial compression tests, Brazilian splitting tests, and CERCHAR abrasivity tests were conducted using national standards to investigate the evolution of thermal damage and the effect of cooling path. The results show that the damage degree of granite continuously increases with increasing heating temperature, and the damage induced by liquid nitrogen cooling is greater than that induced by natural cooling. Visible cracks begin to appear on the specimen surface after 300 °C, while crack propagation and structural deterioration become more pronounced at 500–600 °C. Among the measured physical parameters, P-wave velocity is the most sensitive to damage, with a maximum attenuation rate of 60.6%. The deterioration of the physical structure further reduces the load-bearing capacity and deformation performance of granite. After liquid nitrogen cooling at 600 °C, the uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus decrease to 92.6 MPa, 1.42 MPa, and 17.4 GPa, respectively, corresponding to reductions of 56.0%, 87.7%, and 69.3% compared with the untreated specimens. The tensile strength is the most sensitive mechanical parameter to liquid nitrogen cooling. The CERCHAR abrasivity index decreases from 3.81 to 2.12. Liquid nitrogen cooling advances the transition of granite abrasivity from high to medium from 400–500 °C to 300–400 °C. The integrated analysis indicates that the non-uniform temperature field generated by rapid flame-jet heating and the differences in thermal deformation among minerals promote the initiation of initial cracks. The additional shrinkage stress induced by liquid nitrogen cooling further drives crack propagation and coalescence, eventually leading to the coupled reduction in the strength, stiffness, and abrasivity of granite. The results provide laboratory-scale evidence for evaluating granite pre-treatment under rapid flame-jet heating and liquid nitrogen cooling and offer a reference for thermal-assisted mechanical rock breaking and standardized abrasivity reduction. However, the relationship between CAI and actual tool wear still requires further verification. Full article

Aiming at the problems of strong model uncertainty, unmodeled perturbation disturbances and unknown maneuvering of space non-cooperative targets in orbital rendezvous missions, an orbit prediction and control method combining active disturbance rejection and model predictive control (ADRC-MPC) is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the relative motion dynamic equations of chaser–target are established under a geocentric inertial coordinate system, and the lumped disturbance including space perturbation and unknown evasive maneuvers of the target is expanded into extended state variable. Secondly, an extended state observer (ESO) is designed to achieve real-time accurate estimation and feedforward compensation of time-varying lumped disturbances, which mitigates adverse influences induced by J2 zonal harmonics, atmospheric drag, solar radiation pressure, and target evasive maneuvers. Thirdly, a constrained MPC strategy incorporating thrust saturation, approach corridor, and collision safety zone constraints is developed. Sufficient conditions for closed-loop input-to-state stability (ISS) are theoretically derived via the small-gain theorem under the given assumptions, which ensures the uniform ultimate boundedness (UUB) of tracking errors. Finally, numerical simulations, comparative benchmarks against conventional MPC and proportional-derivative (PD) control, and Monte Carlo robustness tests are performed. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed ADRC-MPC framework delivers superior rendezvous precision, stronger disturbance rejection, reduced propellant consumption, and improved robustness against initial state offsets and measurement noises, laying solid theoretical and technical foundations for autonomous orbital rendezvous with space non-cooperative targets. Full article

Chinese yam planting requires horizontal placement, consistent apical–basal orientation, controlled spacing, and low-damage handling of slender seed segments. This study developed and field-evaluated an integrated vision-guided Chinese yam planter combining furrow opening, feeding, visual inspection and rejection, orientation adjustment, buffered discharge, spacing regulation, furrow tracking, seed placement, and soil covering. Conventional image processing extracted seed-segment length and end orientation, an EfficientNet-B0–kNN one-class method supported auxiliary visual-anomaly screening, and a YOLO11s-seg model with PID control-enabled furrow tracking. Field tests and a two-factor experiment were conducted under sandy-soil conditions. The prototype achieved 22 seedlings min⁻¹, a spacing coefficient of variation of 8.4%, a miss-seeding rate of 4.5 ± 1.3%, an orientation accuracy of 99%, and a path-tracking RMSE of 2.30 ± 0.18 cm; forward velocity was the dominant factor affecting spacing uniformity. The screening module achieved a 98.6% interception rate on marker-simulated anomalies under controlled imaging conditions, while recognition of natural defects remains unvalidated. The system can reduce reliance on skilled labor, and its modular structure and quantified performance provide practical references for users and equipment manufacturers. Full article

DNA methylation clocks provide a tractable molecular readout for testing whether nutritional and natural-product interventions can modify biological aging. Natural-product-derived antioxidants are biologically plausible candidates because they influence redox signaling, inflammation, mitochondrial function, microbial metabolism and epigenetic regulation, yet their effects on DNA methylation-based aging remain difficult to interpret. Here, we systematically synthesize human intervention studies evaluating antioxidant-rich dietary patterns, botanical and food-derived extracts, marine omega-3 fatty acids, multi-component nutraceuticals and related lifestyle-based interventions with DNA methylation-clock outcomes. The available evidence does not support a uniform epigenetic anti-aging effect. Instead, methylation-age responses were clock-specific, exposure-dependent and often most apparent in metabolically or biologically responsive subgroups. Longer randomized or trial-embedded studies provided the most credible signals, whereas small uncontrolled studies mainly generated hypotheses. Future trials should move beyond claims of epigenetic age reversal and test whether objectively verified natural-product-derived antioxidant exposures produce reproducible, mechanistically linked, and clinically meaningful changes in aging biology. Full article

Background: Heritable thoracic aortic disease (HTAD) accounts for approximately 20–25% of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) cases and is a major cause of premature death in young adults. Methods: This is a narrative, non-systematic review. We performed a selective synthesis of clinical practice guidelines (ACC/AHA 2022, EACTS/STS 2024), the revised Ghent nosology, large multicenter cohort studies (Montalcino Aortic Consortium), randomized pharmacotherapy trials, and molecular mechanism data published between 2010 and 2025; quantitative figures are reported as published in individual primary sources and were not pooled or re-analyzed. Results: The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has driven a paradigm shift in HTAD management, from risk assessment based purely on phenotype (aortic diameter) to risk stratification based on genotype (molecular mutation). The 2022 ACC/AHA guideline identifies eleven genes with confirmed high-penetrance risk for HTAD; these, together with the established Loeys–Dietz gene TGFB3 (recognized through gene–disease validity assessment rather than the ACC/AHA list), can be grouped into three pathogenic mechanisms: extracellular matrix dysregulation, TGF-β signaling dysregulation, and vascular smooth muscle contractile dysfunction. Gene–disease association should be distinguished from guideline-defined classification and regarded as evolving, since additional candidate genes such as LTBP3 are already emerging in gene-negative families. Multigene panel testing identifies a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in roughly 8% of patients referred for suspected HTAD, a yield that rises substantially when applied to syndromic or strongly familial presentations. Prophylactic surgical thresholds are individualized by gene and are generally lower (around 4.0 cm) for high-risk TGFBR1/TGFBR2 and PRKG1 variants and higher (around 5.0 cm) for FBN1 and TGFB3, in contrast with the uniform 5.5 cm threshold historically applied to all patients. Randomized trials over the past decade—including the AIMS irbesartan trial, the Marfan Treatment Trialists’ individual patient data meta-analysis, and the celiprolol and irbesartan trials in vascular Ehlers–Danlos syndrome—now provide direct evidence that angiotensin receptor blockade slows the rate of aortic root dilation in Marfan syndrome, with more limited evidence in vascular Ehlers–Danlos syndrome and uncertain effects on dissection or mortality, while valve-sparing aortic root replacement provides durable long-term outcomes in reported single-center experience. These thresholds and pharmacotherapy recommendations rest predominantly on observational cohort, registry, and randomized trial data of varying maturity and should be interpreted as graded, evolving recommendations rather than fixed cut-points. Conclusions: This review synthesizes the molecular pathogenesis, diagnostic nosology, gene-specific epidemiologic and prognostic data, genetic testing yield, pharmacotherapy evidence, surgical outcomes, and updated prophylactic intervention algorithms per the ACC/AHA (2022) and EACTS/STS (2024) guidelines, providing a practical reference framework for individualizing surveillance and surgical decision-making in patients with HTAD. Full article

Astragalus membranaceus and Atractylodes macrocephala are traditional Chinese medicinal herbs known for their potential anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties; however, their effects on the growth performance, muscle composition, and intestinal microbiota of aquatic animals remain poorly understood. A total of 480 healthy juvenile red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) with uniform size (initial mean body mass 5.24 ± 0.04 g) were randomly assigned to four isonitrogenous diets containing 0, 250, 500, and 750 parts per million (ppm) of an Astragalus–Atractylodes extract (three replicates per treatment, 40 individuals per replicate) and fed for six weeks. After a 24 h fasting period, crayfish were randomly sampled for subsequent analyses. Results were as follows: (1) There were no significant differences in the final weight, specific growth rate, meat content, hepatosomatic index, intestinal length index, or condition factor among all groups of crayfish (p > 0.05). (2) The crude lipid content in crayfish muscle was significantly lower in all treatment groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were observed among groups in terms of muscle moisture, crude protein, and ash contents (p > 0.05). (3) Compared with the control group, the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and catalase (CAT) in the 750 ppm group were significantly increased, while the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). (4) The intestinal microbiota of Procambarus clarkii was dominated by Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteriota. Dietary Astragalus membranaceus–Atractylodes macrocephala extracts altered community composition, decreasing the relative abundance of opportunistic genera such as Pseudomonas and Mycobacterium and, to some extent, improving co-occurrence network stability. (5) Correlation analyses linked host phenotypes to key differentially abundant genera: final weight was associated with Bosea and Nannocystis, hepatosomatic index and meat content with Nannocystis and Pseudomonas, respectively, and lipase activity with Pseudomonas, Nannocystis, and Bosea (p < 0.05). GPX was associated with Pseudomonas and Mycobacterium (p < 0.05), whereas MDA showed only weak associations with these genera but was negatively correlated with growth performance indices (p < 0.05). Overall, dietary Astragalus–Atractylodes extracts enhanced antioxidant capacity, tended to increase intestinal lipase activity, and significantly altered gut microbial community composition of P. clarkii, including reduced relative abundance of selected putatively harmful taxa and altered inferred microbial association patterns; under the present conditions, 750 ppm produced the most favorable overall response among the tested supplementation levels. Full article

Background: Camel husbandry underpins food security in drylands, and dromedary (Camelus dromedarius) milk is valued as a functional food whose composition is thought to be shaped by the desert forage that camels browse. Dietary plant microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed as one molecular route linking diet to mammalian physiology, and two interactions are widely cited from experimental reports: rice miR168a repressing LDLRAP1 and plant miR159 repressing TCF7. The hypothesis remains contested, however, and it has not been tested for camel forage against camel transcripts. Methods: We generated de novo, hairpin-based miRNA repertoires for three arid-zone forage plants relevant to camel feeding (Moringa oleifera, Ziziphus jujuba, Medicago sativa) and screened the mature miRNAs against 48,746 reconstructed C. dromedarius 3′-UTRs under stringent thresholds, retaining one transcript per gene, weighting interactions by read abundance, normalising scores for 3′-UTR length, and testing over-representation against a matched background. The two previously reported cross-kingdom pairs served as internal positive controls and seed-level grouping as a sensitivity control. Results: The three forages yielded 170 hairpin-validated miRNA loci (81 M. sativa, 49 Z. jujuba, 40 M. oleifera) peaking at 21 nt, collapsing to 116 mature sequences and 104 seed groups. The pooled read set was strongly concentrated: five mature sequences shared by all three species carried 51% of reads, miR159 alone 31%, and 19 sequences assignable to conserved miRBase families carried 64%. The pipeline recovered the reported miR168a–LDLRAP1 pairing in the camel; the miR159–TCF7 pairing, by contrast, was not recovered, although TCF7 was among the genes targeted by other plant miRNAs. Genome-wide, predicted targeting was sparse (median 2 miRNAs per gene) and no GO, KEGG or Hallmark category was enriched at either threshold (best FDR 0.56); the nominal p-value distribution was approximately uniform, giving no evidence of systematic enrichment under the tested framework. Targeting multiplicity scaled with 3′-UTR length (Pearson r = 0.63; Spearman ρ = 0.58), so apparent “hub” genes are largely long-3′-UTR genes. Of 19, 12 curated milk-fat and lactation genes were among predicted targets, without over-representation (Fisher p = 0.36). Conclusions: A sensitive, species-matched analysis recovered a previously reported cross-kingdom pairing yet found no coordinated enrichment of dietary plant miRNAs on the dromedary transcriptome, and showed that an individual cross-kingdom pairing cannot be assumed to transfer between mammalian species. The work provides a first forage miRNA resource in the context of camel nutrition, sets out a reusable, species-matched analytical framework for cross-kingdom claims, and narrows future experimental work to five abundant forage-derived sequences and a short list of candidate genes (LDLRAP1, TCF7/TCF7L2, PRLR, INSR). Full article

Background: Hot-melt extrusion (HME) is a scalable pharmaceutical technology increasingly relevant to flexible manufacturing, including small-batch production, personalized dosage-form development, and potential use in pharmacy compounding. When translated into compounding practice, however, HME introduces a risk that routine quality-control methods available in pharmacies may be insufficient to reliably assess the stability of extrusion-based preparations. Methods: Granules containing 50% (w/w) darunavir were prepared by HME at 70 and 90 °C using a previously developed polymeric premix. Samples were stored for 24 months under ambient conditions. During storage, routine quality attributes were evaluated, including appearance, particle size distribution, loss on drying, disintegration time, content uniformity, and assay. Solid-state changes were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), with a reference PEG-associated darunavir sample prepared and characterized for comparative analysis. Changes in drug release and darunavir content were assessed by dissolution testing and HPLC analysis, respectively. Results: Granules produced at both extrusion temperatures retained acceptable routine quality attributes throughout the 24-month storage period. No substantial changes were detected by visual inspection, pharmacopoeial tests, or UV assay. However, DSC revealed a new thermal event after storage, while XRD showed the formation of a new crystalline phase. Comparison with the reference PEG-associated sample supported the assignment of this phase as a PEG-associated crystalline phase of darunavir. Importantly, this transformation occurred even though the routine quality attributes evaluated in pharmacy compounding practice remained unchanged. Dissolution profiles differed between samples tested immediately after preparation and after long-term storage, with a more pronounced overall difference for granules produced at 90 °C, whereas HPLC confirmed comparable darunavir content in all investigated samples. Discussion: Our results show that routine compounding quality control can meet conventional acceptance criteria while failing to detect API solid-state changes in the investigated HME-derived system. In the PEG-containing matrix, amorphous darunavir undergoes storage-induced crystallization, forming a PEG-associated crystalline phase consistent with its known affinity for polyol-containing media. Conclusions: Acceptable routine quality attributes do not necessarily reflect the solid-state stability of APIs in HME-based formulations. These results highlight the need for solid-state risk assessment when developing extrusion-based systems intended for pharmacy compounding and other personalized manufacturing models in which routine quality control may not include advanced solid-state characterization. Full article

In porous media grouting, highly viscous non-Newtonian fluids often trigger viscous fingering (Saffman–Taylor instability) due to adverse mobility ratios, creating fractal-like preferential channels that severely weaken the reinforcement volume. To overcome this, a novel swirl-driven grouting method is proposed. A 2.5D swirl seepage model is established to derive the analytical solution for tangential velocity spatial decay. Integrating the Capillary Bundle and Herschel–Bulkley models elucidates the nonlinear coupling mechanism of centrifugal force and shear-thinning. The swirl flow creates an in situ centrifugal pump, reshaping pressure gradients and triggering a sudden viscosity plunge via extremely high comprehensive shear rates. Furthermore, a modified Saffman–Taylor dispersion relation is constructed and validated via indoor sandbox experiments. Theoretical analysis yields a conditional critical Swirl Number threshold of approximately 0.6 under the tested parameters to suppress the fractal-like evolution of fingering. Experiments demonstrate that exceeding this threshold transitions the grout from preferential seepage to uniform isotropic diffusion. The measured isotropic index is closely enveloped within the 10% theoretical error band. Consequently, the effective projected area experiences a substantial leap of 83.3% due to synergistically enhanced driving forces and reduced medium resistance. This mechanism fundamentally overcomes viscous fingering and suppresses the fractal-like growth tendency of the displacement front, providing a solid theoretical basis for controlling grout diffusion morphology in underground engineering. Full article

A dual air-guiding variable-rate spraying system based on vision perception and control was developed to address two limitations of conventional air-assisted sprayers in high-spindle, high-density apple orchards: insufficient airflow to the upper canopy, which results in poor spray retention and inadequate pest and disease control, and continuous spraying through canopy-free gaps above the trees, which wastes spray liquid. The structural parameters of the air-guiding system were optimized using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), single-factor tests, and a central composite design, while vision-based recognition was used to automatically shut off the uppermost nozzle in canopy-free areas. The results showed that the coefficient of determination between simulated and measured air velocities was 0.982, and the mean absolute percentage error was 3.15%. The optimized deflector split ratio was 0.4; the air-outlet length, height, and width were 115, 110, and 100 mm, respectively; and the diameter of the top air outlet was 100 mm. Field tests showed that the droplet deposition density in the inner canopy was 79 droplets/cm². The deposition densities in the upper, middle, and lower canopies were 95, 94, and 92 droplets/cm², respectively, with a coefficient of variation of 0.016, demonstrating good canopy penetration and vertical deposition uniformity. When the vision-based variable-rate spraying system was enabled, the arithmetic mean reduction in off-target ground deposition across the three monitoring rows was 43.7%. These results provide a technical reference for precise and uniform pesticide application and for reducing off-target spraying in high-spindle, high-density apple orchards. Full article

Ruscus hypoglossum L. is an evergreen ornamental species valued as cut foliage, but its commercial production is constrained by slow vegetative propagation and limited availability of uniform planting material. This study aimed to develop an efficient in vitro propagation protocol for R. hypoglossum by evaluating the effects of different cytokinins and spermidine on shoot organogenesis and subsequent rooting. Thidiazuron (TDZ), zeatin, kinetin, and spermidine were applied at 0.5 and 1.0 mg L⁻¹ to rhizome explants derived from in vitro-grown seedlings. Explant length, shoot and cladode number, fresh weight, shoot diameter, chlorophyll a and b, total carotenoid content, SPAD value, and rooting performance were assessed. Significant treatment effects were observed for most traits. Kinetin at 1.0 mg L⁻¹ produced the highest shoot proliferation (4.66 shoots explant⁻¹), cladode number (12.00 explant⁻¹), fresh weight (0.31 g), chlorophyll a (0.72 mg g⁻¹ FW), chlorophyll b (0.29 mg g⁻¹ FW), and SPAD value (40.25). Spermidine at 1.0 mg L⁻¹ resulted in the highest carotenoid content (0.59 mg g⁻¹ FW) and promoted greater explant elongation, whereas TDZ at 1.0 mg L⁻¹ reduced cladode formation and pigment accumulation. Multivariate analyses consistently identified kinetin as the most favorable treatment during multiplication. Shoots regenerated with 1.0 mg L⁻¹ kinetin also showed the highest rooting response following a 10 s pulse treatment with 2.0 mg L⁻¹ IBA and transfer to hormone-free half-strength MS medium. Overall, kinetin was the most effective treatment under the conditions tested, providing a practical basis for efficient clonal propagation and ex situ conservation of R. hypoglossum. Full article

Bigels combine the advantages of hydrogel and oleogel matrices, enabling simultaneous encapsulation of both hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds with good ductility and water retention. Bigels were prepared from large yellow croaker myofibrillar protein (MP)–soybean oil oleogels and κ-carrageenan hydrogels. All the bigels exhibited a milky white, solid-like self-supporting structure. Increasing the oleogel fraction enhanced droplet interactions and uniformity. Hardness peaked at 11.67 g at a 5:5 (w/w) oleogel-to-hydrogel ratio. The rheological tests revealed shear-thinning behavior across all samples, with apparent viscosity increasing progressively with oleogel content. The highest thixotropic recovery (71.07%) was observed at an oleogel-to-hydrogel ratio of 6:4 (w/w). All bigels underwent structural destabilization above 40 °C and complete liquefaction above 60 °C, indicating thermal reversibility. This study elucidates how varying the oleogel-to-hydrogel ratio modulates the physicochemical properties of bigels, providing a theoretical basis for developing high-value products from large yellow croaker. Full article

Earthquake-induced soil liquefaction poses a severe threat to the structural safety of underground infrastructure. This paper presents a shaking table model test conducted on sand sites, where two site models—namely, uniform saturated sand and layered dry–saturated sand—are designed to systematically analyze the influences of seismic wave amplitude, seismic wave frequency, and structure burial depth on the development of pore water pressure. The research findings indicate the following: (1) As the input peak ground acceleration (PGA) increases, the output surface peak ground acceleration rises, while the acceleration amplification factor decreases. Under high-intensity earthquakes, sand boiling and water gushing are observed in the uniform saturated sand site, and the overlying unsaturated layer can effectively inhibit the liquefaction development of the underlying saturated sand layer. (2) When the predominant frequency of the input seismic wave is close to the natural vibration frequency of the test site, the surface acceleration response is significantly enhanced, while the resonance effect of low-frequency seismic components is relatively weak. (3) The pore pressure ratio is higher in shallow soil layers, indicating that shallow strata are more prone to liquefaction. Both the pore pressure accumulation rate and the peak pore pressure ratio under uniform saturated sand conditions are higher than those measured in the layered dry–saturated sand site. (4) The sensitivity ranking of the three influencing factors is input PGA > burial depth > seismic wave frequency, where the input PGA is the dominant influencing factor, and the effect of the seismic wave frequency is not statistically significant. The conclusions of this study can provide a reference for seismic response assessment and anti-liquefaction design of shallow-buried structures in liquefiable sites. Full article

Existing research on hollow section concrete-filled GFRP tube (HS-CFGT) columns has largely focused on their behavior under axial compression. However, these members are often subjected to eccentric loading in practice, which remains insufficiently understood. In particular, the coupled effects of axial force and bending, as well as the influence of geometric variation, have not been adequately addressed in current studies. To address this gap, this study presents an experimental investigation of HS-CFGT columns, including both cylindrical and tapered configurations. A series of tests was carried out at different levels of eccentricity to examine load-carrying capacity, deformation behavior, and failure characteristics. The results indicate that increasing eccentricity leads to a clear reduction in load capacity and stiffness, with failure typically initiated by crushing of the inner concrete, followed by progressive rupture of the GFRP tube. In addition, lateral deformation becomes more pronounced as eccentricity increases. It is also observed that, in the present tests, tapered members exhibited slightly higher load-carrying capacity than cylindrical members at relatively low eccentricities. This observation may suggest a beneficial effect of non-uniform geometry. Based on these observations, a design-oriented prediction formulation is proposed by incorporating the interaction between axial force and bending moment. The proposed model provides a practical and reliable tool for evaluating HS-CFGT members and supports their safe application in structural systems where eccentric loading cannot be avoided. Full article