Search Results (40,833)

Pastures are the primary food source for cattle, yet their productivity is often limited by management practices and water scarcity. In this context, approaches capable of representing nonlinear relationships and handling uncertainties can support sustainable water management. The objective of this study was to develop and compare fuzzy inference systems (FISs) to predict the instantaneous water use efficiency (iWUE) in a forage species subjected to organic and mineral fertilization under different levels of water deficit. The models were built in MATLAB R2024a using Mamdani and Sugeno inference methods. Input variables (fertilization and water deficit) were represented by triangular, trapezoidal, and Gaussian membership functions, while the output variable (iWUE) was modeled using triangular, trapezoidal, and Gaussian membership functions in the Mamdani system and singleton functions in the Sugeno system. Different defuzzification strategies were evaluated, resulting in 21 fuzzy systems. The results showed satisfactory model performance, with coefficients of determination above 0.90 and strong agreement between observed and simulated values. The Mamdani system with trapezoidal membership functions and centroid defuzzification achieved the best predictive performance (R² = 0.9846, NSE = 0.9887, RMSE = 0.0923). The response surface generated by the best-performing fuzzy system indicated a smaller reduction in iWUE under organic fertilization compared to mineral fertilization as water deficit intensified. The developed fuzzy systems demonstrated potential to represent the interaction between nutritional management and water availability, supporting decision-making in forage production systems. Full article

This study investigates the fabrication of eco-friendly composite films based on guar gum (GG) reinforced with untreated rice husk (URH) powder (5–30 wt%) via a thermocompression process. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first demonstrations of directly utilizing untreated rice husk as a multifunctional reinforcing filler in GG-based bioplastics without any chemical or surface modification, thereby eliminating energy-intensive pretreatment steps. Particle dispersion and interfacial adhesion were optimal up to 10 wt% loading, above which agglomeration occurred. The incorporation of URH enhanced the thermal stability of the matrix. Mechanical performance peaked at 10 wt% URH, exhibiting a 90% increase in tensile strength, a 32% increase in elongation at break, and a 246% improvement in toughness compared to the neat GG film. Furthermore, URH addition reduced moisture content and water vapor permeability while increasing the water contact angle. Although film opacity increased, the results demonstrate that URH acts as an effective multifunctional filler. These GG/URH composite films exhibit strong potential for scalable industrial applications in eco-friendly food packaging, including disposable pouches and trays, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic materials. Full article

Global satellite missions with the capability to measure ocean surface currents are continually being proposed. This new observation type is expected to significantly improve ocean model analysis and forecast skill. The potential impact of assimilating sea surface currents from the proposed wide-swath Ocean Dynamics and Surface Exchange with the Atmosphere (ODYSEA) mission is investigated in this study. An Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) is set up with a 1 km Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) analysis-forecasting system in the Gulf of America domain over a 4-month time period. When compared to an experiment with only the standard data streams of temperature, salinity, and sea surface height anomaly observations from in situ and satellite platforms assimilated, the inclusion of ODYSEA-like sea surface current observations leads to a 13% and 17% reduction in the domain and time averaged root mean squared error (RMSE) for surface u and v components, respectively, as well as an improvement in the current velocity throughout the upper water column. The assimilation of the sea surface current observations also leads to an improvement in the model sea surface height, although there is a negligible to slight degradation in the temperature and salinity at depth, which is likely due to the explicit geostrophic assumption made within the velocity assimilation methodology. Full article

The seedling production stage of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is crucial for crop success, as it determines the initial quality of the plants. The use of seeds with rapid and uniform germination is essential to ensure proper seedling establishment. Among sustainable alternatives for water management, irrigation with ozonated water stands out due to its disinfectant potential and its ability to stimulate plant physiology. This study evaluated the effects of irrigation with ozonated water on the production and development of lettuce seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD) arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, with four replications. Two lettuce cultivars were tested: one with smooth leaves and another with crisp leaves. The variables analyzed included germination parameters (final percentage, germination index and mean germination rate, uniformity, and time to reach 10, 50, and 90% germination), as well as initial growth parameters (total height, shoot and root height, and dry matter content). Analyses were performed on 20 seedlings per cultivar. Irrigation with ozonated water promoted significant growth (p < 0.05) of the shoot and root growth, with increases of 16.90 and 4.99% for the smooth-leaf cultivar, and 24.27 and 9.26% for the crisp-leaf cultivar, compared to the control. Ozone application did not alter the microbiological, physical, or chemical parameters of the water. These growth-promoting effects are likely associated with increased oxygenation of the root zone, enhanced oxidation of organic matter in the substrate, and improved nutrient availability promoted by ozone-derived radicals, which may also optimise root respiration and reduce pathogenic pressure. The applied concentration of 5 mg L⁻¹ O₃ over a 25-day seedling production cycle proved effective and did not cause phytotoxic effects. Irrigation with ozonated water is an efficient and environmentally safe alternative for producing vigorous lettuce seedlings. Full article

Microplastics are ubiquitous environmental particles with complex physical and chemical properties that enable them to interact with other contaminants. Recent evidence suggests that microplastics act as carriers for various chemical pollutants, altering their transport, deposition, and deposition dose. This conceptual review synthesizes current knowledge of radon progeny behavior and microplastic properties and suggests potential mechanisms for their interaction, although direct experimental validation of radon progeny specifically is currently lacking. It discusses attachment kinetics, transport pathways in air and water, and microplastic-mediated shifts in human lung deposition patterns and ecological exposure. Theoretical dosimetry reasoning suggests that, if attachment occurs, small respirable microplastics (1–10 μm) could increase inhalation doses by prolonging the airborne residence time of progeny indoors, whereas macro- and coarse microplastics would primarily affect localized environmental hotspots. These possibilities remain to be tested experimentally. Integrated experimental and modelling approaches, including radon chamber studies, aerosol and aquatic transport experiments, respiratory tract modelling, and ecological bioassays, are proposed to quantify these processes and inform risk assessment. Knowledge gaps remain in attachment efficiency, retention, co-contaminant interactions, and long-term exposure scenarios. Addressing these gaps is critical for refining human and ecological risk assessments and guiding regulatory frameworks in radon-microplastic-impacted environments. Full article

The Baleysky gold deposit in Eastern Transbaikalia is a classic example of the long-term environmental legacy of gold mining. The cessation of industrial wastewater discharge in 1995 led to the accumulation of more than 3 million m³ of acidic water with high concentrations of heavy metals and metalloids. These waters contain concentrations many times higher than the maximum permissible levels for fishery waters (Mn up to 6594, Al—1473, Zn—486, and Cu—414), posing a significant threat to the ecosystem of the Unda River and the health of the local population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the artificial geochemical barrier method for treating such waters under laboratory conditions. Column experiments were conducted using local soil and the commercial carbonate sorbent taurite at a sorbent-to-filtrate ratio of 1:5. Taurite demonstrated a significantly higher sorption capacity than soil, substantially reducing the concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Al, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu and raising the pH from 2.90 to 7.96–8.03. Although health risks associated with both carcinogenic (CR) and non-carcinogenic effects (HI) decreased significantly after treatment with taurite, residual risk levels remained unacceptably high (CR ≈ 10⁻³, HI > 1). The results show that engineered geochemical barriers have great potential for reducing anthropogenic contamination at abandoned mining sites, although further optimization of this technology is necessary to achieve compliance with regulatory requirements. Full article

Currently, in Catalonia, Spanish toothcarp (Apricaphanius iberus) has a discontinuous distribution, with its main populations located in the Ebro Delta and the Empordà wetlands. Along the Catalan coast, there are some small, isolated populations, most of which have been recently introduced. In the Empordà area, this species still maintains three isolated populations within two natural parks, where it currently occupies the northernmost site of its global distribution. Between 2017 and 2025, several fish sampling campaigns were carried out in the Empordà wetlands (Northeast Catalonia), gradually covering the entire area of potential distribution of this species in the area. In total, 228 points have been sampled, at least in one occasion, in all types of water bodies (rivers, canals, lagoons, marshes). In 106 points, more than two sampling events have been performed. Furthermore, in 2025, a specific diagnosis was carried out to better understand the current situation of the species in these protected spaces after a prolonged and severe drought. Sampling was carried out everywhere with fykenets, adding the use of nets and electrofishing in some stations located in large bodies of water. The known historical evolution of Spanish toothcarp distribution in the Empordà has been presented since the first data was made available at the beginning of the 1980s of the 20th century until now. Today, this fish only occupies approximately 10% of its potential distribution in the area. Over the last five decades, its distribution has expanded and contracted several times, but in 2025, it was once again in the worst possible situation of the analysis period. Therefore, the implementation of protected areas, or the execution of several large ecological restoration projects, have only succeeded in maintaining existing populations, but not in the expansion of its potential distribution to unoccupied areas. The main factors that explain this general situation are mainly (1) the proliferation of exotic species, (2) the loss of ecological status, and (3) hydrological alterations and increasingly severe droughts. Thus, the recovery and long-term conservation of Spanish toothcarp in the Empordà area inevitably requires the implementation of more extensive and decisive measures to reverse the incidence of these factors. Full article

Groundwater level mapping is used in order to detect aquifer locations, flow paths, recharge zones, and contamination/pollution of groundwater. This is crucial for water management, environmental studies and resource planning focusing on landfills. This study involves the collection of monitoring well data and the mapping of the groundwater table at the Mavrorachi landfill site using Geographic Information Systems (GISs). The monitoring period spans from 2008 (startup) to 2025 (the current full year) for the 11 monitoring boreholes. Interpolation methods in GISs enabled us to map the groundwater level, while spatial analysis tools modeled the potential groundwater flow. The above process proved to be a valuable tool for modeling groundwater resources. The monitoring of groundwater level is essential to prevent the impact of leachate generated from landfill. Full article

The intensification and continuous evolution of dairy sheep and goat farming have played an essential role in the development and implementation of milking equipment. The increasing demand for time-efficient milking procedures, reduced labour costs, sustained milk production, and optimal mammary health have driven the widespread adoption and optimisation of machine milking technologies. The objectives of this article are (i) the review of milking systems and relevant technological developments in milking equipment and (ii) the evaluation and description of their impact on udder health, as applied on dairy small ruminant farms. Milking systems used on farms depend on the available space and number of animals on the farms. Appropriate settings in milking systems are important for ensuring good milk quality; among them, vacuum level, pulsation rate and ratio are important characteristics that must be monitored regularly. Further, use of appropriate teatcups specific to the animal species to be milked is significant. An important aspect of proper maintenance of the milking system is the cleaning procedure after completion of milking. Points for consideration are quality and temperature of the water used for cleaning, use of detergents and disinfectants, and maintenance schedule and teatcup replacement. Some technological features that are part of milking systems include automatic vacuum shut off, electronic milk recording, electronic identification of animals, automatic flushing of milking clusters and automatic pre-stimulators. Farms will benefit from applying precision technologies, which will use data from tools related to animal genetic background, animal behavioural indicators, environmental conditions and disease-related functions for more holistic and cost-effective farm management. In this context, integration of sensor-based technologies in milking systems will be able to provide real-time information regarding quality of milk produced at individual and farm levels. Moreover, the introduction of automatic system flushing in-between animals during the milking procedure can contribute to breaking chains of potential bacterial transfer and reducing animal infections during milking. Overall, although machine milking has certainly contributed to improved efficiency, milk quality and labour conditions, flaws in system function may adversely affect mammary health. Full article

Here, we consider a nonlinear hydrodynamic model with mixed dispersion–temporal evolution as the scalar version of the generalized shallow-water wave equation, which specifically provides a comprehensive and versatile framework for studying energy propagation in nonlinear fluids of constrained depth. This equation is acknowledged as an integrable model in the analysis of tidal wave dynamics and in simulations of weather variations, tsunami prediction, and irrigation flows. We also investigate a few of its singular and periodic solitary wave solutions by employing various Riccati-based ansatzes. These results highlight the necessity of studying various nonlinear wave phenomena, which may have potential applications in various domains of physics and applied mathematics. These results extend the variety of its solutions and also enrich the existing knowledge about its solutions with various profiles. To improve visual clarity and to facilitate structural understanding, the solution profiles are represented graphically using Maple software in 3D, 2D, and contour plots.We also discuss its invariance under infinitesimal transformations, which yields a one-dimensional Hamilton–Jacobi-like equation. Full article

A chickpea-based milk beverage containing both plant and animal proteins represents an excellent substrate for the production of biologically active peptides through fermentation. Fermentation by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) increases its nutritional value compared to the unfermented beverage while improving the digestibility and bioavailability of essential nutrients via proteolytic enzyme activity. This study investigated the production of bioactive peptides in fermented chickpea water extract using ten bacterial strains isolated from plant and animal sources. The proteolytic activity of each strain was quantified using the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) method, and the presence of proteolytic genes was confirmed via agarose gel electrophoresis. Peptides released during fermentation were identified through two-dimensional electrophoresis, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), and tandem mass spectrometry. To predict the potential biological activities of the studied peptide sequences, a series of in silico analyses were performed using specialized bioinformatics tools. The identified peptides were predicted to exhibit antioxidant, аntihypertensive, anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antituberculosis, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities. Based on the results, L. fermentum SB-2 and L. sakei SD-8, were selected as promising candidates for bioactive peptide production in a chickpea water extract-based milk beverage and were subsequently applied in the beverage prototype. Full article

As an important port in the Beibu Gulf of the South China Sea, Tieshangang Bay is potentially at risk of PTE pollution, yet systematic research integrating multi-hydrological period data remains limited. By applying pollution indices (C_f, WQI, I_geo, RI) combined with PCA, and PMF, we investigated PTE distribution characteristics, risk assessment, and source apportionment across different hydrological seasons. The results indicate that average PTE concentrations in surface seawater meet Class II standards of the Sea Water Quality Standard, with Zn and As showing relatively high concentrations compared to other PTEs. High-concentration areas were mainly located in the inner and middle bay. In sediments, concentrations of Zn and Cr were relatively high, with values generally higher inside the bay than outside. Both C_f and WQI values for seawater PTEs were below 1, indicating an overall low pollution risk. However, Cd and Hg in sediments presented a moderate potential ecological risk. Source apportionment revealed that seawater PTEs primarily originated from an industrial–aquaculture composite source (44.60%), while sediment PTEs were mainly attributed to composite terrestrial inputs (53.16%). These findings provide a scientific basis for PTE pollution management and sustainable development in Tieshangang Bay. Full article

Background: Access to safe drinking water remains a critical public health concern in rural Ghana, particularly in climatically vulnerable and underserved settings. This study assessed the microbiological and chemical quality of drinking water and evaluated nitrate-related health risks in the North Gonja and North-East Gonja Districts of the Savannah Region. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2025. A total of 460 water samples were collected from groundwater sources and household storage containers. Microbial analyses targeted total coliforms and Escherichia coli. Physicochemical and chemical parameters included nitrate-nitrogen, pH, residual chlorine, major ions, and trace metals. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, spatial interpolation, and non-carcinogenic health risk assessment based on the hazard quotient (HQ) approach. Results: Widespread microbial contamination was observed, with 91.5% of household water samples positive for total coliforms and 46.6% for E. coli. Contamination of source water was significantly higher in North Gonja than in North-East Gonja. Overall, 49.1% (n = 55) of groundwater sources exceeded the World Health Organization guideline value for nitrate-nitrogen, with exceedances predominantly occurring in North Gonja. Additionally, 67.0% (n = 75) of samples were outside the acceptable pH range (6.5–8.5), including 74 samples below 6.5 and one above 8.5. Residual chlorine was not detected in any of the samples. Health risk assessment indicated potential non-carcinogenic risks associated with nitrate exposure, particularly among infants and children. Conclusions: The study demonstrates significant microbial contamination and nitrate-related health risks in the study area, particularly in North Gonja. Interventions such as improved source protection, routine water quality monitoring, chlorination, household water treatment, and implementation of Water Safety Plans are recommended to enhance drinking water safety and reduce associated public health risks. Full article

Cooking liquid from Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) is an underutilized byproduct rich in water-soluble taste compounds, representing a potential source of natural umami peptides. In this study, peptide fractions were separated from the cooking liquid. A total of 764 peptide sequences were identified from the most potent fraction, F3 (<3 kDa), by UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Machine learning prediction and molecular docking were further used for screening. Five candidate peptides were selected: TQDTVVALDA, KEY, YKD, RND, and GEAF. Sensory evaluation (on a 0–5 scale) and electronic tongue measurements independently confirmed that peptide YKD possessed the strongest taste profile, with an electronic tongue relative umami score of 8.81 ± 0.22. Furthermore, cell-based assays demonstrated that YKD effectively up-regulated the transcriptional expression of taste-related receptors, including GPRC6A, in STC-1 cells, revealing a multi-receptor synergetic mechanism for umami perception. In STC-1 cells, all peptides induced intracellular Ca²⁺ responses and showed no obvious cytotoxicity at 0.5–8.0 mmol/L. YKD produced the highest fluorescence response (0.59) at 1.0 mmol/L. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis suggested that YKD was associated with T1R1/T1R3-related expression, whereas TQDTVVALDA induced stronger CaSR expression. These findings elucidate the specific peptide sequence that engages multiple receptors to create complex tastes, providing a theoretical basis for converting seafood processing byproducts into natural flavor enhancers. Full article

Engineering education plays a critical role in preparing future engineers to address sustainability challenges, which can be taught through diverse pedagogical approaches. This paper explores how active learning approaches, project-based learning and design-based learning can foster a holistic understanding of sustainability through an interdisciplinary engineering project, which aimed to design a solar-powered robotic system developed for environmental (ENVIBOT) monitoring of air, water, and soil quality. First, the study presents a technical description of the design. Subsequently, semi-structured reflective questions were used to capture students’ perceptions of sustainability, problem solving, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional responsibility. As such, this study adopted a qualitative case study approach in which thematic analysis of the reflections revealed that participation in an interdisciplinary project enabled students to move beyond a narrow environmental interpretation of sustainability. The findings suggest that combining design projects with a standalone sustainability course may further strengthen students’ awareness. Students also demonstrated increased awareness of systems thinking, real-world constraints, and the societal role of engineers in promoting sustainable solutions. Projects such as the ENVIBOT can not only serve as effective pedagogical tools to enhance students’ understanding of sustainability concepts, but can also act as platforms for developing technical competence, maturity and professional responsibility. These findings highlight the potential of integrating sustainability more effectively into engineering curricula and practice alike. Full article