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Occurrence of parabens in aquatic environments and sediments and efficiency of wastewater treatment plants in parabens removal
Dynamic damage evolution mechanism of buried cast iron pipeline under corrosion-blast coupling effects
Abstract This study systematically investigated the dynamic response and failure mechanism of aging cast iron pipes affected by blasting operations in urban renewal projects. In response to key challenges such as the vibration safety risks brought by adjacent blasting activities, the lack of targeted control standards in the current “Blasting Safety Regulations”, and the insufficient understanding of the corrosion-blast coupling effects in existing research, a case study was conducted using the Beijing Metro Line 16 tunnel. Nine full-scale on-site blasting tests were carried out. The results showed that the vibration and strain propagation patterns were significantly different. When the explosion source was directly aimed at the lower part of the pipe, the blasting hazard was the greatest. The experiment also proved that the blasting exposure side was mainly subjected to axial tensile failure, which challenged the traditional engineering assumption. The study also developed and verified a refined numerical model including bending corrosion defects, quantifying the influence of corrosion depth on the dynamic response. The research results indicated that corrosion defects would cause significant stress concentration, and the peak vibration velocity and effective stress would increase sharply with the increase in corrosion depth. At a corrosion depth of 8 mm, the maximum effective stress during pipe blasting was 253% higher than that without corrosion. The corrosion depth is the core factor affecting the blasting safety threshold of cast iron pipes. The threshold decreased by 85.4% at 8 mm corrosion, and 4 mm is already close to the critical failure point. The current regulations have both overly strict requirements for non-corroded pipes and overly lenient requirements for old and corroded pipes. The arc-shaped defect model constructed in this study is more accurate, overturning the conventional understanding of control on the facing side of the explosion, and the proposed single-section explosive dosage control table can be directly applied, balancing safety and construction efficiency, providing a scientific basis for regulation revision and engineering control.
Effect of common children’s beverages on surface properties of single-shade and restorative material: an in vitro study
Impact of body roundness index on cognitive decline and cognitive impairment in middle-aged and older adults ≥ 45 years: mediating role of biological aging
Abstract The relationship between Body Roundness Index (BRI) and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults remains unclear. We aimed to explore the association of BRI with cognitive trajectories and incident cognitive impairment and the mediated effect of biological aging. A subset of 8,595 participants (aged 57.71 ± 8.48 years, 52.71% men) from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were followed up to 9 years. BRI was calculated based on height and waist circumference. Cognitive function was assessed with neuropsychological tests up to 5 times, and cognitive impairment was defined as scoring 1.5 standard deviations below the mean. Biological aging was evaluated using the Klemera-Doubal method for biological age (KDM-BA). Linear mixed-effects models were used to explore the effect of BRI on the annual change in cognitive function. Cox regression, Laplace regression and restricted cubic spline models were used to assess the association between BRI and the occurrence of cognitive impairment. Mediation analyses was performed to assess the role of biological aging in these relationships. During the follow-up, 1,282 (14.9%) developed cognitive impairment. Higher BRI was also associated with a faster decline of global cognition ( β = − 0.009, 95% confidence interval [CI]: − 0.017 to − 0.007), especially executive function and temporal orientation over time (all P < 0.05). The multi-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) of BRI for cognitive impairment was 1.12 (1.05–1.19). Each unit increased in BRI led to a 0.41-year earlier onset of 15th percentile difference (PD) in cognitive impairment (95% CI: 0.13–0.68). A J-shaped dose–response relationship on the risk of cognitive impairment was identified with an inflection point of BRI at 4.61. The mediation proportion of BRI affecting cognition decline and occurrence of cognitive impairment through KDM-BA after adjustment was 47.18% and 10.19%, respectively. These findings suggest that levated BRI accelerated the progression of cognitive decline and increased the risk of cognitive impairment onset in middle-aged and older adults. Biological age may partially mediate the association.
Perceptions and treatment-seeking experiences for infertility among women in rural South Ethiopia
Eroding heat resilience in South Asian cities under observed warming trends
Genomic characterization of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli lineage 2 (CS2 + CS3) by long-read sequencing reveals distinct lineage-specific genome organization
Abstract Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of diarrhoea in children, adults and travellers in endemic regions. ETEC pathogenesis is mediated by heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable (ST) enterotoxins together with colonization factors. In this study, we characterized the chromosomal and plasmid features of twelve ETEC lineage 2 (L2) isolates, including five isolates sequenced by long-read PacBio technology and reported for the first time in this study, and seven publicly available complete genomes. Comparative genomic analysis revealed a highly conserved chromosomal backbone and two core plasmids, with the CS2 operon uniquely integrated into the chromosome, while other virulence determinants, including LT, ST, CS3, EatA, CS21, and EtpBAC remained plasmid-encoded. Fusion and consolidation of lineage 1-like plasmids produced a streamlined plasmidome in L2, preserving essential virulence genes while occasionally incorporating antibiotic resistance determinants. Phage-like plasmids were identified sporadically, highlighting ongoing horizontal gene acquisition. These findings demonstrate that ETEC L2 employs a hybrid virulence architecture combining chromosomal fixation of a key colonization factor with plasmid-mediated accessory traits, potentially enhancing stability and transmissibility. The study provides new insights into the genomic organization, evolutionary dynamics, and pathogenic potential of this emerging ETEC lineage.
A miR-200b–Filamin A axis drives epicardial contribution to cardiogenesis
Comprehensive method validation for detecting multiple pesticide residues in blood using ultra high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry
Enhancing sleep slow waves with auditory stimulation in people with Parkinson’s disease: a randomized proof-of-concept trial
AI-IoT driven system for agricultural pest outbreak risk prediction
Abstract Invasive pests pose a significant threat to agricultural production, particularly maize crops, with severe implications for food security. Timely detection of pest development stages and accurate prediction of outbreak risks are essential for effective management. This study introduces a hybrid model combining Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI), a lightweight Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Fuzzy Logic (FL) for Fall Armyworm (FAW) detection and weather-based risk prediction. The model uses Tiny-MobileNet-SE for image classification, Grad-CAM for interpretability, and FL inference based on environmental parameters. Tiny-MobileNet-SE achieved 98.6% accuracy, 98.5% F1-score, 98.6% recall, a compact size of 0.72 MB, and 80 ms latency on Raspberry Pi 5, outperforming state-of-the-art lightweight models including EfficientNetB0, SqueezeNet, MobileNet-v2, MobileNet-v3, and ShuffleNet. The proposed system delivers a power-efficient, scalable, and user-friendly solution for precision agriculture, providing actionable insights for pest management and supporting sustainable crop protection strategies.
QT-prolonging antipsychotic combinations and associated risk in hospitalized patients with mental disorders in Sana’a, Yemen
DFT study on tunable electronic and adsorption properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)/copper oxide/graphene oxide hybrid nanostructures
Abstract The rapid development of nanoelectronics and environmental monitoring requires multifunctional polymeric materials with tailored electronic properties. In this work, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/LanL2DZ level are used to investigate the structural and electronic properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposites incorporating copper oxide (CuO) and graphene oxide (GO). The incorporation of CuO and GO significantly reduces the energy gap (ΔE) from 7.334 eV in pristine PVA to 1.415 eV for the Cu-mediated PVA–Cu/CuO/GO model and further to 0.819 eV for the oxygen-mediated PVA–O/CuO/GO configuration, indicating enhanced semiconducting behavior. Molecular electrostatic potential (MESP), density of states (DOS), and frontier orbital analyses reveal charge redistribution and the formation of interfacial states near the Fermi level. Non-covalent interaction (NCI), reduced density gradient (RDG), and QTAIM analyses confirm extensive hydrogen bonding and dispersive interactions across the interfaces. Gas adsorption studies show that H₂O and CO₂ adsorption increase the total dipole moment (TDM) and modulate ΔE, as seen in PVA–Cu/CuO/GO–2 H₂O (TDM = 10.447 Debye, ΔE = 1.112 eV) and PVA–O/CuO/GO–2CO₂ (TDM = 11.599 Debye, ΔE = 2.446 eV). The adsorption energy for CO₂ on PVA–Cu/CuO/GO is − 0.406 eV, indicating favorable and reversible physisorption with partial charge transfer. Overall, the calculations demonstrated that the combination of PVA, CuO, and GO effectively tunes the electronic structure and enhances interfacial interactions, leading to improved sensitivity and selectivity for gas and humidity sensing applications in future research.
Exploratory in vitro study of inductive heating–assisted refixation in cemented hip stems
Abstract To avoid highly invasive cement extraction during revision of cemented hip stems, we investigated in vitro a concept for refixation of loosened cemented stems using induction heating. The thermoplastic polymeric bone cement is softened by heating the metallic stem above the cement’s glass transition temperature, possibly allowing refixation. In an exploratory study three simplified conical Co28Cr6Mo samples were corundum blasted to simulate the surface roughness of matt cemented stems. Three fixation states were produced by cementing the stem samples within a PMMA cavity: (1) initially implanted stem after cement polymerization; (2) loosened stem retained by taper self-locking; (3) refixated stem. The latter should be achieved by inductive surface heating to 95 °C and applying an axial force of 2 kN. Fixation quality was assessed from relative motions in the stem-cement interface, acoustic emissions during quasistatic torsional loading (7 Nm and 10 Nm), and axial pull-out forces of the stem from the cement mantle. Initial fixation yielded a pull-out force of F PO = 1.99 kN ± 0.26 kN, decreasing to 0.84 kN ± 0.38 kN after loosening. After refixation, pull-out forces reached 0.89 kN ± 0.50 kN. However, in one of the three samples, the pull-out force could be restored by refixation. Therefore, the induction-based refixation concept shows potential as a less invasive alternative to conventional revision surgery but requires further validation in more clinically relevant in vitro models.
Charger placement optimization in wireless sensor networks using hybrid graph coloring and Enhanced Aquila Optimization
Enhanced phosphorus availability and uptake in Salvia miltiorrhiza associated with humic-induced changes in soil phosphorus fractions
Abstract Humic acid (HA) is known to improve phosphorus (P) availability in agricultural soils. Yet, the underlying mechanisms by which it influences the microbial community and subsequent P turnover remain unclear. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted using soil from a three-year Salvia miltiorrhiza ( S. miltiorrhiza ) cultivation system, in which the soil was amended with three HA concentrations (T1: 100-fold dilution, T2: 200-fold, T3: 400-fold) alongside an untreated control (CK). We determined P uptake by S. miltiorrhiza , soil P fractions, phosphatase activities, along with high-throughput sequencing of the microbial communities to specifically target those associated with P transformation. The results showed that HA application significantly enhanced root P uptake, with increases of 68.59% and 91.05% under T2 and T3, respectively. Consequently, soil Olsen-P content decreased by 19.19% and 15.20%, respectively, consistent with the depletion of available P under enhanced plant uptake. Soil P fractionation further revealed that HA application decreased inorganic P by 20.91% and 32.29%, respectively, under T2 and T3 treatments. Specifically, H 2 O-P decreased by 62.1% and 73.61%, and NaHCO 3 -Pi decreased by 53.21% and 50.48%, respectively, under the T2 and T3 treatments. In parallel, acid phosphatase activity was increased by 68.72% and 66.67% under the T2 and T3 treatments compared to CK. Comparative high-throughput sequencing between T2 and CK revealed that HA application enriched key microbial genera associated with P cycling, including Sphingomonas , Nitrospira , Ferruginibacter , and Hyphomicrobium . Collectively, these findings suggest that HA may promote P mobilization and mineralization through association with microbial communities, thereby potentially enhancing P bioavailability and plant uptake. These findings offer new perspectives on the associations between HA application, microbial community shifts, and P use efficiency, suggesting a potential approach that merits further evaluation for P management in agricultural systems.
Physicochemical responses of soil and caraway crop to drip irrigation with magnetized saline irrigation
Abstract Magnetization of irrigation water has gained increasing attention in agriculture. Salinity stress markedly decreases caraway growth and productivity. This study aimed to determine the optimal irrigation approach using magnetic water technology for improving caraway genotype efficiency, yield, and irrigation water productivity (IWP). This investigation was conducted at the Wadi El-Natrun Research Station, under the auspices of the Water Management Research Institute, National Water Research Center, Egypt. This study included four treatments, using magnetic and non-magnetic water, applied under two different drip irrigation systems (surface and subsurface). The findings indicated that in the absence of magnetic treatment, EC values increased after irrigation at all soil depths. In contrast, the use of magnetized water consistently reduced irrigation requirements in both surface (SDI) and subsurface (SSDI) drip systems, with reductions of 619 and 681 m³/ha, respectively. Furthermore, magnetized water increased IWP by approximately 16% and 14% under SDI in the 1st and 2nd seasons, respectively, compared to non-magnetized treatments. SSDI with magnetized water also had a pronounced positive effect on overall caraway productivity per feddan, with average friut yield increasing by approximately 10.38% and essential oil yield rising by more than 24.56%. The benefit–cost ratio improved from 2.48 to 2.53 under SDI and from 2.54 to 2.62 under SSDI in the first season, highlighting increased economic efficiency. These results underscore the potential of advanced magnetic technologies and modern irrigation practices in enhancing caraway performance under saline stress. Future studies will assess different magnetic field strengths, optimal exposure time, and the best placement of the magnetization unit to maximize water use efficiency.