Fibre Optic Method for Detecting Oil Fluorescence in Marine Sediments.

The aim of this study is to verify the possibility of detecting oil in the bottom sediment using a fibre optic system. The presence of oil is assessed on excitation-emission spectra obtained from spectral fluorescence signals of the sediment sample. A factory spectrofluorometer coupled with an experimental fibre optic measurement system was used.

Ribosomal proteins mediate non-canonical regulation of gut inflammatory signature by crop contaminant deoxynivalenol.

Deoxynivalenol (DON), a prevalent mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species, contaminates global agricultural products and poses significant health risks, particularly to the gastrointestinal (GI) system. DON exposure disrupts ribosomal function, inducing stress responses linked to various inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, we elucidate a novel regulatory mechanism involving ribosomal proteins (RPs) RPL13A and RPS3, which mediate proinflammatory chemokine production in DON-exposed gut epithelial cells.

Utilizing UAV and orthophoto data with bathymetric LiDAR in google earth engine for coastal cliff degradation assessment.

This study introduces a novel methodology for estimating and analysing coastal cliff degradation, using machine learning and remote sensing data. Degradation refers to both natural abrasive processes and damage to coastal reinforcement structures caused by natural events. We utilized orthophotos and LiDAR data in green and near-infrared wavelengths to identify zones impacted by storms and extreme weather events that initiated mass movement processes.

Driving factors of ship-induced nitrogen dioxide concentrations over coastal seas of China: Implications for ship emission management.

Ships generate large amounts of air pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO) that profoundly impacts air quality and poses serious threats to human health. It is crucial to understand the dynamics and drivers of ship-induced NO concentrations in China to support the prevention and control of fine particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O) pollution. This study built Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) to reveal the nonlinear effects of meteorological factors and ship emissions on ship-induced NO concentrations based on the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite data, AIS based emission model and meteorological data.

Heterogeneous Microstructure and Tensile Properties of FeMnCoCr Metastable High-Entropy Alloy.

Face-centered cubic (FCC)-structured high-entropy alloys (HEAs) are facing a major challenge due to a trade-off between strength and ductility. In this paper, we systematically investigated the microstructural evolution and tensile properties of metastable dual-phase (DP) FeMnCoCr HEAs via cold rolling and partial recrystallized annealing, which resulted in a heterogeneous microstructure, and by inducing strengthening and strain-hardening through heterogeneous deformation-induced (HDI) strategies. The results show that the alloy was annealed at 600 °C for 10 min, exhibiting a good combination of strength and ductility.

Rossby waves driven by the Mid Mediterranean Jet impact the Eastern Mediterranean mesoscale dynamics.

The most prominent and persistent feature of the eastern Mediterranean Levantine Basin (LB) is the warm anticyclonic Cyprus Eddy (CE) located above the Eratosthenes Seamount (ESM). This eddy periodically couples with two smaller cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, the South Shikmona Eddy (SSE) and North Shikmona Eddy (NSE), which form downstream. The reason for the zonal drift of the CE center and the formation mechanism of the CE, SSE and NSE is largely debated today, yet the upwelling and biological productivity of the LB can be strongly impacted by the local dynamics.

Antitubercular Activity of 7-Methyljuglone-Loaded Poly-(Lactide Co-Glycolide) Nanoparticles.

Background/objectives: Loading of natural products into poly-(lactide-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for the treatment of diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB), has been widely explored. The current study investigated the use of PLGA nanoparticles with 7-methyljuglone (7-MJ), an active pure compound, isolated from the roots of A. DC.

The effect of a poly-herbal plant extract on the adhesion of Streptococcus mutans to tooth enamel.

Background: Dental caries, also known as tooth decay or cavity formation, is one of the world's most widespread dental conditions. It is a plaque-related infection caused mainly by Streptococcus mutans. People have relied on several plant species to treat oral infections; Heteropyxis natalensis, for example, has been used to treat toothache and gum infections.

Thermodynamic investigation of the efficiency of ammonia-powered marine solid oxide fuel cells with gas turbine.

Improvement of marine power plants includes increasing their efficiency and drastically reducing emissions of pollutants, which involves transitioning to carbon-free fuels. This article discusses the evolution of a marine power system designed for decarbonization, utilizing ammonia and comprising solid oxide fuel cells with a gas turbine. To enhance efficiency, the system incorporates a steam supply into the fuel burning device of a gas turbine.

Fluorescent analyses of sediments and near-seabed water in the area of the WW2 shipwreck "Stuttgart".

Motorship wrecks on the seabed pose a serious threat to the marine environment due to oil leaking from their fuel tanks. Such substances can penetrate the sediments and enter the water. There is a need to analyse bottom water and seabed sediment samples for the content of toxic petroleum substances.

Analysing the accessibility of a selected southern Baltic Sea location with relevance to conducting surveys.

The article presents the accessibility conditions for carrying out research work for an exemplary site in the southern Baltic Sea region. The basic parameter of the state of the marine environment was the significant wave height determined at a frequency of one hour based on the ERA 5 model data covering the period between 1940 and 2022. A statistical analysis of the variability of this height on a monthly basis, taking into account its conversion into the time of potential availability in conditions enabling research, showed its strong seasonal variability in the form of differences in the number of hours that can be used for operating purposes.

The Influence of Deep Cryogenic Treatment (DCT) on the Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of TC4 Titanium Alloy.

Deep cryogenic treatment (-196 °C, DCT) is an emerging application that can make significant changes to many materials. In this study, DCT was applied to Ti6Al4V (TC4) titanium alloy, and we delved into an examination of the impact on its microstructural morphologies and mechanical properties. It was observed that DCT has a significant effect on the grain refinement of the TC4 titanium alloy base material.

Preparation of Aluminum-Based Superhydrophobic Surfaces for Fog Collection by Bioinspired Sarracenia Microstructures.

Freshwater shortage is a growing problem. Inspired by the Sarracenia trichome fog-trapping and ultrafast water-transport structure, a series of hierarchical textured surfaces with high-low ribs with different wettabilities was prepared based on laser processing combined with dip modification. Through fog-collection performance tests, it was found that the samples with superhydrophobicity and low adhesion had the best fog-collection effect.

Integrin A5B1-mediated endocytosis of polystyrene nanoplastics: Implications for human lung disease and therapeutic targets.

The extensive use of plastic products has exacerbated micro/nanoplastic (MPs/NPs) pollution in the atmosphere, increasing the incidence of respiratory diseases and lung cancer. This study investigates the uptake and cytotoxicity mechanisms of polystyrene (PS) NPs in human lung epithelial cells. Transcriptional analysis revealed significant changes in cell adhesion pathways following PS-NPs exposure.

Experimental investigation on solidification cracking & intergranular corrosion of AISI 321 & AISI 316 L dissimilar weld on pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding (PCGTAW).

Dissimilar metal combinations are frequently employed in the power generation and nuclear industries. Where stainless steel piping systems are connected to pressure vessels made of low-alloy steel, the subsystems of liquid rocket engines also have different, dissimilar material combinations. Dissimilar welding plays a vital role in ensuring the integrity, performance, and reliability of components and structures operating in cryogenic environments, in this study, plates of AISI 316L and AISI 321, each 5 mm thick, were successfully joined using the pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding (PCGTAW) technique with optimized process parameters.

Causal diagnostic model and governance strategies to reduce pollution from ship accidents in Chinese waters.

Ship transportation is a primary mode for global trade and cargo transport, yet even minor discrepancies can lead to ship accidents, causing severe secondary environmental pollution. Maritime accidents involve complex and numerous factors. Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) can identify the key contributing factors and their impact levels by eliminating homogenization factors in maritime accidents.

Enhancing metabarcoding efficiency and ecological insights through integrated taxonomy and DNA reference barcoding: A case study on beach meiofauna.

Molecular techniques like metabarcoding, while promising for exploring diversity of communities, are often impeded by the lack of reference DNA sequences available for taxonomic annotation. Our study explores the benefits of combining targeted DNA barcoding and morphological taxonomy to improve metabarcoding efficiency, using beach meiofauna as a case study. Beaches are globally important ecosystems and are inhabited by meiofauna, microscopic animals living in the interstitial space between the sand grains, which play a key role in coastal biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics.

A First Record on Microplastic Ingestion by Tropical Estuarine Copepods of Bangladesh.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution is a profound problem around the world yet it's study on the effect on zooplankton including copepods are very limited. The study was conducted between January 2021 and January 2022 in the Lower Meghna Estuary to investigate MPs ingestion in two different family of copepod: Calanoid and Cyclopoid. A method of acid digestion along with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to identify MPs ingested by copepods from the conducted area.

Fish Welfare-Related Issues and Their Relevance in Land-Based Olive Flounder () Farms in Korea.

Korean aquaculture has expanded considerably in recent decades; however, this growth has often prioritized quantity over fish welfare. Therefore, we analyzed the aquaculture practices of olive flounder, the predominant species in Korean consumption and production, within the framework of fish welfare. We conducted extensive interviews and surveys across olive flounder farms in Jeju-do and Wando to examine prevalent issues impacting fish welfare in aquaculture.

Potential distribution of three invasive agricultural pests in China under climate change.

Invasive pests reduce biodiversity and ecosystem service functions, thereby leading to economic and also agricultural losses. Banana skipper (Erionota torus Evans), red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), and coconut caterpillar (Opisina arenosella Walker) are invasive insect pests in the palm-growing regions and they have had serious consequences for the planting of bananas (Musa nana), palms (Trachycarpus fortune) and coconut (Cocos nucifera). Based on screened occurrence data, the present research utilized Maximum Entropy model (Maxent) to simulate the distribution dynamics of these three invasive insects in China, under current and future climate (2050s, 2070s, 2090s) in two shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs: 126 and 585) of the newly released coupled model intercomparison project phase6 (CMIP6).

Microstructure and Hardness Characteristics of Swing-Arc SAW Hardfacing Layers.

Hot-rolled backup rolls are widely used in steel rolling and usually need to be repaired by arc hardfacing after becoming worn. However, a corrugated-groove defect commonly occurs on the roll surface due to the uneven hardness distribution in the hardfacing layers, affecting the proper usage of the roll. Accordingly, a new swing-arc submerged arc welding (SA-SAW) process is proposed to attempt to solve this drawback.

Assessment of Human Health Impacts from Invasive Pufferfish (Attacks, Poisonings and Fatalities) across the Eastern Mediterranean.

The silver-cheeked toadfish (Gmelin 1789), and to a lesser degree the orange spotted toadfish (Bleeker, 1852), pose threats to human health from physical attacks and poisonings in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This study reviewed human health-related impacts resulting from these pufferfish, compiling and assessing records from online sources, the peer-reviewed literature, medical records, personal interviews, and observations across the Eastern Mediterranean in the years 2004 to 2023. A total of 198 events impacting human health were documented: 28 records of physical attacks, at least 144 non-lethal poisoning episodes, and 27 human fatalities resulting from consumption.

High resolution optical and acoustic remote sensing datasets of the Puck Lagoon.

The very shallow marine basin of Puck Lagoon in the southern Baltic Sea, on the Northern coast of Poland, hosts valuable benthic habitats and cultural heritage sites. These include, among others, protected Zostera marina meadows, one of the Baltic's major medieval harbours, a ship graveyard, and likely other submerged features that are yet to be discovered. Prior to this project, no comprehensive high-resolution remote sensing data were available for this area.