Artiles
Open Access
Article
13 April 2026Br-Doped Nickel-Cobalt Phosphide Nanoarrays on Engineered Porous NF for High-Efficiency Water Oxidation
The rational design of cost-effective electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is pivotal for advancing green hydrogen production. This study presents a substrate-engineered Br-doped nickel-cobalt phosphide (NiCoP) electrocatalyst fabricated through a stepwise synthesis protocol. A porous and roughened nickel foam (NF) is initially constructed to provide a 3D conductive scaffold, followed by the hydrothermal growth of vertically aligned NiCo-layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets. Subsequent controlled pyrolysis in the presence of a bromine source yields Br-doped NiCoP nanoarrays securely anchored on the NF/Ni substrate. Comprehensive structural characterization confirms the successful Br incorporation, which induces lattice distortion and optimizes the electronic configuration of NiCoP, while the interconnected porous architecture enhances electrolyte infiltration and gas release. Electrochemical evaluations reveal exceptional OER performance, achieving an ultralow overpotential of 220 mV at 10 mA·cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 61.2 mV·dec−1 in 1 M KOH, surpassing most reported NiCo-based phosphides. In-situ Raman spectroscopy and post-OER characterization uncover dynamic surface reconstruction into Br-enriched (oxy)hydroxide active species, elucidating the dual role of Br as both an electronic modulator and a stabilizer for reactive intermediates. This work demonstrates a substrate-guided heteroatom doping strategy to engineer high-performance bimetallic phosphide electrocatalysts, offering insights into interface engineering for sustainable energy technologies.
Open Access
Review
10 April 2026Hepatic Stellate Cells Interact with the Immune System: A Bidirectional Crosstalk Network Driving Liver Fibrosis
As a central metabolic and immune organ, the liver maintains a unique immune microenvironment which is crucial for sustaining health. When the immune balance in the liver is disrupted, it can drive the occurrence and progression of various chronic liver diseases, including liver fibrosis. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the key effector cells responsible for producing extracellular matrix (ECM) during liver fibrosis, and the hepatic immune microenvironment precisely regulates their activation. This review focuses on the complex bidirectional interaction network between HSCs and major immune cells in the liver, including macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and T cells. It systematically elucidates the central role of these interactions in maintaining hepatic homeostasis, mediating inflammatory responses, and driving the progression of fibrosis. A deeper understanding of the interaction between HSCs and immune cells is essential for elucidating the pathological mechanisms of liver fibrosis and will provide a theoretical basis for developing innovative therapeutic strategies targeting the immune microenvironment.
Open Access
Article
10 April 2026Validation of Thymidylate Synthase as a Key Gene Inhibiting WSSV Proliferation in Procambarus clarkii
White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a highly pathogenic agent that poses a significant constraint on the sustainable aquaculture of the red swamp crayfish (P. clarkii). Thymidylate synthase (TS) and ribonucleotide reductase (RR), two genes involved in viral DNA replication, are potential targets for RNAi-based control, but their functional validation and low-cost use remain limited. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that WSSV TS differs evolutionarily from crustacean TS but shares 64% homology with P. clarkii TS, suggesting potential virus-host substrate competition. In vitro-synthesized dsRNA-TS and dsRNA-RR both significantly suppressed WSSV replication in infected P. clarkii. TS was selected for further study due to its evolutionary profile and potential compatibility with molecular breeding approaches. The dsRNA-TS injection eliminated detectable virus within 3 days and reduced cumulative mortality by 10%. Under simulated transport stress conditions, dsRNA-TS did not enhance survival rates, likely due to immunosuppressive effects; however, it sustained the suppression of WSSV replication from 7 to 14 days post-infection. The dsRNA-TS expressed in Escherichia coli HT115 (DE3) had no significant effect, probably because of low purity, low concentration, and poor delivery. The findings provide a sustainable biological control strategy against WSSV in P. clarkii aquaculture, and lay the foundation for the optimization of prokaryotic dsRNA production systems as well as the integration of RNAi with molecular breeding techniques.
Open Access
Review
09 April 2026Ground Penetrating Radar in Forensic Science: Applications, Methodologies, Challenges, and Future Directions, A Comprehensive Review
Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has emerged as one of the most valuable non-invasive technologies in forensic science, enabling subsurface imaging in investigations involving clandestine graves, missing persons recovery, concealed evidence, and mass fatality incidents. The technique transmits short electromagnetic pulses into the ground and records the reflected energy generated by contrasts in dielectric properties between subsurface materials. These reflections allow forensic practitioners to delineate buried anomalies with centimetre-scale accuracy while preserving the integrity of the crime scene. This review documents the evolution of GPR from its earliest forensic applications through to current state-of-the-art systems, focusing on core methodologies, data acquisition and processing protocols, and integrated approaches combining electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), LiDAR, and artificial intelligence. Case studies drawn from diverse settings, including volcanic caves, urban environments, ice-covered water bodies, and tropical forests, demonstrate both the operational versatility of GPR and the contextual limitations that practitioners must recognise. Signal attenuation in high-moisture soils, interpretive ambiguity in heterogeneous environments, and inconsistent operator training remain the principal constraints on GPR performance. These challenges highlight the need for standardised protocols, certified training, and evidence-based deployment criteria. Emerging technologies, including drone-mounted GPR arrays, convolutional neural network-based radargram interpretation, and three-dimensional (3D) subsurface reconstruction, are expected to improve detection precision, reduce field time, and extend operational capability in challenging forensic scenarios. By critically evaluating the published literature and identifying research priorities, this review demonstrates that GPR is not merely a useful adjunct but an increasingly indispensable tool in modern forensic investigations, with the potential to support ethical, time-efficient, and scientifically defensible recovery operations.
Open Access
Article
09 April 2026Optimization of Fly Ash-Based Composite Cementitious Material Proportion Using Box-Behnken Response Surface Methodology
To realize high-value synergistic utilization of the three major solid wastes from thermal power generation (fly ash-FA, coal-fired slag-CS, desulfurization gypsum-DG), a Box-Behnken response surface model was established with CS, DG, and cement as factors and FA as the matrix. Unlike existing research focusing on single or binary solid waste composites, this study systematically optimized the synergistic blending ratios of the three wastes without additional activation. The 7d/28d strength models showed significant statistical validity (R2 = 0.9918/0.9979, p < 0.001). The optimal mix ratio (CS 21.38%, DG 10.96%, cement 16.15%, FA 51.51%) achieved 7d strength of 13.60 MPa and 28d strength of 19.07 MPa, with a model deviation rate below 2%. The statistical model results are deeply correlated with the mechanisms of hydration and microstructural evolution: cement and DG drive early-stage hydration reactions to form rapid-strength products, while CS continuously generates hydration gel through slow pozzolanic reactions to develop late-stage strength. XRD/SEM analysis confirmed significant formation of calcium-aluminum-silicate hydrate (C-(A)-S-H), calcium hydroxide (CH), and ettringite (AFt), verifying full activation of pozzolanic substances in FA and CS. This study innovatively overcomes bottlenecks in the simultaneous high-value utilization of three thermal wastes, providing a scientific pathway for optimizing cementitious materials from multi-source solid wastes.
Open Access
Article
09 April 2026How Internet Control Beliefs and Involvement Shape Older Adults’ Social Adaptation Through Differential Internet Use
In an increasingly digitalized society, successful aging requires effective social adaptation through Internet engagement, yet empirical evidence on how specific online behaviors affect older adults’ adaptation remains limited. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study examines the associations between four Internet use types—informational, social, instrumental, and recreational—and social adaptation, and their mediating roles between psychosocial antecedents (Internet control beliefs and involvement) and adaptation outcomes. Using data from 388 Chinese older adults (aged 60–83), structural equation modeling revealed that only instrumental and recreational use showed significant positive associations with social adaptation, whereas informational and social use showed no substantial effects. Internet control beliefs and involvement predicted all four usage types, with their effects on adaptation fully mediated by instrumental and recreational activities. By elucidating these domain-specific pathways, the findings refine the application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to digital engagement in aging populations. Accordingly, interventions aimed at enhancing digital inclusion and adaptive aging may benefit from promoting instrumental and recreational Internet use while supporting older adults’ perceived control and active involvement in the digital environment.
Open Access
Article
09 April 2026Flexible Zinc-Ion Battery-Powered Wearable Devices for Vital Sign Monitoring
Wearable devices play a crucial role in real-time health monitoring by continuously tracking important physiological indicators such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and body temperature. This not only helps achieve personalized health management but also enables early disease warning. However, traditional rigid power sources (such as lithium-ion batteries) are difficult to adapt to the dynamic deformations of wearable devices in use, such as bending and stretching, and also pose certain safety risks. Therefore, developing flexible energy storage systems that combine high safety, good mechanical flexibility, and high energy density has become an important research direction. Flexible zinc-ion batteries are regarded as a promising solution due to their use of non-flammable aqueous electrolytes, abundant resources, low cost, and good mechanical adaptability. This article systematically reviews the latest progress of flexible zinc-ion batteries, covering key components (electrodes, electrolytes, packaging), device structure design, integration solutions with wearable sensors, and their applications in scenarios such as electrocardiogram monitoring, body temperature tracking, and motion monitoring. The article also explores the current challenges that still exist in terms of energy density, cycle life, mechanical-electrochemical stability, and biocompatibility. Finally, the development directions of future practical applications were prospected, with a focus on innovative material design, structural optimization, intelligent system integration, and the promotion of related standardization.
Open Access
Article
09 April 2026Does the Public Approve of Massive Water Transfers and Construction Projects? Aqueducts, Fracking, and Pipelines in the High Plains
Groundwater availability has been a growing problem in the state of Kansas, where the High Plains aquifer (HPA) has been declining. Simultaneously, the Sunflower State is moving toward wind energy, investing in red meat production, and eyeing a proposal for the Kansas Aqueduct (a tremendous water transfer from eastern to semiarid western Kansas, a region with a distinct vulnerability to drought that overlies the HPA). What do Kansans think about these changes in their environment and infrastructure? Using a survey of the state’s residents (n = 864), we find that owning a private water well is a significant predictor of opposition to the colossal aqueduct, while living above the HPA predicts support for the water transfer. Well owners and women oppose the construction of coal-fired power plants, oil pipelines, hydraulic fracturing, and large corporate feedlots, while politically conservative ideologies predict support. Furthermore, well owners and women are nearly twice as likely to disapprove of fracking; conservatives have lower odds of fracking opposition. The Just Transition in Kansas is not only a question of how water, agribusiness, and wind and nuclear energy are developed, but also residents’ perceptions of these projects.
Open Access
Article
08 April 2026Dogfight Simulation of Autonomous Swarm UAVs Based on Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning
The operational utility of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has evolved from passive surveillance to active engagement in disputed environments, where autonomous control must operate under highly dynamic and adversarial conditions. Hand-crafted heuristics often exhibit limited robustness when facing stochastic opponent behavior and non-stationary interactions. To address these challenges, we propose a Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning (MADRL) framework implemented in a Unity 6–based, physics-driven simulation that models flight dynamics and weapon kinematics. Agents are trained using Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) with a composite reward function designed to encourage cooperative behaviors (e.g., coordinated target engagement) while enforcing safety constraints such as collision avoidance. In empirical evaluations, the learned policies achieve an 85% win rate against a heuristic baseline under the tested scenarios, exhibiting coordinated maneuvers and adaptive engagement strategies. These results indicate that multi-agent learning with decentralized execution can reduce operator workload and improve swarm effectiveness and survivability in conflict zone.
Open Access
Review
07 April 2026Full-Spectrum Heart Failure Management by Tracking Performance of Multiple Cardiac Chambers via Cardiac Time Intervals
Congestive heart failure (CHF) encompasses both reduced and preserved ejection fraction phenotypes. Modern management increasingly demands actionable insights into cardiac function beyond standard vitals. Cardiac time intervals (CTIs), including mitral valve closure (MVC), aortic valve opening (AVO), aortic valve closure (AVC), and mitral valve opening (MVO), as well as isovolumetric contraction time (IVCT) and isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT), offer a window into the electromechanical timing of systole and diastole. These intervals provide clinically relevant markers of systolic function, diastolic filling dynamics, and chamber compliance. In HFrEF (reduced ejection fraction), CTI monitoring captures deterioration in contractile efficiency; in HFpEF (preserved ejection fraction), diastolic stiffness and shortened filling times can be tracked. Remote CTI monitoring facilitates timely therapy adjustments, prevents hospitalizations, empowers patients in their disease management, and provides clinicians with early warning signals of worsening physiology. CTIs enable a comprehensive, non-invasive assessment of cardiac chamber performance. This is especially relevant across the full spectrum of heart failure, including both HFrEF and HFpEF. The ability to deliver precise cardiac timing data outside of traditional clinical settings makes it a transformative tool for proactive, physiology-based heart failure management.
