Artiles
Open Access
Article
24 July 2026Lanthanum-Modified Activated Alumina for Selective Removal of Fluoride from Phosphogypsum Leachate
Fluoride-rich phosphogypsum leachate is a challenging industrial wastewater because of its low pH, high ionic strength, and the presence of competing anions. In this study, lanthanum-modified activated alumina (La-AA) was prepared and evaluated as a selective adsorbent for the removal of fluoride from complex phosphate-industry wastewater. The results showed that La modification improved the adsorption performance of activated alumina, and the 10% La-AA sample exhibited the best fluoride removal behavior among the tested materials. Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses indicated that fluoride adsorption on La-AA was more favorable than on pristine activated alumina and proceeded spontaneously and endothermically under the tested conditions. In competitive adsorption tests, La-AA maintained better fluoride uptake than unmodified activated alumina in the presence of chloride, sulfate, and phosphate, demonstrating improved matrix tolerance. When applied to authentic phosphogypsum leachate, the optimized La-AA reduced fluoride concentration from 9.67 mg·L−1 to 0.58 mg·L−1, below the WHO guideline value. These results suggest that La modification is a practical strategy to improve the selectivity and applicability of activated alumina for fluoride removal in complex industrial process water.
Open Access
Article
24 July 2026Statistical Theatre: Misinterpretation of Quantitative Evidence in the Courtroom
The increasing use of quantitative evidence in legal proceedings reflects a broader shift towards data-informed forms of proof. Statistical analyses, probability estimates, and forensic calculations are frequently presented as objective indicators of truth; however, their evidential value depends not on the mathematics itself, but on how the relationships they describe are interpreted. This paper examines the misinterpretation of quantitative evidence in courtroom settings, arguing that numerical outputs are often treated as conclusions rather than as components of structured inference. Focusing on conditional probability, the prosecutor’s fallacy, base rate neglect, witness testimony, and DNA evidence, the paper demonstrates how common errors arise from a failure to engage with the conditional and relational nature of probabilistic reasoning. Consistent with earlier work highlighting the interpretive limits of quantitative evidence, the analysis of key cases, including the Sally Clark case and People v Collins, together with contemporary examples drawn from forensic science and algorithmic decision-making, demonstrates how numerical evidence can assume persuasive authority that exceeds its probative value when underlying assumptions are not made explicit.Building on established scholarship concerning the persuasive authority of numerical evidence, expert testimony, and probabilistic reasoning in legal decision-making, this paper proposes the Statistical Theatre Model to describe situations in which quantitative evidence acquires persuasive force independent of its inferential value.The paper further considers cognitive and institutional factors that contribute to these errors and argues that improvement lies not in increased mathematical complexity, but in greater conceptual clarity. In addition to identifying common interpretive failures, the paper proposes practical reforms to improve the communication and evaluation of quantitative evidence by experts, lawyers, judges, and jurors. In doing so, it highlights the importance of aligning the presentation of quantitative evidence with the interpretive demands of legal decision-making. Statistical evidence must remain a tool of inference rather than an unwarranted source of certainty.
Open Access
Review
24 July 2026Highly Efficient Nanocomposites of Silica/Polyacrylamide Hybrids with Silver Nanoparticles for Various Modern Nanotechnologies
This paper presents a review of studies devoted to the synthesis, characterization, structure, properties, and functionality of grafted silica/polyacrylamide “core-corona” hybrids as effective nanoreactors and silver nanoparticle (AgNP) carriers for modern nanotechnologies. The evidence and features of direct low-temperature radical polymerization of acrylamide from the unmodified surface of SiO2 nanoparticles are considered in the context of the manifestation of dynamic matrix effects. A simple and reliable method for determining the number and length of grafted PAAm chains is indicated. Using a number of hybrid samples, the effect of these parameters on the particle size, surface charge, height, and permeability of the PAAm “corona” is demonstrated. A two-level fractal structure of hybrids in the bulk state and two morphological forms of their particles in aqueous solutions are established. Based on the proposed approach, the kinetics, mechanism of in situ synthesis, and the yield of AgNPs in hybrid solutions are characterized depending on the concentration of reagents and the “corona” structure. Considerable attention is paid to the possible application of AgNP/hybrid nanocomposites in promising nanotechnologies: in the production of biocidal hygienic materials and textiles, in wound healing, agriculture, fish farming and poultry farming, as well as anti-cancer agents.
Open Access
Article
24 July 2026The Threshold Effect and Mechanism of Environmental Tax Driving Agricultural Innovation and Productivity Development
This study defines environmental tax as a flexible policy instrument that promotes the green and efficient transformation of agricultural production and enhances agricultural innovation productivity; in line with China’s institutional context, it is continuously measured using pollution discharge fees before 2018 and Environmental Protection Tax revenue after the implementation of the Environmental Protection Tax Law in 2018. This paper uses panel data from 30 provinces in China to empirically test the magnitude, direction, and mechanism of environmental taxes on the development of agricultural innovation productivity using a two-way fixed effects model, heterogeneity test model, mediation effect model, moderation effect model, and threshold effect model. The study finds that environmental taxes can significantly promote the development of agricultural innovation productivity. Furthermore, by analyzing geographical locations and functional Positioning of Agricultural Production, it is found that environmental taxes exhibit differentiated characteristics in driving agricultural innovation productivity; Mediation effect tests revealed that environmental taxes promote agricultural innovation productivity by suppressing agricultural carbon emissions; moderation effect tests showed that agricultural industrial structure upgrading plays a positive moderating role in the promotion of agricultural innovation productivity by environmental taxes; The threshold analysis identifies a single carbon-emission threshold: when agricultural carbon emissions exceed the threshold, the productivity-enhancing effect of environmental tax becomes stronger. Heterogeneity tests further show that the effect is most evident in central China and major grain-producing areas, while the western region faces stronger compliance-cost pressure. The study contributes by integrating the compliance-cost, Porter-hypothesis, and nonlinear-threshold perspectives into one agricultural setting and by clarifying the policy boundary under which environmental taxation can foster agricultural innovation productivity.
Open Access
Review
24 July 2026How Does Intelligent Construction Drive Prefabricated Construction from Synergistic Mechanisms to Engineering Applications
As the construction industry shifts toward industrialization, digitalization, intelligence, and low-carbon development, prefabricated intelligent construction has emerged as a key pathway for enhancing efficiency, quality control, resource utilization, and full life-cycle management. Yet existing studies remain largely confined to single-technology applications, local process optimization, or isolated engineering cases, lacking a systematic grasp of the field’s development trajectory, knowledge structure, research hotspots, and future challenges. Addressing this gap, this study presents a bibliometric review aimed at clarifying the research evolution, core knowledge domains, technological frontiers, and application-oriented challenges in prefabricated intelligent construction. Based on the Web of Science Core Collection, 583 journal articles published from 2015 to 2025 were retained after standardized search and screening. Using VOSviewer and bibliometrix, the study analyzed publication trends, subject distribution, national and institutional collaboration, author networks, keyword co-occurrence, thematic clustering, and research frontiers. Compared with traditional narrative reviews, this approach integrates quantitative bibliometric analysis with thematic content interpretation, constructing a panoramic and dynamic analytical framework for the field. Research shows that prefabricated intelligent construction underwent a leap from initial exploration to rapid expansion during 2015–2025, with publications and citations from 2023–2025 accounting for 76.16% and 84.07% of the total sample, respectively, establishing it as an active research frontier. In the global landscape, China contributes prominently in output volume, while Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany demonstrate relatively high per-publication impact. The disciplinary structure is dominated by engineering, construction, and building technology, supported by multidisciplinary intersections, forming three major research hotspots: the integration of prefabricated construction and intelligent technologies, process innovation and intelligent equipment, and structural performance and engineering applications. In essence, this field represents a full life-cycle construction paradigm arising from the deep coupling of industrialization, digitalization, intelligence, and performance control. Future breakthroughs are needed in four dimensions: full life-cycle data standards, digital twin-driven closed-loop platforms, equipment–process collaborative optimization, and multi-scenario engineering validation to drive the transition toward large-scale application.
Open Access
Review
23 July 2026Sustainable Business Models in Agri-Food Systems: A Systematic Review of Environmental Performance, Economic Resilience and Sustainability Trade-Offs
Sustainable transformation of agri-food systems has become increasingly important as environmental pressures intensify, resource availability declines, and global food demand rises. This study presents a structured review of sustainable business models in agri-food systems, examining their contributions to environmental performance, economic resilience, and sustainability trade-offs. Approximately 60 academic publications published between 2010 and 2024 were analyzed to evaluate theoretical foundations, sectoral applications, and enabling mechanisms, including digitalization, circular economy practices, and governance frameworks. Unlike previous studies focused on specific sustainability practices or sectors, this review provides an integrated assessment of environmental performance, economic resilience, and sustainability trade-offs within sustainable agri-food business models. The findings indicate that sustainable business models integrate ecological considerations into value creation, improve resource efficiency, and strengthen resilience across sectors such as aquaculture, dairy, and wine production. Sustainability outcomes are shaped by tensions among economic growth, ecological limits, and social equity, resulting in uneven and context-dependent outcomes. Digitalization and circular economy approaches create opportunities for innovation, resource optimization, and value recovery, but also introduce challenges related to energy consumption, data governance, unequal access, and implementation costs. Stakeholder engagement, performance measurement, and supportive institutions emerge as critical drivers of sustainability transitions. Thus, sustainable business models can enhance environmental performance and economic resilience, although their effectiveness depends on governance quality, equitable access to innovation, and the management of environmental, economic, and social trade-offs.
Open Access
Review
23 July 2026Sepsis-Induced Cardiomyopathy and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Sepsis remains the leading cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and cardiovascular dysfunction in the ICU. Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SCM) and sepsis-associated ARDS frequently coexist and share overlapping mechanisms, including cytokine-driven injury, endothelial disruption, microvascular dysfunction, and mitochondrial abnormalities. Despite their clinical relevance, these entities are often evaluated in isolation, overlooking the integrated heart-lung interactions that characterize severe sepsis and ARDS. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the shared pathophysiology and diagnostic approach to cardiomyopathy and lung injury in sepsis-associated ARDS, emphasizing the physiologic links that unify these syndromes. We review the immunologic, endothelial, and metabolic mechanisms that drive concurrent myocardial depression and alveolocapillary injury, with particular attention to microcirculatory failure, autonomic dysregulation, and mechanical ventilation-associated cardiopulmonary interactions. We then review diagnostic tools, including echocardiography, lung ultrasound, CT imaging, biomarkers, and advanced hemodynamic monitoring, and highlight the impact of integrated assessment on accurate phenotyping and management. Cardiomyopathy and ARDS in sepsis arise from common pathophysiologic drivers and should be understood as a unified cardiopulmonary phenotype rather than isolated organ failures. Early multimodal detection is critical for optimizing management strategies and improving outcomes.
Open Access
Article
23 July 2026Spatial Suitability Assessment and Differentiated Pathways for Ecological Products Value Realization
This study develops a dual-dimensional framework integrating development capacity and ecological function importance to assess ecological product value realization suitability across 76 cities in the Yellow River Basin. Using multi-source data and the CRITIC weighting method, we identified four suitability zones: suitable (25.02%), marginally suitable (6.11%), marginally unsuitable (38.59%), and unsuitable (30.28%). The basin generated an estimated USD 2.15 billion in ecological product value in 2020. We propose differentiated pathways, including ecologically safeguarded green industrial transformation in suitable zones, ecological restoration in marginally suitable zones, protection-oriented management in marginally unsuitable zones, and compensation mechanisms in unsuitable zones. Here, ‘suitable’ denotes conditional opportunity for low-impact value-realization instruments under ecological safeguards, not permission for unconstrained development. The framework links ecological-product accounting with spatial planning while acknowledging that social, cultural, and governance dimensions require complementary assessment.
Open Access
Article
23 July 2026Effects of Manipulating Water and Temperature on Soil Nematode Communities of Heterogeneous Karst Habitats in Southwest China
Global climates are rapidly changing and future climates are predicted to be characterized by extreme climatic events, especially prolonged drought and hot weather. In this study, we explored the effects of manipulated low and high soil water availability and soil temperature on soil food webs (as indicated by soil nematode communities) from contrasting soil habitats. Soils were collected from a relatively arid karst mountain peak, a relatively moist karst piedmont, and a mixed soil of these two was also tested. The results showed that water availability was the primary factor influencing the soil food web. Soil food web structures were mature under low water availability in mountain peak soils and under high water availability in piedmont soils. In the mountain peak soils, high water availability decreased the maturity index and structure index of soil nematodes, which was mainly due to marked increase in the absolute and relative abundances of low trophic level organisms (i.e., bacterivores and fungivores). In the Piedmont soils, high water supply increased the maturity index and structure index of soil nematodes, which mainly due to the increases in the absolute and relative abundances of higher trophic level nematodes, such as omnivores and predators. However, the nematode maturity index and structure index showed no significant response to variations in water availability when soils from the mountain peak and piedmont were mixed and cultured together. Although the overall effect of temperature on the soil nematode community was weaker than that of water availability, temperature exerted significant context-dependent effects. Particularly, moderate temperatures increased fungivorous nematode abundance under drought conditions in mountain peak soils but decreased it under moist conditions in piedmont soils. Notably, plant-parasitic nematodes showed no significant response to either soil moisture or temperature treatments across all soil types, indicating a high degree of stability in this trophic group under short-term fluctuations in water and temperature. Our results suggest that changes in precipitation may have stronger effects on soil nematode communities than increases in temperature. However, the interaction between temperature and moisture should not be overlooked, as it can shape nematode community composition in habitat-specific ways. In addition, drought-tolerant soil organisms may be available for improving the resistance of soil food webs to prolonged drought under climate change conditions.
Open Access
Communication
21 July 2026Protective Proteins Can Improve Cell-Free System Performance in Austere Environments
Cell-free gene expression (CFE) technology is an appealing expression chassis for fieldable synthetic biology. Reagents for cell-free protein expression can be preserved, transported, or stored over long periods, even at elevated temperatures. Therefore, cell-free synthetic biology efforts are practical for applications such as fieldable biosensing and decentralized or on-demand therapeutics production in austere environments and at emergency or natural disaster sites. However, these systems still require incubation to operate under standard conditions (e.g., 16 °C to 37 °C), whereas the conditions in the application environment often lie outside these limits. To address this technological gap, we propose adding heat-shock chaperones from diverse organisms to expand the cell-free system’s operating range. We present a method for assessing protective protein candidates, and we demonstrate a 100-fold improvement in fluorescent reporter expression at non-standard temperatures and a widening of the temperature range for system operation by more than 4 °C, as measured by fluorescence from reporter expression. Moreover, we show that dual-chaperone systems can yield higher fluorescence output compared to single-chaperone ones. These chaperone-inspired systems may perform in environments where standard ones fall short, expanding their usability and application potential.
