Cycle Processes Research Articles

Changes in microRNA expression related to ischemia-reperfusion injury in the kidney of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel during torpor

During the hibernation season, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel undergoes cyclical torpor and arousal periods. The decrease and restoration of metabolic rate and oxygen delivery during torpor and arousal, respectively, may cause reperfusion-ischemia injury in the kidneys. In order to maintain the structural integrity of the kidneys necessary for renal function resumption during arousal, the thirteen-lined ground squirrel has developed adaptive methods to prevent and repair kidney injury. In this present study, computational methods were used to clean and analyze sequenced kidney RNA samples. Significantly differentially expressed microRNAs and enriched gene sets were also determined. From the gene set analysis, the results showed an increase in ubiquitin-related processes and p53 signaling pathways which suggested the occurrence of kidney damage during torpor. There was also an observed increase in cell cycle processes and the anchoring junction cellular compartment which may lend to the prevention of kidney injury. From the differentially expressed microRNAs, miR-27a (log2FC = 1.639; p-value = 0.023), miR-129 (log2FC = 2.516; p-value = 0.023), miR-let-7b (log2FC = 2.360; p-value = 0.025), miR-let-7c (log2FC = 2.291; p-value = 0.037) and miR-let-7i (log2FC = 1.564; p-value = 0.039) were found to be significantly upregulated. These biochemical adaptations may allow the thirteen-lined ground squirrel to maintain kidney structure and function during hibernation.

Identification of potential candidate genes for the Huoyan trait in developing Wulong goose embryos by transcriptomic analysis

ABSTRACT 1. The Wulong goose is a Chinese breed and a source of high-quality meat and eggs. A characteristic of the Wulong goose is that a proportion of the birds do not have eyelids, known as the Huoyon trait. 2. Wulong geese exhibiting the Huoyan trait at embryonic stages of 9 days (E9), 12 days (E12) and 14 days (E14) were selected alongside those with normal eyelids for comprehensive transcriptome sequencing. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) and functional enrichment analyses were performed and finally, eight DEG were chosen to verify the accuracy of qPCR sequencing. 3. Overall, 466, 962 and 550 DEG were obtained from the three control groups, D9 vs. N9, D12 vs. N12 and D14 vs. N14, respectively, by differential analysis (p < 0.05). CDKN1C, CRH, CROCC and TYSND1 were significantly expressed in the three groups. Enrichment analysis revealed the enrichment of CROCC and TYSND1 in pathways of cell cycle process, endocytosis, microtubule-based process, microtubule organising centre organisation, protein processing and protein maturation. CDKN1C and CRH were enriched in the cell cycle and cAMP signalling pathway. 4. Some collagen family genes were detected among the DEGs, including COL3A1, COL4A5, COL4A2 and COL4A1. FREM1 and FREM2 genes were detected in both Huoyan and normal eyelids. There was a significant difference (p < 0.01) in FREM1 expression between ED9 and ED14 in female embryos, but this difference was not observed in male embryos.

Interannual Variability of Marine Nitrogen Fixation in the Western Tropical Atlantic

AbstractN2 fixation is a central process of the marine nitrogen cycle, yet little is known about how this process varies from year‐to‐year. Here, we investigate this variability in the Western Tropical Atlantic (WTA), a region where N2 fixation is prevalent, fueled, in part, by the nutrient input from the Amazon River. We use hindcast simulations from 1983 through 2019 with the Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS) coupled to the Biogeochemical Elemental Cycling (BEC) model expanded to include Diatom‐Diazotroph Assemblages (DDAs). Throughout the WTA, we find a substantial level of interannual variability of N2 fixation, altering it by up to 33%, and locally by up to nearly 60%. Part of this interannual variability is driven by variations in the Amazon River discharge, which during high discharge events leads to reduced rates in the upper parts of the plume and strongly enhanced rates in the downstream part. This dipole pattern is a consequence of the riverine inputs of phosphorus and the competition with non‐diazotrophs for this limiting resource. Another part of the N2 fixation variability is driven by the Atlantic Meridional Mode (AMM), and the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These processes alter N2 fixation primarily through the supply of the limiting nutrients phosphorus and iron by vertical mixing, while the role of top‐down control through grazing is relatively limited in our model. The high, and so far not well recognized interannual N2 fixation variability can lead to erroneous extrapolation of field measurements and inaccuracies in the marine nitrogen budget, if unaccounted for.

Anticancer Activity of Novel 1,3,4-oxadiazole Derivatives against PARP-1 Inhibitors: An In-silico Approach

Background: Nuclear enzyme poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) controls the cell cycle, DNA repair, transcription, and replication processes. In this study, olaparib and rucaparib have been taken as standard drugs for comparison of results. As per previous research data, 1,3,4-Oxadiazole moiety has multidirectional biological activity and shows high activity against cancer. Objective: This study aimed to carry out the in silico ligand-based screening for the identification of hits for PARP1 inhibitors bearing 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives using Schrodinger suite 2022-1 and to perform MMGBSA and molecular dynamics simulation for lead molecules. Methods: A total of 32 derivatives of 1,3,4-Oxadiazole were designed with four different acids: phenoxy acetic acid, 1-Naphthoxy acetic acid, 2-Naphthoxy acetic acid, and piperonylic acid. Molecular docking (XP) studies were performed between 4ZZZ.pdb and the designed analogues, and the binding affinity values lay in the range of -8.52 to -3.52 kcal/mol. 2D interactions between the protein and the ligand were observed. Based on the binding affinity values and ADMET results, top 10 analogues were selected for performing MM-GBSA. Results: The dG-bind score of the top compounds varied from -2.30 to -60.67 kcal/mol, and analogue D4 was selected for MD simulation studies for 100ns. Results of Molecular dynamics (MD) studies showed that D4 interacted with amino acid residues, and the ligand-protein interaction stabilized from 58-90ns. The in silico study's findings suggested that the chemicals A1, A3, B1, B2, B3, B4, C1, C6, D1, and D4 might be significantly active against breast cancer with potential therapeutic benefits and are likely to be useful after further development. Conclusion: In conclusion, numerous molecules exhibit a high affinity for PARP-1 when derived from 1,3,4-oxadiazole. The in silico study's findings suggested that the chemicals A1, A3, B1, B2, B3, B4, C1, C6, D1, and D4 might be significantly active against breast cancer with potential therapeutic benefits and are likely to be useful after further development.

Convergence in simulating global soil organic carbon by structurally different models after data assimilation.

Current biogeochemical models produce carbon-climate feedback projections with large uncertainties, often attributed to their structural differences when simulating soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics worldwide. However, choices of model parameter values that quantify the strength and represent properties of different soil carbon cycle processes could also contribute to model simulation uncertainties. Here, we demonstrate the critical role of using common observational data in reducing model uncertainty in estimates of global SOC storage. Two structurally different models featuring distinctive carbon pools, decomposition kinetics, and carbon transfer pathways simulate opposite global SOC distributions with their customary parameter values yet converge to similar results after being informed by the same global SOC database using a data assimilation approach. The converged spatial SOC simulations result from similar simulations in key model components such as carbon transfer efficiency, baseline decomposition rate, and environmental effects on carbon fluxes by these two models after data assimilation. Moreover, data assimilation results suggest equally effective simulations of SOC using models following either first-order or Michaelis-Menten kinetics at the global scale. Nevertheless, a wider range of data with high-quality control and assurance are needed to further constrain SOC dynamics simulations and reduce unconstrained parameters. New sets of data, such as microbial genomics-function relationships, may also suggest novel structures to account for in future model development. Overall, our results highlight the importance of observational data in informing model development and constraining model predictions.

The influence patterns of carbon flux in different climatic zones in China —Based on the complex network approach

Research on ecosystem carbon flux can provide important methodological and strategic support for climate change mitigation. The existing studies focus on the calculation of carbon flux, ignoring the intertwined effects between regions. The quantification and analysis of the interaction patterns of carbon flux is crucial for understanding the global carbon cycle process, forecasting and coping with climate change. In this study, carbon flux network model sequences are established based on complex network theory using carbon flux data spanning from December 1, 2005, to November 30, 2020. The time delay effect is introduced to accurately quantify the influence patterns of carbon flux within climate zones across China. The findings indicate that the probability distribution function of the link weights during the various seasons of each year exhibits a bimodal distribution with distinct positive and negative components. The delay probability distribution function reveals the significant impact of delay effects, which are especially pronounced and mostly significant long-term lag effects in nodes with negative weights. Further, the results of the interactions of carbon flux among climate zones demonstrate that changes in carbon flux in the plateau and southern temperate regions have either positive or negative impacts on other climate zones. Therefore, controlling carbon flux changes in these climatic zones can effectively optimize the distribution of carbon flux. The modeling framework and results presented in this paper provide useful insights for the regulation and distribution optimization of carbon flux in China.

Determination of transient heat transfer by cooling channel in high-pressure die casting using inverse method

Complex shapes of aluminum castings are typically manufactured during the short cycle process known as the high-pressure die casting (HPDC). High productivity is ensured by introducing die cooling through a system of channels, die inserts or jet coolers. Die cooling can also effectively help in reducing internal porosity in cast components. Accurate simulations based on sophisticated numerical models require accurate input data such as material properties, initial and boundary conditions. Although the heat is dominantly dissipated through die cooling, indicating the importance of knowing precise thermal boundary conditions, open literature lacks a detailed information about the spatial distribution of heat transfer coefficient. This study presents an inverse method to determine accurate heat transfer coefficients of a die insert based on temperature measurements in multiple points by 0.5 mm K-type thermocouples and a subsequent solution of the two-dimensional inverse heat conduction problem. The solver was built in the open-source CFD code OpenFOAM and the free library for nonlinear optimization NLopt. The results are presented for the commonly used 10 mm die insert with a hemispherical tip and coolant flow rates ranging from 100 l/h to 200 l/h. Heat transfer coefficients reach values well above 50 kW/m2K in the hemispherical tip, which is followed by a secondary peak and then a gradual drop to values around 1 kW/m2K further downstream.

Vertical Distribution and Mineralization Dynamics of Organic Carbon in Soil and Its Aggregates in the Chinese Loess Plateau Driven by Precipitation

The mineralization of soil organic carbon (SOC) is a critical process in the soil carbon cycle. This study aimed to investigate the vertical distribution characteristics and mineralization dynamics of SOC in soils and their aggregates across different steppe types in the Loess Plateau (LP). Soil profiles from three steppe types under varying precipitation gradients were selected: meadow steppe (MS), typical steppe (TS), and desert steppe (DS). A 60-day controlled laboratory incubation study was conducted for carbon mineralization and the influence of climatic and soil properties on SOC mineralization was analyzed. The results showed that the SOC content and cumulative mineralization (CM) in 1–2 mm aggregates were higher than in other particle sizes; SOC content and CM followed the order MS &gt; TS &gt; DS and both decreased significantly with increasing soil depth. Correlation analysis revealed that precipitation significantly affected aggregate mineralization (p &lt; 0.001) and that mineralization in the 1–2 mm aggregates was more closely related to mean annual precipitation (MAP), SOC, and water-soluble organic carbon (SWOC). Precipitation primarily controlled SOC mineralization in the 0–50 cm soil layer, while SOC mineralization in the 50–100 cm layer was influenced by soil-related carbon content. Structural Equation Modeling indicated that precipitation influences the mineralization of organic carbon in topsoil indirectly through its direct impact on SOC. In the context of global warming, the SOC turnover rate in high-precipitation areas (MS) was faster than in low-precipitation areas (TS, DS), necessitating greater attention to soil carbon dynamics in these regions.

Highly sensitive detection of copper in aqueous media using a fluorescent probe developed from isophthaldehyde and (E)-1-(hydrazonomethyl) naphthlen-2-ol

A highly selective Schiff base PMB3 with AIEE activity was synthesized and characterized for detecting Cu2+ in aqueous media. The PMB3 aggregates exhibit a green fluorescence in the DMF-water mixed solvent, demonstrating a switch-off response specifically to Cu2+ ions over various other biologically significant metal ions. The quenching of fluorescence in PMB3 aggregates is likely attributed to the disassembly caused by the chelation of the imine-N atom and phenolic -O atom of PMB3 aggregates with Cu2+ ions. The molar ratio of the complex formed as per Job’s plot method was 1:1 between PMB3 and Cu2+. The fluorescence lifetime measurements confirmed the involvement of the dynamic quenching process in the reaction cycle. The analysis of the Stern-Volmer plot divulged a quenching constant of 3.75×1015 M−1. Remarkably, the limit of detection was determined to be 16.08×10−15 M (16.08fM), demonstrating a sensitivity far exceeding the permissible limit set by the World Health Organization.

Overview of software testing

Software testing is a task conducted to assess the quality of software and enhance its performance. This process ensures that the software behaves as expected according to user requirements. The software development life cycle (SDLC) outlines various stages such as Analysis, Requirements, Design, Development, Testing, Deployment, and Maintenance to guide the software development process. The primary objective of SDLC is to deliver error-free software that meets user expectations within specified timeframes. Software testing is an integral part of SDLC, serving to identify issues and ensure the completeness, correctness, and quality of the developed software. The ultimate goal is to create efficient software and maintain high-quality assurance throughout the product's lifecycle. This review paper aims to provide a brief discussion on how the software development life cycle contributes to efficient software development and how the software testing life cycle process ensures better quality assurance for the product.

Identification of MAD2L1 and BUB1B as Potential Biomarkers Associated with Progression and Prognosis of Ovarian Cancer.

Ovarian cancer develops insidiously and is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages. Screening for ovarian cancer is an effective strategy for reducing mortality. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of ovarian cancer and identify novel tumor biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of ovarian cancer. Three databases containing gene expression profiles specific to serous ovarian cancer (GSE18520, GSE12470, and GSE26712) were acquired. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes were analyzed for the differentially expressed gene (DEGs). The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database. The pivotal genes in the PPI network were screened using the Cytoscape software. Survival curve analysis was performed using a Kaplan-Meier Plotter. The cancer genome atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases were used to find the relationship between Hub gene and serous ovarian cancer. PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of Hub gene in serous ovarian cancer tissues and cells. Downstream pathways of the candidate tumor marker genes were predicted using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. In this study, 252 DEGs were screened for pathway enrichment. 20 Hub genes were identified. Survival analysis suggested that Aurka, Bub1b, Cenpf, Cks1b, Kif20a, Mad2l1, Racgap1, and Ube2c were associated with the survival of patients with serous ovarian cancer. MAD2L1 and BUB1B levels were significantly different in serous ovarian cancer at different stages. Finally, Mad2l1 was found to play a role in the cell cycle, oocyte meiosis, and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. Meanwhile, Bub1b may play a role in the cell cycle, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, and spliceosome processes. Mad2l1 and Bub1b could be used as markers to predict ovarian carcinogenesis and prognosis, providing candidate targets for the diagnosis and treatment of serous ovarian cancer.

Effects of Three Antibiotics on Nitrogen-Cycling Bacteria in Sediment of Aquaculture Water

Antibiotics are commonly used to prevent and control aquaculture diseases. However, long-term overuse of antibiotics not only leaves residues but also leads to changes in the nitrogen cycle in water, which threatens the survival of aquaculture organisms. The current results showed that sulfamethoxazole had no significant effect on the nitrogen cycle process in the actual aquaculture concentration. The inhibitory effect of 1.05 mg/L norfloxacin on ammonia-oxidizing bacteria was significantly greater than that on ammonia-oxidizing archaea, and the gene abundance of AOB amoA on the 14th day increased by 2.48 times compared with the 7th day. Under the influence of 3.9 mg/L oxytetracycline, the gene abundance of AOB amoA decreased significantly, while the number of AOA amoA genes increased, suggesting that there may be functional redundancy between AOA and AOB. At the genus level in the norfloxacin group, the relative abundance of Sva0485 increased by 14.0% on the 7th day compared with the control group but decreased 12.77% in the addition group. The relative abundance of Firmicutes, another dominant species in the oxytetracycline group, was 25.9%. This study shows that the addition of antibiotics may have a negative effect on the nitrogen-cycling microorganisms in aquaculture water.

How will permafrost carbon respond to future climate change? A new assessment for future thaw trends of permafrost carbon on the Tibetan Plateau

Permafrost degradation on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is anticipated to result in the thaw of permafrost carbon. Existing studies have been conducted to assess the future thaw of frozen carbon on the TP, primarily focusing on the deepening of the active layer while neglecting the impact of permafrost area shrinkage. This oversight may lead to a significant underestimation of the potential thaw of frozen carbon. Our research underscores the pivotal role of permafrost area shrinkage in estimating the future thaw of frozen carbon. Our findings reveal that when the combined effects of permafrost area shrinkage and active layer deepening are considered, the thaw rates of frozen carbon in various radiative forcing scenarios are nearly four times those based on active layer deepening alone. Notably, our results demonstrate substantial thaw of frozen organic carbon in the TP permafrost area under all four future scenarios: In the low radiative forcing scenario SSP1-2.6, it is predicted that 55.4 % of the organic carbon in the permafrost area 0–10 m soils will be in a state of thaw by 2100, and more than 90 % in the high radiative forcing scenario SSP5-8.5. This substantial thaw is poised to diminish the TP's current carbon sink function significantly. Our study emphasizes that as global warming persists, frozen carbon in permafrost areas will play a more active role in global carbon cycle processes in the future. Furthermore, we stress the importance of considering permafrost area shrinkage in understanding the thaw of frozen carbon, providing valuable insights for carbon balance studies on the TP.

Impacts of polymethyl methacrylate nanoplastics on nutrient removal, microbial community and antibiotic resistant genes in bioretention systems amended with biochar and pyrolusite

Increasing release of nanoplastics (NPs) into wastewater may pose a potential threat to nitrogen and phosphorous removals in ecological wastewater treatment systems. To better understand the responses of bioretention system (BRS) by NPs, a Conventional Sand BRS (CB-BRS) and two modified BRSs, Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC)-Biochar BRS (MB-BRS) and Pyrolusite-MFC-Biochar BRS (PMB-BRS) were established and the effects of 0.5 mg/L polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) NPs on nutrient removal, microbial community structures, as well as key enzyme activities, functional genes, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were comprehensively investigated within a 120-day exposure. We observed a significant decrease in total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP) removals in BRSs. TN removal efficiencies gradually declined from 93.56 % to 54.23 % and the TP removal efficiencies declined from 88.29 % to 74.47 % in CB-BRS. By contrast, MB-BRS (TN:72.28 %; TP:81.58 %) and PMB-BRS (TN:80.76 %; TP:96.69 %) apparently overperformed CB-BRS. In conjunction with ecological-relevant functional prediction based on the FAPROTAX database, the Illumina high-throughput sequencing unveiled substantial selective pressure imposed by PMMA NPs, particularly leading to diminished denitrifying microbes. PMMA NPs adversely affected key nitrogen-transformation enzyme activities (URE, AMO, and NIR) and denitrification functional genes (nirK, nirS, and nosZ). Alarmingly, PMMA NPs stimulated ARGs (sulI and tetC) propagation in all BRSs. Notably, the introduction of pyrolusite and biochar mitigated the adverse effects through the formation of manganese cycle and prosperous electron transfer process and effectively retained ARGs after 120-day exposure. The findings provide unprecedented insights into the potential ecological threat posed by PMMA NPs and viable strategies to control this hidden danger.

The application of prefabricated BIM technology in the production and demolition stages of the whole building life cycle

With the development of engineering construction, the concept of building lifecycle management (BLM) is put forward. The building life cycle is a full cycle process starting from material and construction production, including multiple stages of planning and design, construction and transportation, operation and maintenance, as well as demolition and disposal. With the popularity of the concept of sustainable development, recycling instead of completely abandoning has become a trend. This coincides with the concept of the whole life cycle of a building. Prefabricated BIM (Building Information Modeling) is an important branch of BIM. It plays an important role in the construction of the whole life cycle of buildings due to its characteristics such as visualization, information sharing, and appropriate technology composite, especially in the production and demolition stages. Through qualitative analysis of the advantages of BIM technology and case analysis, this paper focuses on the important role played by BIM technology in the production and demolition stages. The application of BIM technology in construction animation simulation, site layout, and site planning is studied to effectively improve work efficiency and ensure construction quality. Besides, corresponding models and optimization of demolition methods are proposed based on different demolition needs. It can be concluded that in the production stage, BIM technology can be used for structural design, visual three-dimensional (3D) design, collaborative design, and optimization design, while in the demolition stage, BIM technology can be used for space management.

Neuronal cell cycle reentry events in the aging brain are more prevalent in neurodegeneration and lead to cellular senescence.

Increasing evidence indicates that terminally differentiated neurons in the brain may recommit to a cell cycle-like process during neuronal aging and under disease conditions. Because of the rare existence and random localization of these cells in the brain, their molecular profiles and disease-specific heterogeneities remain unclear. Through a bioinformatics approach that allows integrated analyses of multiple single-nucleus transcriptome datasets from human brain samples, these rare cell populations were identified and selected for further characterization. Our analyses indicated that these cell cycle-related events occur predominantly in excitatory neurons and that cellular senescence is likely their immediate terminal fate. Quantitatively, the number of cell cycle re-engaging and senescent neurons decreased during the normal brain aging process, but in the context of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), these cells accumulate instead. Transcriptomic profiling of these cells suggested that disease-specific differences were predominantly tied to the early stage of the senescence process, revealing that these cells presented more proinflammatory, metabolically deregulated, and pathology-associated signatures in disease-affected brains. Similarly, these general features of cell cycle re-engaging neurons were also observed in a subpopulation of dopaminergic neurons identified in the Parkinson's disease (PD)-Lewy body dementia (LBD) model. An extended analysis conducted in a mouse model of brain aging further validated the ability of this bioinformatics approach to determine the robust relationship between the cell cycle and senescence processes in neurons in this cross-species setting.

Muscle Transcriptome Analysis of Mink at Different Growth Stages Using RNA-Seq.

Mink is a kind of small and precious fur animal resource. In this study, we employed transcriptomics technology to analyze the gene expression profile of mink pectoral muscle tissue, thereby elucidating the regulatory mechanisms underlying mink growth and development. Consequently, a total of 25,954 gene expression profiles were acquired throughout the growth and development stages of mink at 45, 90, and 120 days. Among these profiles, 2607 genes exhibited significant differential expression (|log2(fold change)| ≥ 2 and p_adj < 0.05). GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes were primarily associated with the mitotic cell cycle process, response to growth factors, muscle organ development, and insulin resistance. Furthermore, GSEA enrichment analysis demonstrated a significant enrichment of differentially expressed genes in the p53 signaling pathway at 45 days of age. Subsequent analysis revealed that genes associated with embryonic development (e.g., PEG10, IGF2, NRK), cell cycle regulation (e.g., CDK6, CDC6, CDC27, CCNA2), and the FGF family (e.g., FGF2, FGF6, FGFR2) were all found to be upregulated at 45 days of age in mink, which suggested a potential role for these genes in governing early growth and developmental processes. Conversely, genes associated with skeletal muscle development (PRVA, TNNI1, TNNI2, MYL3, MUSTN1), a negative regulator of the cell cycle gene (CDKN2C), and IGFBP6 were found to be up-regulated at 90 days of age, suggesting their potential involvement in the rapid growth of mink. In summary, our experimental data provide robust support for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms underlying the growth and development of mink.

Life Cycle Assessment and Model Optimization for Sustainable Energy Cross-Border E-Commerce

INTRODUCTION: In an in-depth study of the application of sustainable energy in cross-border e-commerce, a comprehensive assessment and model optimization of its life cycle are conducted to promote the practical application of sustainable development in e-commerce. With the increasing global concern for renewable energy and environmental protection, e-commerce, as an international business model, has attracted much attention in terms of the environmental and social impacts of its sustainability.OBJECTIVES: The aim is to provide scientific assessment methods and effective model optimization strategies to promote the feasibility and sustainability of cross-border e-commerce for sustainable energy.METHODS: A comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) model was constructed using the system life cycle assessment (SLCA) methodology by collecting data from various aspects of sustainable energy cross-border e-commerce. The model considers the entire life cycle process from energy production, logistics, transportation, and product manufacturing to final consumption and integrates various factors such as resource utilization, environmental emissions, and social responsibility. Based on the assessment, a series of model optimization strategies are proposed, including suggestions for improving supply chain efficiency, promoting green energy applications, and strengthening social responsibility.RESULTS: This study achieved significant life cycle assessment and model optimization results. In terms of energy use, promoting the application of renewable energy significantly reduces carbon emissions; in terms of supply chain management, optimization leads to an overall efficiency improvement and a reduction in resource wastage; and in terms of social responsibility, the enterprise strengthens employee training and community involvement, which enhances its social image. These results show that sustainable energy cross-border e-commerce can better achieve sustainable development goals through systematic assessment and optimization.CONCLUSION: Life cycle assessment and model optimization provide scientific assessment methods and practical suggestions for sustainable energy cross-border e-commerce. In global sustainable development, the e-commerce industry should actively adopt sustainable energy and minimize its negative impacts on the environment and society by optimizing production and supply chain management. Future research can continue to expand the assessment model and deeply explore the potential of sustainable energy in e-commerce to provide more precise guidance for the industry's sustainable development.

Experimental Study of Macro- and Micro-Scopic Damage in Red Sandstone under Dry and Wet Cycling

The high-strength red sandstone in its natural state is subjected to significant strength deterioration under alternating wet and dry conditions, which can cause many catastrophic problems in the process of engineering construction. It is important to deeply understand the damage mechanism of red sandstone under the action of dry and wet cycles. Therefore, this paper explores the mechanism of red sandstone’s uniaxial deformation and failure through indoor uniaxial compression tests, studies the damage to the microstructure of red sandstone under wet–dry cycles using scanning electron microscopy, and establishes a damage variable based on fractal dimension. The results show that with the increase of wet–dry cycles, the peak stress of red sandstone shows a decreasing trend, and the minimum peak stress is 17.3 MPa, which is a 46.62% decrease compared to the sample with 0 wet–dry cycles. During the wet–dry cycle process, there are four deformation characteristics of red sandstone samples, namely, crack compression, crack extension, progressive fracture, and crack penetration. SEM images show that the porosity, pore area, and fractal dimension all show a nonlinear increase, and the maximum damage variable can reach 10.41%. The research results can provide guidance for engineering design and slope failure mechanism research in red sandstone areas.

Enhanced evapotranspiration induced by vegetation restoration may pose water resource risks under climate change in the Yellow River Basin

Quantifying the impacts of climate change, vegetation greening and human activities (CVH) on evapotranspiration (ET), surface drought intensity (ET divided by precipitation, SDI), and vegetation available water (precipitation minus ET, VAW) would improve our understanding of water cycle processes. The Yellow River Basin (YRB) is a significant climate-sensitive region in China, resulting in an obvious spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ET, SDI, and VAW in response to driving variables. In this study, we analysed the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of ET, SDI, and VAW in the YRB from 1984 to 2018. We also quantified the direct and indirect contributions of the CVH to the changes in ET, SDI, and VAW, and revealed the influence mechanism of each link. Finally, water resource risks were assessed from a probabilistic perspective. The results indicated that vegetation greening was the primary driver of ET with an increase rate of 1.60 mm/a, which was also the most important influencing factor of SDI increase and VAW decrease. Leaf area index (LAI) and relative humidity (RH) jointly dominated the ET changes in 66 % of the YRB, temperature (Temp) dominated the SDI changes in nearly half of the basin, precipitation (Pre) and LAI jointly dominated the VAW changes in 66 % of the YRB. Temp indirectly influenced ET primarily through LAI, whereas LAI primarily influenced ET directly. Temp had a significant direct impact on SDI, while LAI mainly influenced SDI through RH and wind speed (WS). Temp exhibited the most substantial negative influence on VAW. LAI was identified as the primary factor contributing to water resource risks, with a probability reaching 0.8, while the probabilities associated with other factors inducing such risks were similar at the basin level, but disparities existed among different land use types. The findings of the study significantly enhanced our understanding of the role that the CVH played in hydrological processes, serving as a crucial foundation for achieving a balance between ecological restoration and socio-economic development in the YRB.