• Fatigue of LPBF M789 is governed by discontinuity-microstructure interaction. • Intrinsic discontinuities behave as long cracks, favouring LEFM-based models. • Pits as extrinsic discontinuities follow notch behaviour. • Limited interaction of closely spaced discontinuities controlling fatigue strength. • Extreme value analysis enables conservative fatigue strength prediction. Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) M789 is a recently developed alloy for fatigue‑critical tooling applications, yet its fatigue behaviour in the presence of intrinsic and extrinsic discontinuities remains largely uncharacterised. This study evaluates the discontinuity‑controlled fatigue response of the alloy using polished, as‑printed, and corrosion‑pitted specimens, fatigue tested and complemented by non‑destructive characterisation, fractography, and extreme value analysis. A Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram incorporating the experimentally measured long‑crack threshold was employed to assess the applicability of LEFM, El‑Haddad, and Murakami models. The experiments highlighted that failure initiated at discontinuities with contributions from the microstructure. Fatigue strength ranged from 93 to 282 MPa depending on surface condition, making the idealised peak fatigue strength unattainable. Process‑induced discontinuities exhibited crack‑like behaviour accurately captured by LEFM and El‑Haddad models, whereas corrosion pits have a notch‑controlled behaviour driven by geometry, with minimal interaction effect between neighbouring discontinuities. The geometric effects account for deviations from fatigue‑strength predictions and demonstrate that discontinuity size alone is insufficient to rank severity when morphologies differ. Overall, the study establishes a discontinuity‑informed basis for predicting the fatigue behaviour of LPBF M789 and supports the development of reliable design methodologies for fatigue‑critical tooling components manufactured from the alloy. .

Intaglio surface polishing and adjustment by grinding of 4YSZ crowns: Effect on internal/marginal adaptation and load-bearing capacity under fatigue.

The synergistic effects of surface condition and Si on the initial corrosion behavior of 9Cr ferritic/martensitic steel in liquid lead-bismuth eutectic

ABSTRACT Glacier surface albedo is a crucial variable that controls the energy balance of glacier surfaces, and a decrease in surface albedo can accelerate glacier melting. However, the current global glacier albedo, its large-scale associated factors, and its future changes remain poorly understood. Here, we estimated the current glacier surface albedo changes and forecasted future variations. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) revealed that the global glacier albedo decreased by 10.6 ± 4.1% from 2000 to 2020. This negative glacier albedo trend is statistically associated with increasing glacier surface temperature, changing precipitation phase, and regionally variable deposition of black carbon and dust, while process-based indicators further suggest an increasing persistence and intensity of low-albedo surface conditions during the ablation season. Furthermore, the global glacier albedo is expected to continuously decrease until 2100, with reductions ranging from 5.4% to 19.4% relative to 2020, based on the Climate Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) and machine learning. Additionally, this finding implies the threat of worldwide glacier mass loss within this century under ongoing global climate change. The research findings reveal the detailed changes in global glacier albedo throughout the 21st century, which is crucial for advancing our understanding of global glacier dynamics.

Novel biosurfactant-stabilized nanoemulsions integrating interfacial stabilization and antibacterial activity for safe surface disinfection.

ABSTRACT Purpose The study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effect of benzalkonium chloride on human lacrimal canalicular epithelial cells under both constant and dynamically decreasing concentrations, which more accurately reflects real ocular surface conditions after eye drop instillation. Methods This in vitro study was conducted at the Krasnov Research Institute of Eye Diseases. Primary cell cultures were established from human lacrimal canaliculi tissue and characterized as exhibiting a partial epithelial – mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype, confirmed by spindle-shaped morphology and immunocytochemical expression of cytokeratin-19. Cytotoxicity was assessed using live/dead staining and MTT assay following exposure to benzalkonium chloride (BAC) at constant concentrations (2.5–100 µg/mL) and dynamically decreasing concentrations simulating physiological tear dilution. Results The half-lethal dose (LD50) of benzalkonium chloride at constant concentrations was 21.02 µg/mL (range: 16.45–26.87 µg/mL). When dynamically decreasing concentrations were used (mimicking physiological dilution), the cytotoxic effect was significantly reduced compared to constant concentration exposure at equivalent time points (p < 0.05, two-way ANOVA). Cell viability measurements demonstrated that decreasing benzalkonium chloride concentration over time substantially preserved epithelial cell metabolic activity and membrane integrity. Conclusions The dynamically decreasing concentration model, which better reflects in vivo conditions, demonstrates that physiological dilution of BAC in tear fluid significantly reduces its cytotoxic effect on lacrimal canalicular cells undergoing partial EMT. These findings support the hypothesis that dry eye syndrome and impaired tear drainage – conditions that prolong BAC exposure and may promote EMT – increase the risk of secondary lacrimal drainage obstruction in patients receiving long-term BAC-preserved therapy.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate surface conditions that improve flow and thermal transport properties, which are essential for engineering systems, industrial processes and electronic cooling systems. Tetra hybrid nanofluids find applications in multiple industries due to their effective management of flow and heat transport. Design/methodology/approach A system of nondimensional partial differential equations is obtained from the original set of multidimensional, nonlinear PDEs by applying suitable non-similarity transformations. The oscillatory changes in wall velocity induced by surface roughness are illustrated as a sinusoidal waveform at the nominal mean surface. Findings Both graphical and tabular representations are used to provide an exhaustive analysis of key parameters related to flow dynamics and thermal performance. The rough surface of the cylinder induces sinusoidal variations in the skin friction coefficient, with the amplitude of these variations increasing with growing values of n. The rate of heat transfer through the wall in the presence of a rough surface exhibits a more pronounced oscillatory decrease along the wall length. The sinusoidal changes have a greater impact due to a periodic magnetic field (M). The present outcomes are validated through comparison with earlier results, indicating complete consistency with previous studies. Originality/value This research presents a numerical solution of Newtonian tetra hybrid nanofluid flow over a slender cylinder, accounting for surface roughness and a periodic magnetic field. The tetrahybrid nanofluid is composed of Ag-Au-Cu-TiO₂ nanoparticles that enhance heat transfer due to their high thermal conductivity.

To determine the influence of operators' experience, dentin moisture condition (DMC), and adhesive type on shear bond strength, and evaluate the consistency of adhesive performance under these conditions to demonstrate clinical reliability. Six hundred sound dentin surfaces were randomly divided by five dentists with at least 10 years of experience (n = 300/5 dentists) and five first-year dental students without dental experience (n = 300/5 students). Each operator applied universal (UA) (Adhese Universal, Ivoclar) and etch-and-rinse (ERA) (OptiBond FL, Kerr) adhesives (n = 60/adhesive type) before and after receiving demonstration on the manufacturers' recommended application techniques by the principal investigator (PI), on wet, moist, and dry dentin surfaces (n = 5/DMC). DMCs were obtained by the PI before the operators applied the adhesives. The PI applied composite restorations (Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill, Ivoclar) and polymerized for 20 s. Shear bond strength (SBS) test was conducted after 24 h storage at 37°C, in 100% humidity. Boxplot, Log Worth, and Tukey HSD were used for statistics. The median SBS of ERA obtained by dentists was 17.79 MPa with an interquartile range (IQR) of 19.61, while students showed a lower median of 13.52 MPa with IQR of 15.81. The UA showed consistency in SBS and reduced variability across operators with median SBS by dentists and students (25.53 MPa and 24.96 MPa, respectively), with narrower IQRs of 10.6 and 7.3, respectively. SBS of UA was significantly higher than ERA (P 0.001). UA obtained 7.38 MPa ± 0.89 greater SBS than ERA. While no difference in SBS by operator was observed for UA, dentists obtained 1.65 MPa ± 0.73 greater SBS than students with ERA. Dry and moist dentin surface conditions yielded higher SBS values compared to wet surfaces (P 0.001 and P 0.002, respectively), with no significant differences observed between moist and dry surfaces. The tested UA provided reliable outcomes regardless of operator and DMC.

Adhesives that harness anisotropy in molecular orientation can generate direction-dependent bonding and release. Such materials provide pathways to tailor the adhesive response through geometry, with implications in soft robotics, wearable systems, and reconfigurable interfaces. To realize these advanced functionalities, it is crucial to better understand and control the factors that govern the adhesive anisotropy. We prepared liquid crystalline elastomer (LCEs) with planar parallel, planar orthogonal, homeotropic, and isotropic orientations to systematically evaluate how the mesogen orientation affects peel and shear adhesion. While planar LCEs exhibit classic directional anisotropy, homeotropic alignment activates a distinct out-of-plane nonlinear viscoelastic deformation axis. This deformation allows mesogens to reorient and dissipate energy under the shear. Accordingly, LCE adhesives aligned in the homeotropic orientation show superior energy dissipation at low deformation rates and conformal adaptation to surface asperities. Functionally, this uniquely positions homeotropic LCEs to maintain or even enhance adhesion on rough substrates; a challenging and technologically important surface condition for pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs).

The role of TRPV1 in corneal wound healing under a thyroxine-induced TAO-like condition.

Spatiotemporal coupling effects of rainfall and underlying surface on urban flood characteristics.

The Eastern Desert of Egypt is a hyper-arid region where groundwater serves as the primary alternative to surface water for sustainable development. However, comprehensive assessments of groundwater potential across this vast and geologically complex region remain limited. This study addresses this gap by developing a spatial model for delineating groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) using an integrated approach that combines remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Seven key thematic layers, precipitation, lithology, slope, drainage density, soil type, land use/land cover (LULC), and lineament density, are selected, standardized, and weighted based on hydrogeological relevance. These layers are integrated through a weighted overlay analysis in a GIS environment. The resulting GWPZ map is initially classified into five categories: very high, high, moderate, low, and very low potential. The very high and very low potential zones have very small areas in the final output due to the region’s arid conditions and hydrogeological limitations. The remaining zones covered the study area as follows: high potential (7.7%), moderate (54.5%), and low potential (37.7%). Model reliability is assessed through two complementary validation approaches. First, 370 groundwater wells with available location data are spatially overlaid on the GWPZ map, showing limited overlap with high recharge zones, as most wells target deep fossil aquifers not influenced by present-day surface conditions. Second, a supplementary validation using three independent surface-derived indicators: Topographic Wetness Index, curvature, and lineament–stream intersection density, demonstrated strong agreement with the GWPZ output. The integration of these two validation methods confirms the robustness of the model for mapping shallow groundwater recharge potential in arid environments. This framework offers a scalable, data-driven approach to support groundwater exploration and strategic water resource planning in similar regions worldwide.

The environmental conditions on present‑day Mars are far outside the range tolerated by known complex terrestrial life. Conceptual climate studies have suggested that, in hypothetical terraforming scenarios, artificially enhancing the greenhouse effect could restore Mars to more habitable surface conditions. Early colonizing terrestrial life on a warming Mars would plausibly consist of lichens and high‑alpine or high‑arctic plants. Here, we consider a later, more demanding step and investigate the thermal conditions under which the first tree could, in principle, grow on the Martian surface. Based on empirical treeline studies, we adopt thermal thresholds for a representative high‑elevation conifer: a growing season of at least 110 sols during which daily minimum temperatures exceed −6 °C, daily means exceed 6 °C, and daily maxima remain below 40 °C. In addition to liquid water and suitable substrates, O₂ at ~1 hPa and non‑toxic CO₂ levels are likely required; however, these non‑thermal constraints are not explicitly modelled and make the temperature thresholds necessary but not sufficient for tree viability. We use a high‑resolution surface energy balance model of Mars, assuming a pure CO₂ atmosphere with prescribed grey infrared opacity and neglecting the coupled water cycle, full atmospheric dynamics, photochemistry, and surface radiation, to estimate spatio‑temporal thermal windows for potential tree growth as a function of CO₂ surface pressure and additional greenhouse forcing. For a 100 hPa CO₂ atmosphere, near‑surface temperatures satisfying the treeline thresholds first appear when the added grey infrared opacity is ~ 0.39 optical depths. In our simulations, these thermal criteria are initially met not in the tropics (±25°), but in the low‑lying Hellas Basin. As either the CO₂ surface pressure or the imposed grey opacity is increased beyond the values required to open the thermal window, large regions of the southern hemisphere subsequently become thermally overheated and thus unsuitable for tree growth. In this sense, the thermal windows identified in our simulations mark conditions under which temperature would no longer be the primary limiting factor for tree growth, assuming that other essential environmental constraints (such as water availability, radiation environment, substrate properties, and atmospheric composition) are satisfied. We emphasize that this study deals with temperature only, which is an important factor in tree growth on Mars. Other factors that affect tree growth, including water, CO₂ limits, O2 limit, UV and ionizing radiation, and soil nutrients and microbial population, are not considered explicitly here.

Rapid and reliable environmental monitoring is critical in non-sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing to ensure contamination control and product quality. Conventional culture-based methods require extended incubation times and may delay decision-making. ATP bioluminescence has emerged as a rapid alternative; however, its implementation as a quantitative method requires appropriate validation in accordance with regulatory guidelines, particularly considering its limitation as a non-specific indicator of total biological residues rather than exclusively viable microorganisms. To validate an ATP bioluminescence-based method as a rapid alternative to conventional culture-based techniques for environmental microbiological monitoring in non-sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing areas, in accordance with USP <1223> and a Quality by Design framework. The method was evaluated using a pooled inoculum of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Aspergillus brasiliensis, and Candida albicans, applying a commercial ATP bioluminescence system (Clean-Trace™) under controlled environmental surface conditions. Validation parameters included equivalence of results, linearity (R2 ≥ 0.9025), working range (1-500 CFU), precision (RSD), specificity, accuracy (recovery 75-125%), and limits of detection and quantification (<10 CFU). Statistical analyses included regression modeling and Bland-Altman agreement assessment (p > 0.05). Results demonstrated strong quantitative agreement between ATP-derived signals (RLU) and CFU-based methods, supported by correlation coefficients (R2 ≥ 0.9025) and recovery values ranging from 90% to 114%. Bland-Altman analysis confirmed that differences between methods were within acceptable limits of agreement. A QbD-based robustness assessment evaluated the impact of sanitizing agents on the luciferin-luciferase reaction, identifying sodium hypochlorite and benzalkonium chloride as sources of transient signal interference, which stabilized after approximately 5 min. Cleaning procedures effectively removed both residual and microbial ATP from contaminated surfaces, achieving levels below 10 CFU and <15 RLU across multiple stainless steel types. The ATP bioluminescence method met predefined USP <1223> validation acceptance criteria, including recovery (75-125%), statistical agreement (p > 0.05), and precision (RSD within acceptable limits), and demonstrated equivalence to conventional microbiological techniques. The method enables rapid and reliable detection of surface contamination, reducing analysis time from several days to seconds and supporting real-time decision-making in manufacturing environments. This study presents a validated ATP bioluminescence method that enables real-time environmental monitoring in non-sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing, significantly reducing analysis time from days to seconds. The integration of a Quality by Design framework ensures method robustness under variable sanitization conditions. This approach supports improved contamination control, faster decision-making, and enhanced process efficiency in industrial settings.

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopic investigation of proton-irradiation-induced dielectric evolution in ophicalcite.

Soil whitening in cold-region rice seedbeds is visually associated with surface drying and moisture variation. The timely and objective monitoring of soil surface conditions is therefore important for seedbed management. In response to the inefficiencies of manual scouting and the limitations of conventional threshold-based methods under varying illumination and complex soil textures, this study presents a seedbed soil whitening analysis method that combines an enhanced DAC-UNet for semantic segmentation with colour feature analysis. First, a binary segmentation dataset of soil and background was created using RGB seedbed images. Within the U-Net framework, deformable convolution, ASPP++ multi-scale feature aggregation, and the CBAM attention mechanism were introduced to improve the model’s representation of irregular boundaries, scale variations, and complex illumination conditions. Comparative experiments demonstrated that the proposed model achieves 90.63% MIoU, 94.82% mPA, and 97.52% accuracy on the soil segmentation task. Based on the segmented soil region, a Whiteness Index (WI) was formulated to characterize soil surface whitening and generate whitening heatmaps. This enables quantitative description and spatial visualization of whitening characteristics within the soil region. Experimental results showed that the proposed method can effectively capture visual differences among different soil whitening states and provide intuitive visual reference information for soil surface condition analysis in cold-region rice seedbeds.

The topography and chemical composition of Earth's early crust likely shaped the conditions under which self-replicating biomolecules emerged. The stability of these molecules depended on dynamic interactions across Earth's interior and surface, from the core to the atmosphere. Tracing the origin of a biosphere on Earth requires understanding its transformation from an initially uninhabitable planet into a temperate world with a stable crust, active rock recycling, volatile cycling, and surface oceans. These features are closely linked to plate tectonics, a process unique to Earth in our solar system. Before the onset of modern plate tectonics, Earth evolved from a global magma ocean (∼4.5 Ga) into a differentiated planet with a primordial crust, mantle, and core. The co-evolution of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere played a fundamental role in establishing surface conditions suitable for life. Here, we review current perspectives on the evolution of tectonic regimes from Earth's formation (∼4.567 Ga) to the emergence of mobile-lid tectonics and the implications for crustal environments that may have supported the origin of life.

Although rollovers account for 3% of vehicle crashes, they result in approximately one-third of all occupant deaths. This study investigates the effects of human, vehicle, and environmental factors on the occurrence and severity of rollovers in single-vehicle crashes. We emphasize the importance of a safe system approach that incorporates safer speeds, safer vehicles, and equitable design to prevent and mitigate rollover crashes while addressing the diverse needs and challenges of all road users. Using data from NHTSA's Crash Report Sampling System and the New Car Assessment Program's Safety Ratings, we applied logit regression and XGBoost models to identify the significant predictors of rollover likelihood and injury severity. We estimated the Levels of Automation in vehicles and their impact on the occurrence and severity of rollovers. We also used SHAP analysis to interpret the XGBoost model predictions. Our findings reveal that younger drivers, impairments, and device-related distractions on high-speed limit roadways increase rollover risks, while higher vehicle automation levels and seatbelt usage reduce them. We also find that environmental factors, such as road alignments and surface conditions, have complex impacts on rollover occurrence and severity. Notably, NHTSA's rollover possibility value, with a significant positive coefficient of 1.54, indicates that rollovers are more likely to occur as the values rise. We highlight the potential of emerging vehicle technologies to reduce rollover vulnerability. Additionally, we emphasize the need for inclusive road safety measures that cater to the needs of all road users. These insights provide valuable guidance for future transportation safety strategies.

ECERI: A context-aware extension of REBA for elevated construction ergonomic risk.

In the near future, pedestrians will increasingly face automated vehicles (AVs) in urban environments, particularly in shared spaces. Ensuring safe and effective pedestrian-AV interactions requires a deeper understanding of the factors that affect pedestrian behaviour. This study examines how environmental and individual factors influence pedestrians' perception and crossing behaviour in front of AVs in shared spaces. A virtual reality (VR) experiment with 60 participants was conducted to simulate diverse traffic scenarios, and both subjective and behavioural data were collected after each trial. Using multi-level path analysis, we modelled the direct and indirect effects of environmental factors (e.g., lane width, visual load, surface condition, time of day, traffic markings, traffic conditions) and individual factors (e.g., age, gender, educational level, personality) on perceived safety, comfort, legibility, trust and behavioural outcomes including crossing initial time, crossing duration and safety margin. The findings highlight that traffic markings and traffic conditions are the most influential factors, while educational level, transport modes, and personality traits also play a significant role. For example, the presence of zebra and yielding AV behaviours were associated with more positive perception and safer crossing behaviour. Participants with higher education levels and greater openness tended to show more supportive attitudes during interactions with AVs. In addition, perception served not only as an outcome but also as a mediator associating context and behaviour. The results provide valuable insights for enhancing the design of AV systems and shared spaces to improve pedestrian safety and trust.