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In this study, zinc silicate hybrid scaffolds with hierarchical meso/macroporous structures were synthesized using evaporation-induced self-assembly and sacrificial foamy templates. F127 triblock copolymer and polyurethane (PU) foam served as templates for mesoporosity and macroporosity, respectively. The scaffolds were calcined at 550, 650, and 750 °C for 2 h to remove the templates and form the crystalline phase. Analytical techniques, including BET, XRD, SEM, FTIR, and STA, were used to study the impact of calcination temperature on the scaffolds' meso-texture and crystalline phase. Results showed that increasing the calcination temperature to 750 °C significantly enhanced the overall crystallinity. The crystallized ZnO content increased from 10.3 wt% to 32 wt%, and the willemite (Zn 2 SiO 4) crystalline phase formed. Willemite content was approximately 3 wt% at 650 °C and 67 wt% at 750 °C, as determined by quantitative XRD analyses via Rietveld refinement. The emergence of the willemite phase adversely impacted the specific surface area, leading to a reduction from 123.18 m2/g to 2.18 m2/g, and compromised meso-texture-related characteristics, indicating a substantial disruption in mesoporosity. The pure willemite sample was also obtained by increasing the calcination temperature up to 1000 °C. Although the sample contained no secondary phase, the specific surface area and total mesopore volume were drastically reduced, indicating the negative effect of high calcination temperature on mesoporosity. In contrast to the mesostructure, the macrostructure of the scaffolds exhibited negligible sensitivity to calcination temperature, maintaining a mean macropore diameter of around 200 μm. Furthermore, the in vitro performance of the scaffolds was evaluated by assessing apatite formation ability, degradability, and cytocompatibility. It was demonstrated that the scaffolds calcined at 750 °C exhibited superior performance in terms of apatite formation and cytocompatibility when cultivated with MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal gasification coarse slag (CGCS) has become a bulk coal-based solid waste that threatens the ecological environment. The high moisture content of carbon-rich coal coarse gasification slag (CR-CGCS) seriously limits its utilization. In this study, a pore water releasing method was proposed to promote the dewatering of CR-CGCS through size reduction with surface modification. Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and kerosene were added during the grinding process, respectively. The results showed that kerosene can significantly improve the dewatering efficiency of CR-CGCS more than CTAB and SDS. The final moisture content of the CR-CGCS could be reduced from 47.50% to 33.01%. The SEM and FTIR results illustrated that kerosene could effectively reduce the content of oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of CR-CGCS more than CTAB and SDS. Meanwhile, the PVM results showed that CR-CGCS modified by kerosene tended to form hydrophobic agglomerates. The LF-NMR results indicated that only the water in the macropores of CR-CGCS could be released in grinding process, but the water in micropores could be reduced when kerosene, CTAB, or SDS was added in grinding. This study provides new insight into enhancing the dewatering of CR-CGCS and theoretical support for the efficient utilization of CR-CGCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Subsurface microorganisms contribute to important ecosystem services, yet little is known about how the composition of these communities is affected by small scale heterogeneity such as in preferential flow paths including biopores and fractures. This study aimed to provide a more complete characterization of microbial communities from preferential flow paths and matrix sediments of a clayey till to a depth of 400 cm by using 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS2 amplicon sequencing of environmental DNA. Moreover, shotgun metagenomics was applied to samples from fractures located 150 cm below ground surface (bgs) to investigate the bacterial genomic adaptations resulting from fluctuating exposure to nutrients, oxygen and water. Results The microbial communities changed significantly with depth. In addition, the bacterial/archaeal communities in preferential flow paths were significantly different from those in the adjacent matrix sediments, which was not the case for fungal communities. Preferential flow paths contained higher abundances of 16S rRNA and ITS gene copies than the corresponding matrix sediments and more aerobic bacterial taxa than adjacent matrix sediments at 75 and 150 cm bgs. These findings were linked to higher organic carbon and the connectivity of the flow paths to the topsoil as demonstrated by previous dye tracer experiments. Moreover, bacteria, which were differentially more abundant in the fractures than in the matrix sediment at 150 cm bgs, had higher abundances of carbohydrate active enzymes, and a greater potential for mixotrophic growth. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the preferential flow paths in the subsurface are unique niches that are closely connected to water flow and the fluctuating ground water table. Although no difference in fungal communities were observed between these two niches, hydraulically active flow paths contained a significantly higher abundance in fungal, archaeal and bacterial taxa. Metagenomic analysis suggests that bacteria in tectonic fractures have the genetic potential to respond to fluctuating oxygen levels and can degrade organic carbon, which should result in their increased participation in subsurface carbon cycling. This increased microbial abundance and activity needs to be considered in future research and modelling efforts of the soil subsurface.

Background: Subsurface microorganisms contribute to important ecosystem services, yet little is known about how the composition of these communities is affected by small scale heterogeneity such as in preferential flow paths including biopores and fractures. This study aimed to provide a more complete characterization of microbial communities from preferential flow paths and matrix sediments of a clayey till to a depth of 400 cm by using 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS2 amplicon sequencing of environmental DNA. Moreover, shotgun metagenomics was applied to samples from fractures located 150 cm below ground surface (bgs) to investigate the bacterial genomic adaptations resulting from fluctuating exposure to nutrients, oxygen and water. Results: The microbial communities changed significantly with depth. In addition, the bacterial/archaeal communities in preferential flow paths were significantly different from those in the adjacent matrix sediments, which was not the case for fungal communities. Preferential flow paths contained higher abundances of 16S rRNA and ITS gene copies than the corresponding matrix sediments and more aerobic bacterial taxa than adjacent matrix sediments at 75 and 150 cm bgs. These findings were linked to higher organic carbon and the connectivity of the flow paths to the topsoil as demonstrated by previous dye tracer experiments. Moreover, bacteria, which were differentially more abundant in the fractures than in the matrix sediment at 150 cm bgs, had higher abundances of carbohydrate active enzymes, and a greater potential for mixotrophic growth. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the preferential flow paths in the subsurface are unique niches that are closely connected to water flow and the fluctuating ground water table. Although no difference in fungal communities were observed between these two niches, hydraulically active flow paths contained a significantly higher abundance in fungal, archaeal and bacterial taxa. Metagenomic analysis suggests that bacteria in tectonic fractures have the genetic potential to respond to fluctuating oxygen levels and can degrade organic carbon, which should result in their increased participation in subsurface carbon cycling. This increased microbial abundance and activity needs to be considered in future research and modelling efforts of the soil subsurface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management practices such as no-tillage (NT) have the potential to provide many benefits, such as reduced runoff and soil erosion and increased infiltration and soil water holding capacity. Most hydrological models that are used to simulate the effects of soil management are built based on empirical relationships between management and hydrology outcomes, and they tend to ignore or oversimplify the effects of soil structure. However, soil structure is management dependent and is a driver of water movement and storage in soil. The goal of this study was to better understand the effects of differences in soil structure between NT and conventional tillage (CT) on field-scale hydrology and plant available water (PAW). This study employed in-field measurements of soil structure in NT and CT fields in the Texas Blackland Prairies and used the Precision Agricultural-Landscape Modeling System (PALMS), which can simulate the effects of differences in soil structure. Regression analysis was performed on simulated soil water to understand the relative contributions of variations in surface roughness and macropore properties due to tillage on PAW. Results from this study showed that NT accumulated 44.8, 20.4, and 5.7 cm more PAW than CT in the top 150 cm of the soil profile during the summer growing season in the years 2006, 2008, and 2011, respectively, all of which encountered considerable dry spells. It was also found that the changes of soil structure due to tillage had about 4.5 times more impact on PAW than surface roughness. This study highlights the benefits of adopting NT over CT and showcases the importance of considering soil structure in modeling the effects of soil management on PAW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of soil is critical for the ecosystem services it provides since it regulates many key soil processes, including water, air and solute movement, root growth and the activity of soil biota. Soil structure is dynamic, driven by external factors such as land management and climate and mediated by a wide range of biological agents and physical processes operating at strongly contrasting time‐scales, from seconds (e.g., tillage) to many decades (e.g., faunal activity and soil aggregation). In this respect, positive feedbacks in the soil–plant system may lead in the longer term to soil physical degradation or to the recovery of structurally poor soils. As far as we are aware, no existing soil‐crop model can account for such processes. In this paper, we describe a new soil‐crop model (USSF, Uppsala model of Soil Structure and Function) that accounts for the effects of soil structure dynamics on water and organic matter cycling at the soil profile scale. Soil structure dynamics are expressed as time‐varying physical (bulk density, porosity) and hydraulic properties (water retention, hydraulic conductivity) responding to the activity of biological agents (i.e., earthworms, plant roots) and physical processes (i.e., tillage, soil swell‐shrink) at seasonal to decadal time‐scales. In this first application of the model, we present the results of 30‐year scenario simulations that illustrate the potential role and importance of soil structure dynamics for the soil water balance, carbon storage in soil, root growth, and winter wheat yields on two soils (loam and clay) in the climate of central Sweden. A sensitivity analysis was also performed for these two scenarios using the Morris method of elementary effects, which revealed that the most sensitive parameters controlling soil structure dynamics in the USSF model are those determining aggregation induced by organic matter turnover and swell/shrink. We suggest that the USSF model is a promising new tool to investigate a wide range of processes and phenomena triggered by land use and climate change. Results from this study show that feedback in the soil‐crop system mediated by the dynamics of soil physical and hydraulic properties are potentially of central importance for long‐term predictions of soil water balance, crop production, and carbon sequestration under global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlled drainage (CRD) is an agricultural water management practice designed to adjust the capacity of a drainage system under varying hydrological conditions. This simulation study aimed to quantify the potential of combining a controlled subsurface drainage (CS) with open ditch damming (CD) to manage the water table depth (WTD) and field water balance in Nordic conditions. Simulations with and without controlled drainage were run using a hydrological model that had been set up for a flat loamy field in Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland, for the period 2010–2021. All CRD scenarios reduced the probability of deep WTDs during growing seasons (May–Sep). The impact of CS on WTDs was greater and more uniform than CD. The CRD effects on water balance were seen in water outflow pathways, as CS reduced drain discharge while CD had the opposite effect. When both methods were applied simultaneously, annual evapotranspiration increased 5–12% compared with the free drainage scenario. The effects of CRD on evapotranspiration were greatest during the dry years indicating that CRD has potential to reduce drought in food production areas. None of the CRD scenarios could maintain optimal WTDs during the entire growing season, highlighting the complexity of optimizing field water management using CRD alone. HIGHLIGHTS Combining open ditch damming and controlled subsurface drainage provides flexibility for agricultural water management.; Hydrological modeling provides a holistic view of field hydrology.; Controlled drainage reduces the probability of deep water tables during the growing season.; The impact of drainage design on field water balance was most clearly seen in runoff outflow pathways.;

Controlled drainage (CRD) is an agricultural water management practice designed to adjust the capacity of a drainage system under varying hydrological conditions. This simulation study aimed to quantify the potential of combining a controlled subsurface drainage (CS) with open ditch damming (CD) to manage the water table depth (WTD) and field water balance in Nordic conditions. Simulations with and without controlled drainage were run using a hydrological model that had been set up for a flat loamy field in Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland, for the period 2010-2021. All CRD scenarios reduced the probability of deep WTDs during growing seasons (May-Sep). The impact of CS on WTDs was greater and more uniform than CD. The CRD effects on water balance were seen in water outflow pathways, as CS reduced drain discharge while CD had the opposite effect. When both methods were applied simultaneously, annual evapotranspiration increased 5-12% compared with the free drainage scenario. The effects of CRD on evapotranspiration were greatest during the dry years indicating that CRD has potential to reduce drought in food production areas. None of the CRD scenarios could maintain optimal WTDs during the entire growing season, highlighting the complexity of optimizing field water management using CRD alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cover crops have been used as an effective soil management practice to enhance soil health. However, this practice may create connected soil pore networks that can cause preferential transport of contaminants to the groundwater or surface water via subsurface flow pathways. The main objective of this study was to compare the effect of cover crops on the soil macropore characteristics in the soil profile. Methods: The study was conducted on soil columns collected from E.V. Smith Research Center, Shorter, AL, USA. This study evaluated the influence of cover crop (CC) vs. no cover crop (NC) on soil pore characteristics in strip-tillage cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The cover crop treatment consisted of a mixture of cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.). Six replicated intact undisturbed soil cores (150 mm diameter and 500 mm deep) were collected for the column study from each treatment class, i.e., CC and NC, and subjected to non-invasive X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning, giving 0.35-mm-resolution images. The high-resolution images were analyzed in ImageJ to determine all the soil pore characteristics. Results and discussion: The results of the comparison of pore characteristics as a function of treatments showed that soil columns under CC had comparatively higher values of porosity and pore number density for the top 100 mm of soil. Pore geometry metrics such as tortuosity did not show significant differences among the treatments (CC vs NC). Connection probability was significantly higher for CC in the subsurface depth class (200–400 mm). Significant correlations were also observed between CT-derived pore characteristics and root characteristics from which it can be inferred that cover crop roots influenced the X-ray CT-derived pore properties. Conclusions: Cover cropping significantly impacted the macropore properties of the strip-till cotton field. This was attributed primarily to the influence of root networks on macropores. Our study's correlations between root properties and macropore characteristics also indicated that larger root volumes were significantly correlated with complex and irregularly shaped macropores. These variables are critical for a better understanding of the flow dynamics of contaminants through the soil profile and for developing appropriate management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding preferential flow through soil macropores is critical to effectively managing subsurface drainage water quantity and quality. This study aims to assess the macropore component of the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2) in simulating subsurface tile flow with a high time resolution. Observed hourly tile flow rates from two experimental sites in Ontario, Canada (2008-2011) and Iowa, USA (2007-2008) were used to evaluate the importance of including a macropore flow component in subsurface drainage simulation. Activating the macropore component in the model improved the simulation of hourly drainage peaks, especially peak amplitude. Still, it did not improve the simulation of the total drainage amount for each rainfall event. Simulation of the drainage peak recession varied from peak to peak, suggesting that further studies are warranted for drainage flow in the model. In general, the macropore component in the RZWQM2 model improved subsurface peak subsurface simulation at the hourly resolution. However, further investigation and model modifications are needed to improve the drainage simulation’s timing and quality for RZWQM2’s hydrologic simulation of macropore flow and subsurface drainage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Riparian soils are susceptible to the formation of macropores, which provide opportunities for preferential flow in comparison to the surrounding soil matrix. Temporal electrical resistivity imaging (TERI) can locate spatial heterogeneities in soil wetting patterns caused by preferential flow through macropores. Quantifying macropore flow properties is important to optimize the design of riparian buffers. In a field evaluation of a riparian area with naturally occurring macropores, the TERI technique is able to detect the wetted zone around a macropore similar to a high hydraulic conductivity zone in a heterogeneous soil matrix. An experiment was established in a coarse soil in North Carolina to evaluate if TERI datasets could quantify the hydraulic properties of both the soil matrix and the preferential macropore pathways. Results show TERI is a viable method for calculating the vertical fluid velocity along orthogonal profiles in this coarse-grained field site. The datasets allowed the distribution and hydraulic properties of the preferential flow pathways to be quantified over a two-dimensional plane that is comparable with traditional soil datasets.

The first synthesis of hierarchical porous metal–organic frameworks (HP‐MOFs) is reported through a solvent evaporation‐induced co‐assembly of polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) (PS‐b‐PEO) and MOF building blocks. The growth of MOFs is restricted to confined spaces formed by self‐assembled PS‐b‐PEO, and mesopores and/or macropores are created after removing PS‐b‐PEO by solvent rinsing. This approach avoids phase separation and competitive interactions between templates and MOF building blocks. Both amorphous and crystalline HP‐MOFs can be synthesized by finely controlling MOF growth conditions. Additionally, HP‐MOFs (ZIF‐L sheets) with honeycomb‐like channels show significantly enhanced incorporation of large guest molecules compared to microporous MOFs. This study establishes an efficient synthetic strategy for preparing HP‐MOFs with highly accessible mesopores and macropores for applications involving large molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multipores engineering composed of micro/mesopores is an effective strategy to improve potassium storage performance via providing enormous adsorption sites and shortened ions diffusion distance. However, a detailed exploration of the role played by macropores in potassium storage is still lacking and has been barely reported until now. Herein, a superstructure carbon hexahedron (DGN‐900) is synthesized using poly tannic acid (PTA) as precursor. Due to the spatially confined two‐step local contraction of PTA along different directions and dimensions during pyrolysis, defective nanosheets with macropores are formed, while realizing a balance between defects content and graphitization degree by regulating temperature. The presence of macropores is conducive to accelerating electrolyte ions rapid infiltration within electrode, and its pore volume can accommodate electrode structure fluctuation upon cycling, while the most suitable ratio of defects to graphitic provides rich ions adsorption sites and sufficient electrons transfer channels, simultaneously. These advantages enable a prominent electrochemical performance in DGN‐900 electrode, including high rate (202.9 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1) and long cycling stability over 2000 cycles. This unique fabrication strategy, that is, defects engineering coupled with macropores structure, makes fast and durable potassium storage possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cow urine is a rich source of mobile nutrients such as nitrate (NO3−) and potassium (K+). The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the wetting pattern distribution through soil profile of cow urine patch in an andisol. Two field experiments across two consecutive years were carried out to compare cow urine patches in relation to initial wetting pattern and volume of soil affected. Bromide (Br−) has successfully been used as an inert hydrologic tracer to indicate the movement of NO3− and K+ in soil–water systems. The distribution of Br− (used as a urine tracer) on the soil surface and down the profile was irregular in all the patches. Cow urine patches covered a surface area of 0.27 and 0.35 m2, respectively, and penetrated to a depth of 70 cm. The rapid downward movement of urine occurred through macropore flow but even so, between 27% and 40% of the applied Br− was detected in the 0–5 cm soil layer. Br− showed concentrations greater than 1500 mg kg−1 and up to 3000 mg kg−1, and as the concentration of Br− decreases, the frequency and depth of affected layers increases. Despite the differences in moisture and in the distribution of the Br− concentration in both years, the concentration frequency of 500 to 1500 mg kg−1 represented around 37% of the affected volume of soil (bulb of urine) in both years. Up to 40% of the bulb represented N equivalent rates between 187 and 975 kg N ha−1. These values can potentially be emitted in gases such as NH3, N2O, and N2. It is suggested that the presence of N in the volume of affected soil could vary due to the moisture content of the soil, and that in andisols of southern Chile under permanent grasslands there are a large number of macropores that would induce preferential flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid increase in population and development in industry causes many problems such as microbial contaminations and chronic diseases such as diabetes. Materials synthesized at nanoscale are novel antidiabetic and antimicrobial agents. ZnO nanoparticles with macropores characteristics are synthesized by green methods. Turmeric, clove buds and green tea extracts are used as additives. X-ray diffraction results confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO nanoparticles and crystallinity was quit high in case of green tea extract. Sample synthesized with clove shows relatively higher crystallite size (10.64) which is pertaining to variation in Zn2+ and OH− ions. The nanoparticles are more or less spherical in nature, macropores and clustered together revealed by SEM images. Macroporosity of the sample was further confirmed by nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherm. The deep absorption band at 605 cm−1 in FTIR spectra attributed the wurtzite-type ZnO. The major dominating sharp peak was detected at 437 cm−1 in Raman spectra which is a feature of the wurtzite hexagonal phase ZnO. UV–Vis spectra showed red shift from wavelength 362 to 375 nm with different plant extracts. Impedance analysis showed a high dielectric constant and low tangent loss in case of green tea extract. ZnO synthesized using green tea exhibited ~ 95% α-glucosidase inhibition activity and 91% α-amylase inhibition activity. Antibacterial results revealed that synthesized ZnO nanoparticles showed activity against Bacillus subtilis and E. coli with inhibition zone 35 mm and 29 mm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of carbonation on a one-year atmospherically exposed lime-treated soil structure is investigated. The investigation involves analyzing the chemical characteristics and pore-structure modifications of several specimens sampled up to 12 cm depth perpendicular to the surface. On comparing the analysis with untreated and lime-treated core-sampled specimens, carbonation is found to have occurred on specimens sampled up to 4.2 cm depth perpendicular to the surface. The decrease in soil pH to a value 9 or lower than that and the presence of carbonates confirmed the carbonation effect. At the pore-structure level, carbonation mechanism is found to increase macropores of diameter 20000–100000 Å, which is missing in the non-carbonated specimens and even greater than the one found at untreated soil. Such an observation confirmed the loss of cementitious compounds due to carbonation, thus, converting the mesopores developed due to lime treatment to macropores of larger pore diameter.

Porous organic molecular materials represent an emergent field of research in Chemistry and Materials Science due to their unique combination of properties. To enhance their performance and expand the number of applications, the incorporation of hierarchical porosity is required, as exclusive microporosity entails several limitations. However, the integration of macropores in porous organic molecular materials is still an outstanding challenge. Herein, we report the first example of a hydrogen‐bonded organic framework (MM‐TPY) with hierarchical skeletal morphology, containing stable micro‐ and macroporosity. The crystal size, from micro to centimetre scale, can be controlled in a single step without using additives or templates. The mechanism of assembly during the crystal formation is compatible with a skeletal crystal growth. As proof of concept, we employed the hierarchical porosity as a platform for the dual, sequential and selective co‐recognition of molecular species and microparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil hydraulic properties are often influenced by agricultural activities. Knowledge of such properties is needed to understand the effect of agricultural practices on the soil water regime and catchment hydrology. In the present study, we investigated the effects of three land use types including orchard field, OF (without plowing), annual cultivated field, ACF (with seasonal plowing), and perennial alfalfa field, PAF (without plowing) on the soil's water-conducting porosity at equivalent pore radius interval a to b, ε(a, b), sorptivity at applied tension ψ, Sψ, and macroscopic capillary length at tension interval ψi to ψi+1, λ(ψi, ψi+1) of calcareous soils. The mentioned hydraulic attributes were calculated from infiltration data obtained from tension-disk infiltration measurements at six tensions of 0–15 cm at 75 experimental locations (25 replications per land use). In general, it can be concluded that more macropores are present in the soils of PAF than in those of ACF and OF land uses, probably due to high organic matter content, long-term no-till conditions, positive effects of alfalfa root systems, low machinery/livestock traffic, and low soluble sodium content. In ACF, conventional tillage and high machinery traffic, and in OF excessive use of Na-rich manure fertilizers and high livestock traffic resulted in less macropores compared to PAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Fuzhou University is the property of Journal of Fuzhou University, Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pore structure is a key determinant of soil functioning, and both root growth and activity of soil fauna are modified by and interact with pore structure in multiple ways. Cover cropping is a rapidly growing popular strategy for improving agricultural sustainability, including improvements in pore structure. However, since cover crop species encompass a variety of contrasting root architectures, they can have disparate effects on formation of soil pores and their characteristics, thus on the pore structure formation. Moreover, utilization of the existing pore systems and its modification by new root growth, in conjunction with soil fauna activity, can also vary by cover crop species, affecting the dynamics of biopores (creation and demolition). The objectives of this study were (i) to quantify the influence of 5 cover crop species on formation and size distribution of soil macropores (>36pm 0); (ii) to explore the changes in the originally developed pore architecture after an additional season of cover crop growth; and (iii) to assess the relative contributions of plant roots and soil fauna to fate and modifications of biopores. Intact soil cores were taken from 5 to 10 cm depth after one season of cover crop growth, followed by X-ray computed micro-tomography (CT) characterization, and then, the cores were reburied for a second root growing period of cover crops to explore subsequent changes in pore characteristics with the second CT scanning. Our data suggest that interactions of soil fauna and roots with pore structure changed over time. While in the first season, large biopores were created at the expense of small pores, in the second year these biopores were reused or destroyed by the creation of new ones through earthworm activities and large root growth. In addition, the creation of large biopores (>0.5mm) increased total macroporosity. During the second root growing period, these large sized macropores, however, are reduced in size again through the action of soil fauna smaller than earthworms, suggesting a highly dynamic equilibrium. Different effects of cover crops on pore structure mainly arise from their differences in root volume, mean diameter as well as their reuse of existing macropores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose microspheres are commonly chromatographic media yet seriously limited in biomacromolecules separation and purification due to the slow mass transfer kinetics resulting from their narrow nanopores. Herein, a macroporous cellulose microsphere (MCM) with enhanced mass transfer ability has been successfully developed by an oil-in-water-in-oil (O1/W/O2) double emulsion strategy. The evolution profile of the double emulsion was tracked and achieved the optimization of interconnected macroporous structure. The macroporous structure not only provide fast mass transfer pathways for proteins but also increase the accessibility of meso/micropores. Benefitting from the macropores, the obtained diethylaminoethyl-modified MCM (DEAE-MCM) exhibits high permeability (3.81 × 10–13 m2), and fast adsorption rate (reaching equilibrium within 40 min) and high adsorption capacity (334.21 mg/g) for bovine serum albumin, far superior to commercially DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow. More importantly, under the high flow rate, DEAE-MCM remains a high dynamic adsorption capacity, promising it for fast protein chromatography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tillage plays an important role in modifying soil hydraulic properties. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of conservation tillage practices in a maize-wheat cropping system on near-saturated soil hydraulic properties and pore characteristics in the North-West Himalayan region, India. Three treatments viz. conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), and zero tillage (ZT) were evaluated in terms of field saturated hydraulic conductivity (ks), unsaturated hydraulic conductivity k(h), the inverse of capillary length (α), flow-weighted mean pore radius (r0), numbers of pores per square meter (n0) and water-conducting macroporosity (Ɛ). The above hydraulic conductivity and pore characteristics were derived from steady-state water flux (q) measured using hood infiltrometer at 0, −1, and −3 cm pressure head for each treatment after seven years of establishment of this tillage experiment. Results revealed significantly (p 0.50 mm conducted about 63.60, 68.01, and 75.97 % of total flow (at 0 cm pressure head) in the corresponding water-conducting macroporosity of 0.00030, 0.00044, and 0.00069 % of soil volume under CT, MT, and ZT, respectively. Overall, zero-tillage based agriculture system was found to improve near-saturated soil hydraulic properties.

The burgeoning requirement for purified biomacromolecules in biopharmaceutical industry has amplified the exigency for advanced chromatographic separation techniques. Herein, macroporous cellulose microspheres (CCMs) with micron-sized pores are produced by a facile regulation via carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In this strategy, the incorporation of CNTs breaks the homogeneous regeneration of the cellulose, thus providing anisotropic phase force to produce macropores. The CCMs have manifested a faster mass transfer rate and more available adsorption sites owing to well-defined macropores (2.69 ± 0.57 μm) and high specific surface area (147.47 m2 g−1). Further, CCMs are functionalized by quaternary ammonium salts (GTAc-CCMs) and utilized as anion adsorbents to adsorb pancreatic kininogenase (PK). The prepared GTAc-CCMs show rapid adsorption kinetics for PK at pH 6.0, reaching 90 % equilibrium within 60 min. Also, GTAc-CCMs for PK exhibit high adsorptive capacity (632.50 mg g−1), excellent recyclability (> 80 % removal amount after 10 cycles) and selectivity especially at pH 6.0. Notably, the GTAc-CCMs have been successfully applied in a fixed-bed chromatography process, indicating their potential as an effective chromatographic medium for rapid separation of biomacromolecules. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate hydrogels have garnered significant attention due to their promising applications in the food, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries. The detection and quantification of distinct water phases within these hydrogels offer valuable insights into their dynamic, absorptive, and mechanical properties. Despite being comprised solely of 2 wt % polymeric materials, the alginate hydrogels exhibit a highly porous morphology, characterized by distinct water pools exhibiting varying mobility and dynamic behaviors. These phases can be delineated as largely free water phase with high mobility, which occupies the macropores, and bound water with restricted mobility, which interacts with the fibrous polymeric structure. Water pools interacting with their surrounding environments possess variable crystal structures on variable freezing points, this could be easily detected using X-ray scattering techniques. A comparative study was conducted based on the information derived from each technique, with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) yielding quantitative information for the water phases in alginate hydrogels (i.e., 58 % free and 42 % bound water in 0.75 wt % - 6 h aging sample), whereas cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM), wide and small-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), and rheology provided valuable qualitative insights. In this study, deep insights into the molecular structure of alginates were obtained including the alteration in morphology and macropore distribution, increase in the wall thickness, density, and mechanical properties upon increasing the Ca2+ concentration and aging period. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lateral saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Ks,l, is the soil property governing subsurface water transfer in hillslopes, and the key parameter in many numerical models simulating hydrological processes at the hillslope and catchment scales. Likewise, the hydrological connectivity of the lateral flow paths plays a significant role in determining the rate of the subsurface flow at various spatial scales. This study investigates the relationship between Ks,l and hydrological connectivity at the hillslope spatial scale. Ks,l was determined by the subsurface flow rates intercepted by drains and water table depths observed in a well network. The hydrological connectivity was evaluated by the synchronicity among water table peaks, and between these and the peaks of the drained flow. Rainfall and soil moisture were used to investigate the influence of the transient hydrological soil condition on connectivity and Ks,l. As the synchronicity of the water table response between wells increased, the lag times between the peaks of water levels and those of the drained subsurface flow decreased. Moreover, the most synchronic water table rises determined the highest drainage rates. The relationships between Ks,l and water table depths were highly non‐linear, with a sharp increase in the values for water table levels close to the soil surface. Estimated Ks,l values for the full saturated soil were in the order of thousands of mm h−1, suggesting the activation of macropores in the root zone. The Ks,l values determined at the peak of the drainage events were correlated with the indicators of synchronicity. The sum of cumulative rainfall and antecedent soil moisture was correlated with the connectivity indicators and Ks,l. We suggest that, for simulating realistic processes at the hillslope scale, the hydrological connectivity could be implicitly considered in hydrological modelling through an evaluation of Ks,l at the same spatial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Fuzhou University is the property of Journal of Fuzhou University, Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pore structure is a key determinant of soil functioning, and both root growth and activity of soil fauna are modified by and interact with pore structure in multiple ways. Cover cropping is a rapidly growing popular strategy for improving agricultural sustainability, including improvements in pore structure. However, since cover crop species encompass a variety of contrasting root architectures, they can have disparate effects on formation of soil pores and their characteristics, thus on the pore structure formation. Moreover, utilization of the existing pore systems and its modification by new root growth, in conjunction with soil fauna activity, can also vary by cover crop species, affecting the dynamics of biopores (creation and demolition). The objectives of this study were (i) to quantify the influence of 5 cover crop species on formation and size distribution of soil macropores (>36 μm Ø); (ii) to explore the changes in the originally developed pore architecture after an additional season of cover crop growth; and (iii) to assess the relative contributions of plant roots and soil fauna to fate and modifications of biopores. Intact soil cores were taken from 5 to 10 cm depth after one season of cover crop growth, followed by X-ray computed micro-tomography (CT) characterization, and then, the cores were reburied for a second root growing period of cover crops to explore subsequent changes in pore characteristics with the second CT scanning.Our data suggest that interactions of soil fauna and roots with pore structure changed over time. While in the first season, large biopores were created at the expense of small pores, in the second year these biopores were reused or destroyed by the creation of new ones through earthworm activities and large root growth. In addition, the creation of large biopores (>0.5 mm) increased total macroporosity. During the second root growing period, these large sized macropores, however, are reduced in size again through the action of soil fauna smaller than earthworms, suggesting a highly dynamic equilibrium. Different effects of cover crops on pore structure mainly arise from their differences in root volume, mean diameter as well as their reuse of existing macropores.

Abstract The Miami Oolite of South Florida is representative of a grainstone‐rich carbonate unit that has been surficially karsted, and therefore may be considered as an analogue for subsurface reservoirs/aquifers with ‘high’ permeability extremes. The deposit can potentially serve to improve a conceptual understanding of heterogeneity as imparted by shallow‐marine facies changes and early meteoric diagenetic modification. Reviewed here are recent studies of the Miami Oolite with the intent to emphasize those key aspects of the facies and early diagenesis that most impact permeability and fluid flow. The Miami Oolite displays the preserved morphology of a fossilized ooid sandbody, even though it has been subaerially exposed in a tropical climate since its deposition approximately 120 kyr bp during the last interglacial highstand. The depositional motif is one of a dip‐oriented, tidal bar belt of shoals and shallow channels fronted by a strike‐oriented barrier bar. The barrier bar comprises cross‐stratified grainstones and locally burrowed grain/packstones, while the tidal shoals and channels are more commonly burrowed pack/grainstones. Surficial karst features (dolines and stratiform caves) have been added during the ca 120 kyr of subaerial exposure, but of more significance is the associated solution‐enhancement of the widespread burrowed facies. Since the Miami Oolite is the uppermost portion of the Biscayne Aquifer, there is also an understanding of fluid flow through the deposit that sheds valuable insight on the larger scale, shallow subsurface plumbing. The pore system comprises matrix pores (interparticle and separate vugs) and touching‐vug macropores that are commonly associated with burrowed [Ophiomorpha] intervals. Ground‐penetrating radar, well and flow test data indicate that matrix porosity provides most of the groundwater storage, whereas the touching vug macropores account for the majority of flow. The dolines and shallow caves seem to be sufficiently spaced as to generally not be in direct connection, with the result that they are less important in terms of regional flow than the prevailing pore system.

Roots growing into soil interact with soil structure in numerous ways. They can grow into the soil matrix and leave elongated macropores after decomposition, that is, biopores. Conversely, the soil may already have a large and connected macropore system through which the roots can expand, and thus reach deeper soil layers. Both, the formation of new biopores or the reuse and occupation of existing macropore systems are expected to affect major soil processes like water and gas flow through the soil profile, as well as water flow toward the root. Despite the increasing research interest in the limitation of root growth by soil structure, as well as the modification of soil structure by roots, the mutual interactions between the two are largely overlooked. This study highlights new methodological developments which enable describing interactions between roots and soil structure with X‐ray computed microtomography. It further shows how roots affect the pore system and can create a massive biopore system in less than a decade. After this, it is evaluated how the mutual interaction of roots and structure determines the physical properties of the rhizosphere. It is outlined that this has implications for major rhizosphere processes. Thus, it is emphasized, that the role of structure needs to be considered in future experiments with plants, in particular if extrapolation of results from laboratory experiment with sieved, homogenized substrates to field conditions with well‐established soil structure is intended. Lastly, in this study, research gaps are outlined remaining in respect to the dynamics of biopore creation and destruction and their consequences for processes in rhizospheres like carbon storage. These reveal the need for novel research approaches that consider the mutual interactions of root growth and soil structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roots growing into soil interact with soil structure in numerous ways. They can grow into the soil matrix and leave elongated macropores after decomposition, that is, biopores. Conversely, the soil may already have a large and connected macropore system through which the roots can expand, and thus reach deeper soil layers. Both, the formation of new biopores or the reuse and occupation of existing macropore systems are expected to affect major soil processes like water and gas flow through the soil profile, as well as water flow toward the root. Despite the increasing research interest in the limitation of root growth by soil structure, as well as the modification of soil structure by roots, the mutual interactions between the two are largely overlooked. This study highlights new methodological developments which enable describing interactions between roots and soil structure with X‐ray computed microtomography. It further shows how roots affect the pore system and can create a massive biopore system in less than a decade. After this, it is evaluated how the mutual interaction of roots and structure determines the physical properties of the rhizosphere. It is outlined that this has implications for major rhizosphere processes. Thus, it is emphasized, that the role of structure needs to be considered in future experiments with plants, in particular if extrapolation of results from laboratory experiment with sieved, homogenized substrates to field conditions with well‐established soil structure is intended. Lastly, in this study, research gaps are outlined remaining in respect to the dynamics of biopore creation and destruction and their consequences for processes in rhizospheres like carbon storage. These reveal the need for novel research approaches that consider the mutual interactions of root growth and soil structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Cracks and biopores in compacted soil such as plough pans could aid deep rooting, mitigating constraints to seasonal upland use of paddy fields for rice production. This research investigated how soil macropores through a simulated plough pan affects root growth of contrasting deep and shallow rooting rice genotypes. Methods: Deep rooting Black Gora and shallow rooting IR64 rice varieties were grown in packed cores of unsaturated soil in a controlled greenhouse. Simulated biopores and cracks (macropores) were inserted through the plough pan to form treatments with no macropores, biopores, cracks, and combined cracks and biopores. Different root parameters such as root length density (RLD), root volume, root diameter, number of root tips and branches were measured. The number of roots was calculated manually, including the number of roots growing through macropores in the plough pan layer. Results: Plough pans with macropores had 25–32% more roots than with no macropores. RLD was 55% greater in the plough pan layer if cracks were present compared to biopores. Conversely, RLD was 26% less in subsoil if the plough pan had cracks compared to biopores. Different root parameters were greatly influenced by the presence of macropores in the plough pan, and deep-rooted Black Gora produced 81% greater RLD, 30% more root numbers and 103% more branching than the shallow rooted rice genotype IR64 within the plough pan layer. Conclusions: Macropores greatly improve rice root growth through plough pans for a deep rooting but not a shallow rooting rice variety. Whereas cracks produce a greater number of roots in the plough pan, biopores result in greater root branching and root numbers deeper in subsoil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in soil pore size distribution and connectivity can affect contaminant transport. Climate, soil type, and agricultural management practices can influence these characteristics. Conservation tillage practices, such as strip tillage, have been promoted as agricultural management practices that can help reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss in runoff. However, limited information exists in the literature on the effect of strip tillage on soil pore characteristics. Thus, the objective of this research study was to assess the effects of different tillage practices i.e., conventional tillage (CT) vs. strip tillage (ST), on soil pore properties and quantify change in soil pore characteristics as a function of season. Undisturbed cylindrical soil columns (150 mm diameter and 640 mm length) were collected from a field in Alabama, USA planted with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) under ST and CT treatments during two seasons i.e., fall 2021 and spring 2022. Soil cores were collected from CT and ST portions of the field, in the fall, following cotton harvest and before planting a cover crop (season 1), and in the spring, after the cover crop had matured (season 2). X-ray computed tomography was used to scan the soil cores and quantify soil pore characteristics. Results show that the ST treatment had significantly (p < 0.05) greater macroporosity values, network density, macropore length density, and interconnectivity compared to the CT in season 1. This was attributed to ST being a minimally disturbed treatment: thereby, it has a better chance of preserving cracks and biological activity as compared to CT, which is more prone to destruction of large macropores. The pore properties also showed a drastic decrease in values during season 2, especially for the top 200 mm of the soil profile in response to rainfall induced soil reconsolidation in both the tillage systems. Overall, this study showed that pore morphology can be affected by tillage and seasonal aspects associated with them. • Quantified conventional and strip tillage impact on soil macropore properties. • Strip tillage treatment preserved macropores relative to conventional tillage. • Sample collection season influenced soil pore characteristics. • Preferential flow via soil macropores could enhance solute leaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to prepare instant macroporous calcium phosphate cement (CPC) with enhanced degradation rate and improved initial cell adhesion by simply incorporating lab-made gelatine microbubble (Gel MB) as dry porogen into the cement. From the study, it was found that viscosity of the cement paste was a key parameter to produce small or large macropores in the cements. Pore size was also determined by microbubble size, which was originally controlled by gelatine concentration in a bubble fabrication process. CPC with high porosity (60%) and acceptable cement setting time could be obtained from the study by incorporating 10 wt.% gelatine into the cement. Greater number of MC3T3-cells were found on the surface of the Gel MB loaded CPCs. The increase of initial cell adhesion may be attributed to protein molecules adhered on the cement surface and increase of surface roughness after porogen disintegration. In sum, a one-step composite cement paste production, proposed in the study, may be applicable for fabricating rapid macropores in CPCs with improved cell adhesion for bone tissue engineering applications.

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) is one of the most important soil physical characteristics that plays a major role in the soil hydrological behaviour. It is mainly affected by the soil structure characteristics. Aggregate size distribution is a measure of soil structure formation that can affect Ks. In this study, variations of Ks were investigated in various aggregate size distributions in an agricultural soil sample. Toward this aim, eight different aggregate size distributions with the same mean weight diameter (MWD= 4.9 mm) were provided using different percentages of aggregate fractions consisting of (< 2, 2-4, 4-8 and 8-11mm). The Ks values along with other physicochemical properties were determined in different aggregate size distributions. Based on the results, significant differences were found among the aggregate size distributions in Ks, particle size distribution, porosity, aggregate stability, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter and calcium carbonate. The aggregate size distributions with a higher percentage of coarse aggregates (4-8 and 8-11 mm) also showed higher Ks as well as clay percentage. A positive correlation was also observed between Ks and clay, aggregate stability and EC, whereas sand showed a negative correlation with Ks. No significant correlations were found between Ks and silt, porosity and organic matter. Further, multiple linear regression analysis showed that clay and aggregate stability were the two soil properties controlling Ks in the aggregate size distributions (R2=0.80, p

Copyright of Journal of Fuzhou University is the property of Journal of Fuzhou University, Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Widespread observations of ecohydrological separation are interpreted by suggesting that water flowing through highly conductive soil pores resists mixing with matrix storage over periods of days to months (i.e., two 'water worlds' exist). These interpretations imply that heterogeneous flow can produce ecohydrological separation in soils, yet little mechanistic evidence exists to explain this phenomenon. We quantified the separation between mobile water moving through preferential flow paths versus less mobile water remaining in the soil matrix after free‐drainage to identify the amount of preferential flow necessary to maintain a two water world's scenario. Soil columns of varying macropore structure were subjected to simulated rainfall of increasing rainfall intensity (26 mm h−1, 60 mm h−1, and 110 mm h−1) whose stable isotope signatures oscillated around known baseline values. Prior to rainfall, soil matrix water δ2H nearly matched the known value used to initially wet the pore space whereas soil δ18O deviated from this value by up to 3.4‰, suggesting that soils may strongly fractionate 18O. All treatments had up to 100% mixing between rain and matrix water under the lowest (26 mm h−1) and medium (60 mm h−1) rainfall intensities. The highest rainfall intensity (110 mm h−1), however, reduced mixing of rain and matrix water for all treatments and produced significantly different preferential flow estimates between columns with intact soil structure compared to columns with reduced soil structure. Further, artificially limiting exchange between preferential flow paths and matrix water reduced bypass flow under the most intense rainfall. We show that (1) precipitation offset metrics such as lc‐excess and d‐excess may yield questionable interpretations when used to identify ecohydrological separation, (2) distinct domain separation may require extreme rainfall intensities and (3) domain exchange is an important component of macropore flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying physically based models that include preferential flow (PF) is still very challenging at the catchment scale. A gravity‐driven film flow approach could be a promising concept for modeling PF as it only requires a small number of parameters. We tested if this approach can be used for different soils and land covers within a 247 km2 catchment and if we can find generalizable relationships of the film flow parameters to site or rainfall properties. We used a unique data set from a soil moisture sensor network with 135 instrumented soil profiles in three different geologies (slate, marl, and sandstone) and two land covers (forest and grassland) and fitted the film flow model to around 1,700 infiltration events. The results demonstrate that the physical relationship of film flow was capable to predict wetting front velocity (v) and flow parameters from rainfall input (qs) alone. This relationship was pronounced in grassland sites but weaker for forest sites, probably due to heterogeneity of the rainfall input underneath the canopy. Incorporating the water content into the v‐qs relationship did not improve the quality, but showed that for the film flow the rainfall input and hence gravity is in fact the dominant driver and not capillarity. Furthermore, abstraction of water into the soil matrix during film flow is an important process to be included into the framework with reasonable agreements for marl and sandstone using a multiple linear regression. Film flow and corresponding functional parameter relationships for other regions could improve catchment wide PF modeling in the future. Key Points: Gravity‐driven film flow has a large potential to describe preferential flow during natural infiltration events at a diversity of sitesParameters can be determined from the rainfall input, which has a stronger effect on the flow velocity than initial soil water contentAbstraction of water from film flow in macropores into the soil matrix is a process that has to be included in more detail [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn‐based aqueous supercapacitors are attracting extensive attention. However, most of the reported long‐life and high‐power performances are achieved with low Zn‐utilization (<0.6 %) and low mass loading in cathode (<2 mg cm−2). And, many obtained high energy densities are generally evaluated without considering the mass of Zn‐anode. Herein, we propose a Zn‐based hybrid supercapacitor, involving a metal organic framework derived porous carbon cathode, a Zn‐anode and an N, N‐dimethylformamide (DMF)‐based electrolyte containing Zn2+. We demonstrate that the charge storage of cathode mainly occurs in macropores, showing high rate performance at high mass loading (40 mg cm−2). Furthermore, the aprotic nature of electrolyte and formation of Zn2+‐DMF complex avoid the Zn‐corrosion and dendrite formation. Therefore, the supercapacitor shows a long‐life (9,000 cycles) with a high Zn‐utilization (2.2 %). When calculated with the total mass of cathode (40 mg cm−2) and Zn‐anode, the energy density reaches 25.9 Wh kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strategy of re-assembly engineering is employed for preparation of macroporous carbon sheets with high supercapacitor performance, in which surfactant is combined with oligomeric resin to form micelles and are re-assembled on the pre-prepared hybrid sheet through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic action, resulting in the reconstruction of relatively regular macropores on the sheet. [Display omitted] • A re-assembly process for induce of macropores on carbon sheets (MCS). • The rate of surface/resin-micelles is the key for resin/silica construction. • The MCS displayed macropores, high surface area and large pore volume. • The MCS possessed good performance as electrode in supercapacitor. Herein, macroporous carbon sheets (MCS) was synthesized by a re-assembly engineering. In this process, surfactant is combined with oligomeric resin to form micelles, which are re-assembled on the pre-prepared hybrid sheet through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic action, resulting in the reconstruction of relatively regular macropores on the sheet. The obtained MCS maintains the morphology of nanosheet with obvious circular macropores, high specific surface area and pore volume, which improves the charge transfer efficiency and is favorable electrochemical energy storage. As the electrode material for a supercapacitor, the MCS exhibits a high specific capacitance, excellent rate performance and long-term stability, which make the MCS an ideal electrode material for electrochemical energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]