Globalized in 1995 through the TRIPs Agreement, humanity’s dominant mechanism for encouraging innovations involves 20-year product patents, whose monopoly features enable innovators to reap large markups or licensing fees from early users. Exclusive reliance on this reward mechanism in the pharmaceutical sector is morally problematic for two main reasons. First, it imposes a great burden on poor people who cannot afford to buy patented treatments at monopoly prices and whose specific health problems are therefore neglected by pharmacological research. Second, it discourages pharmaceutical firms from fighting diseases at the population level with the aim of slashing their incidence. These problems can be much alleviated by establishing a supplementary alternative reward mechanism that would enable pharmaceutical innovators to exchange their monopoly privileges on a patented product for impact rewards based on the actual health gains achieved with this product. Such an international Health Impact Fund (HIF) would create powerful new incentives to develop remedies against diseases concentrated among the poor, rapidly to provide such remedies with ample care at very low prices, and to deploy them strategically to contain, suppress, and ideally to eradicate the target disease. By promoting innovations and their diffusion together, the HIF would greatly enlarge the benefits, and thereby also the cost-effectiveness, of the pharmaceutical sector, in favor of the world’s poor especially.

Digital-based differential amplifiers (DDA) are particularly suitable to low voltage digital integrated circuit technologies. This paper presents an exhaustive analysis of the digital-based analog amplifiers to take advantage of today's high-performance digital technologies and of computer-aided design (CAD) commonly employed to design integrated circuits. The operating principle and the main mathematical relations of the digital-based differential amplifiers are discussed along with an exhaustive explanation of its operating regions and of the corresponding power consumption. Finally, a detailed description of the design procedure of in UMC 180nm standard CMOS technology is shown.

HER2-low and ultra-low breast cancer (BC) have been recently proposed as new subcategories of HER2 BC, re-considering the immunohistochemical negative score of 0, 1+ or score of 2+/in situ hybridization (ISH) negative phenotype. In the present review we have outlined the needed criteria to exactly distinguish HER2 low and ultra-low BC. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated significant clinical benefits of novel HER2 directing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in treating these group sof tumors. In particular, Trastuzumab-deruxtecan (T-Dxd), a HER2-directing ADC has been recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first targeted therapy to treat HER2-low BC. Furthermore, ongoing trials, such as the DESTINY-Breast06, are currently evaluating ADCs in patients with HER2-ultra low BC. Finally we hope that new guidelines may help to codify HER2 low and ultra-low BC, increasing our knowledge of tumor biology and improving a targetable new therapeutical treatment.

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) is the most active field in the design of current complex system engineering, which is possessed with such two difficulties as subsystem information exchange and analytical and computational complexity of systems. Therefore, an improved collaborative optimization algorithm based on ANN (artificial neural network) response surface was proposed dependent on the consistency constraint algorithm and concurrent subspace algorithm. As an optimization method with secondary structure, it satisfied only local constraints in discipline layer, but provided a coordinated mechanism for interdisciplinary conflict in system layer. Finally, it was applied in the multidisciplinary design optimization of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). As shown from the result, the MDO convergence stability and reliability of low resistance, low noise and high maneuvering performance of the AUV shape can be ensured by the improved collaborative optimization algorithm, thus verifying the effectiveness of the algorithm.

For underwater vehicles navigating in Arctic Sea ice-covered waters, fatigue damage is a crucial issue. Many scholars have conducted low-temperature fatigue analysis on low-temperature ma-terials and substrate platforms for ships, and the results show that low-temperature is beneficial for improving the mechanical properties of materials. However, they mainly focus on low-temperature performance experiments and simulation analysis of standard components of materials, and there are very few fatigue life experimental studies on underwater vehicle me-chanical structures. This paper conducts experimental investigations on a scaled model of an underwater vehicle rudder mechanism in a polar environment laboratory. Using a comparative analysis method involving simulations and experiments, the low-temperature fatigue test data of the scaled underwater vehicle rudder mechanism are analyzed, and the quantified analysis be-tween fatigue and different low-temperature loading cycles, as well as the influence of icing on the fatigue life, is explored. It is indicated that the arctic environment can decrease the fatigue life of the underwater vehicle rudder mechanism by deteriorating its material properties. The paper builds the foundation for the fatigue life of an underwater vehicle rudder mechanism in arctic low-temperature environments.

Poly(2,6-dimethyl phenyl oxide) (PPO) is known for its low dissipation factor. To achieve insulating materials with low dissipation factor for high-frequency communication application, a monomer-type benzoxazine (P-APPO) and a main-chain-type benzoxazine (BPA-APPO) were prepared from an amine end-capped oligo (2,6-dimethyl phenylene oxide) (APPO). The APPO was prepared from a nucleophilic substitution of a phenol-end capped oligo (2,6-dimethyl phenylene oxide) (a commercial product, SA 90) with fluoronitrobenzene, and followed by catalytic hydrogenation. After self-curing or curing with a dicyclopentadiene-phenol epoxy (HP 7200), thermosets with high-T_g and low-dissipation factor can be achieved. Furthermore, the resulting epoxy thermosets show better thermal and dielectric properties than those of epoxy thermoset cured from its precursor SA90, demonstrating it is a successful modification in simultaneously enhancing the thermal and dielectric properties.

To achieve rapid post-earthquake repair of self-centering ribbed floor flat beam frame structures, a ductile hybrid joint consisting of dog bone weakened energy dissipating steel bars connected to the upper and lower column sections through high-strength threads based on the damage control design concept is proposed. By moving the ductile energy dissipating zone out to the locally weakened section of the energy dissipating steel bars and the locally unbonded prestressed steel bars in the core area, the residual deformation was limited and the seismic performance was improved. Based on the working principle of hybrid joints, low cycle loading tests were conducted on two joint specimens to analyze the influence of lateral prestress on the seismic performance of the hybrid joints. Numerical modeling methods were used to compare the position of the energy-consuming steel bars in the composite layer and the friction performance of joints. The research results indicated that the hybrid joint had stable load-bearing, deformation, and energy dissipation capabilities, with damage primarily concentrated on the energy-consuming steel bars. Even at an inter-story displacement angle of 5.5%, the upper and lower column segments remained elastic. After unloading, the connection seam at the joint was closed, and the self-centering performance was good. When the inter-story displacement angle reached 5.5%, the lateral prestress increased from 150 kN to 250 kN, the ultimate bearing capacity of the joint increased by 16.3%, and the cumulative energy consumption increased by 30.0%. The influence of the friction coefficient of the joint surface on the structural performance was set at a threshold of 0.7. When it was less than the threshold, the ultimate bearing capacity and initial stiffness of the joint increased with an increase in the friction coefficient. After reaching the threshold, the increase in the ultimate bearing capacity of the joint slowed down, and the rate of stiffness degradation gradually accelerated. This joint had excellent seismic performance and can also achieve post-earthquake repair of structures.

The influence of the Fe2O3 addition amount on the dephosphorization of hot metal at 1623 K with the slag of the low basicity (CaO/SiO2) of about 1.5 was investigated by using high-temperature laboratorial experiments. With increasing the Fe2O3 addition amount, the contents of [C], [Si], [Mn] and [P] in hot metal at the end of dephosphorization decrease, and the corresponding removal ratios increase. The P2O5 content in slag increases, and the CaO and SiO2 contents in slag decrease. The phosphorus mainly exists in the form of the nCa2SiO4-Ca3(PO4)2 solid solution in the phosphorus-rich phase and the value of coefficient n decreases from 20 to 1 with increasing the Fe2O3 addition amount from 5 g to 30 g. With increasing the Fe2O3 addition amount, the oxygen potential and activity at the interface between the slag and hot metal increase. When the oxygen potential and the oxygen activity at the interface are greater than 0.72×10-12 and 7.1×10-3, respectively, the dephosphorization ratio begins to increase rapidly. With increasing the Fe2O3 addition amount to 30 g, the ratio of the Fe2O3 addition amount to theoretical calculation consumption is around 175%, and the dephosphorization ratio reaches the highest value of 83.3%.

The industrial metaverse paradigm is generally a virtual environment that integrates various technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) to enhance business operations and processes. It aims to streamline workflows, reduce error rates, improve efficiency, and provide a more engaging experience for employees. The promise of the industrial Metaverse to drive sustainability and resource efficiency is compelling. Utilizing advanced technologies like the Industrial Metaverse is essential for staying competitive in today’s rapidly evolving business environment. However, the environmental impact of the technologies underpinning the industrial metaverse, like data centres and network infrastructure, should not be overlooked. The ecological footprint of these technologies must be considered in the sustainability equation. Researchers have warned that by 2025, without sustainable AI practices, AI will consume more energy than the human workforce, significantly offsetting carbon-zero gains. As the metaverse persists in evolving and gaining momentum, it will be necessary for companies to prioritize sustainability and explore new ways to balance technological advancements with environmental stewardship. However, recent studies have conjectured that the Metaverse holds the potential to reduce carbon emissions, as digital replacements for physical goods become more prevalent and physical activities like mobility and construction are reduced. However, the specific extent to which this substitution can alleviate environmental concerns remains understudied, presenting a knowledge gap in understanding the real-world impact of digital replacements. Thus, the objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the industrial metaverse as well as explore the environmental impact of the industrial metaverse. The methodological approach is that of integrative literature review design wherein multiple sources from web science and databases such as ACM library, IEEE Library, and Google Scholar, were analysed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the developments in the industrial metaverse. Specifically, firstly by considering the Industrial metaverse architecture we elucidate the concept of the "industrial metaverse" and the associated enabling technologies. Secondly, an exploration through discussion, of the prevalent use cases and deployment of the emerging industrial metaverse. Thirdly, exploration of the impact of the industrial metaverse on the environment. In the fourth instance, we address novel security and privacy risks as well as upcoming research challenges, keeping in mind that the industrial metaverse is based on a strong data fabric. Results point to the Industrial Metaverse as having both positive and negative environmental effects by energy consumption, e-waste, and pollution. Overall research, however, indicates that most industrial metaverse applications have a positive environmental impact and subsequently trend toward sustainability. Ultimately for sustainability in the industrial metaverse, enterprises may consider utilizing renewable energy sources and cloud services. Furthermore, examining the effects of products on the environment as well as creating a circular economy.

This study investigates the prevalence, causes, and spatial distribution of Abandoned, Lost, or Discarded Fishing Gears (ALDFGs) in the Gulf of Gabès, a critical fishing area in Tunisia. Five main fishing gear types—benthic trawls, encircling nets, longlines, gillnets, and trammel nets were analyzed for their loss rates and contributing factors. The study involved extensive surveys among local fishermen using geographic information system (GIS) tools for spatial mapping. The findings reveal varying loss rates among different gear types, with longlines experiencing the highest losses (59%), followed by trammel nets (45%), gillnets (40%), trawls (38%), and encircling nets (36%). Causes of gear loss include entanglement on obstructions, conflicts with other fishing gears, entanglement with marine animals, adverse weather conditions, and intentional dumping at sea. The study highlights the challenges posed by the consistent increase in regional fishing efforts. Spatial distribution mapping indicates two significant concentrations of ALDFGs, correlating with specific fishing activities and depths. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing gear losses as a threat to marine biodiversity and ecosystem health. Recommendations for mitigation include improving boat equipment, raising awareness among fishermen, implementing effective waste management, and exploring economic incentives for ALDFG recovery. This research contributes essential insights for fisheries management, environmental conservation, and sustainable practices in the Gulf of Gabès. Collaborative efforts are crucial to developing and implementing strategies that minimize the impact of ALDFGs on the marine environment while supporting the socio-economic interests of fishermen.

Objectives: To analyse and detail surgical process improvement activities that achieve the highest economic impact. Methods: Over 4 years, a team of technicians and healthcare professionals implemented a set of Lean surgical process improvement projects at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (VHUH), Barcelona, Spain. These projects now form part of the daily routine in the surgical process. The economic impact on the hospital's surgical activity budget was analysed. Results: Process improvements have led to annual operational savings of over € 8.5 million. These improvements include better patient flow, better management of information between healthcare professionals, and improved logistic circuits. Conclusions: The current cultural shift towards process management in large hospitals implies shifting towards results-based healthcare, patient-perceived value (VBHC) and value-added payment. A Lean project implementation process requires long-term stability. The reason a considerable number of projects fail to complete process improvement projects is the difficulty involved in establishing the project and improving management routines. Few studies in the literature have investigated the economic impact of implementing Lean management a posteriori, and even fewer have examined actual cases. In this real case study, changes to surgical block management were initiated from zero. After being carefully thought through and designed, changes were carried out and subsequently analysed.

The aim of this study was to explore the perceived impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on radiographers’ activities and profession in Switzerland. A survey conducted in the UK, translated into French and German, was disseminated through professional bodies and social media. The participants were Swiss radiographers (clinical/educators/ researchers/students) and physicians working within the medical imaging profession (radiology/nuclear medicine/radiation-oncology). The survey covered five sections: demographics, AI-knowledge, skills, confidence, perceptions about the AI impact. Descriptive, association statistics and qualitative thematic analysis were conducted. A total of 242 responses were collected (89% radiographers; 11% physicians). AI is being used by 43% of participants in clinical practice, but 63.8% of them did not feel confident with AI terminology. Participants viewed AI as an opportunity (57.2%), while 18.5% considered it as a threat. The opportunities were associated with streamlining repetitive tasks, minimizing errors, increasing time towards patient-centred care, research, and patient safety. The significant threats identified were reduction on work positions (22.6%), decrease of the radiographers’ expertise level due to automation bias (16.4%). Participants (68.3%) did not feel well trained/prepared to implement AI in their practice, highlighting the non-availability of specific training (87.6%). 93% of the participants mentioned that AI education should be included at undergraduate education program. Although most participants perceive AI as an opportunity, this study identified areas for improvement including lack of knowledge, educational supports/training, and confidence in radiographers. Customised training needs to be implemented to improve clinical practice and understanding of how AI can benefit radiographers.

The construction industry generates significant CO2 emissions, and rebar is a major contributor to this environmental impact. Extensive research has been conducted to address this issue. Recent advancements have introduced algorithms to reduce rebar waste and consumption, demonstrating the feasibility of achieving near-zero rebar cutting waste (N0RCW) by considering special-length rebars. However, conventional lap splices, the most common rebar joint method, consistently consume excessive rebar quantities despite extending beyond their mandated zones. Conversely, couplers eliminate rebar lengths required for lapping splices, reducing the usage of rebar. Applying special lengths and couplers in heavily loaded structures like diaphragm walls can significantly reduce rebar usage and cutting waste, consequently reducing CO2 emissions and associated costs. This study aims to optimize rebar consumption and sustainability in diaphragm wall structures by integrating mechanical couplers with a special-length rebar approach. A case study confirmed a substantial reduction in purchased rebar usage (17.95% and 5.38%) and carbon emissions (15.24% and 2.25%) compared to the original design and previous study, respectively. Broadly implementing the proposed method across various buildings and infrastructure projects could further multiply these benefits, fostering the achievement of SDGs adopted by the United Nations for sustainable construction.

Although agricultural crops production systems in subtropical plateau regions currently pose high environmental risks, especially in developing countries, their environmental impacts and emission-reduction potentials remain unclear, and the development potential of such systems is likely huge. We conducted a case study in Yunnan Province, China, to quantify the environmental impacts from crop production during 2002–2021. The life cycle assessment method was employed to identify factors driving the environmental impacts, and potential mitigation strategies were proposed. The yield and total nutrient input of grain crops in Yunnan Province increased over the 20-year period, and environmental footprint of crops production in Yunnan Province was higher than that of other regions. Average annual mean greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and soil acidification potentials (AP) and water eutrophication potentials (EP) of crops production during 2002–2021 were 732 kg CO2-eq·Mg-1, 15.8 kg SO2-eq·Mg-1, and 2.7 kg PO4-eq Mg-1, respectively. GHG emissions from g crops mainly originated from applying agricultural materials during the crop life cycle. There was a significant correlation between surplus nitrogen and environmental impacts. Scenario testing showed that through crop sowing, nutrient regulation, and crop management, the crop yield could be increased and environmental costs could be reduced. The greatest reductions were found in wheat production: 53.1%, 67.9%, and 67.7% for GHG emissions, AP, and EP, respectively. Adopting comprehensive agricultural management measures could reduce the negative impact of crops production on the environment in subtropical plateau areas and achieve sustainable agricultural development.

The phenomenon of droplet impact on moving surfaces is widely observed in fields such as transportation, rotating machinery, and inkjet printing. Droplets exhibit non-axisymmetric behavior due to the motion of solid surfaces which significantly determines core parameters such as contact time, maximum spreading radius, and bounding velocity, thereby affecting the efficiency of related applications. In this study, we focus on kinetics and morphology of the non-axisymmetric bouncing behaviors for droplets impacting on a moving superhydrophobic surface (SHPS) within the normal (Wen) and tangential (Wet) Weber numbers. Considering the influences of moving surface on the contact area and contact time, the previous scaling formula for the horizontal velocity of droplets has been improved. Based on the velocity superposition hypothesis, we establish a theoretical model for the ratio of the maximum spreading radius at both ends depending on Wen and Wet. This research provides both experimental and theoretical evidence for understanding and controlling the non-axisymmetric behavior of droplets impacting on moving surfaces.

The inclusion of scientific journals in prestigious indexers is often associated with higher citation rates; journals included in such indexers are significantly more acknowledged than those that are not included in them. This phenomenon refers to the Matthew effect on journal citations, according to which, journals in exclusive rankings tend to be increasingly cited. This paper shows the opposite: that the inclusion of journals in local indexers ruled by inclusive logic reduces the Matthew effect on journal citations, since it enables them to be equally exposed. Thus, we based our arguments on the comparison of 68 Brazilian journals before and after they were indexed in the Scientific Periodicals Electronic Library (Spell), which ranks journals in the Brazilian management field based on local citations. Citation impact indicators and iGini (a new individual inequality analysis measure) were used to show that the inclusion of journals in Spell has increased their impact factor and decreased their citation inequality rates. In addition, the results indicated that the effect between ranking and inequality has declined after journals were included in Spell; this outcome indicates that the database has reduced the Matthew effect on journal citations.

Certain services can help avoid environmental impact in larger contexts. However, there is no commonly agreed bottom-up methodology for calculation of the total net reduction effect of specific digital services. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a common denominator for most methodologies. The most common method is the Attributional LCA (ALCA), and recently the emerging handprint ALCA estimating so-called positive environmental impacts. Moreover, Consequential LCA (CLCA) can be used to capture market effects. The third conceptual approach is Input-Output LCA. The purpose is to propose and test a new method based on some of the existing ones. The existing concepts are compared and a synthesis is made to create a practical but still useful method. The new method is applied to two illustrative cases in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) domain; the introduction of a 5G enabled drone for pipe inspection and the 5G enabled health consultation. Compared to simplified ALCA, the difference between the absolute score for the baseline system and the target system changes up to 15% when the proposed simplified CLCA (SCLCA) method is used. The results show that SCLCA, when combined with analytical methods for expressing digital ICT services’ own impact, is a fruitful approach which is both practical and feasible.

Registration of the flow pattern fine structure and the matter distribution of a free falling liquid drop in a target fluid at rest in the impact mode of coalescence, when the kinetic energy of the drop exceeds its available potential surface energy (APSE), was carried out by photo and video recording. The main attention was paid to the study of the flow structure at the initial stage of the cavity formation. To carry out color registration, the flow pattern was illuminated by several matrix LED and fiber optic sources of constant light. The planning of experiments and interpretation of the results were based on the properties of the complete solutions of the fundamental equations of fluid mechanics system, including the transfer and conversion of energy processes. Complete solutions of the system of equations describe large-scale flow components that are waves or vortices as well as thin jets (ligaments, filaments, fibers, trickles). In experiments, the jets are accelerated by the converted available potential surface energy (APSE) when the free surfaces of merging fluids were eliminated. The experiments were performed with the coalescence of water, solutions of alizarin ink, potassium permanganate, copper sulphate or iron sulphate drops in deep water. In all cases, at the initial contact, the drop begins to lose its continuity and breaks up into a thin veil and jets, the velocity of which exceeds the drop contact velocity. Small droplets, the size of which grows with time, are thrown into the air from spikes at the jet tops. On the surface of the liquid, the fine jets leave colored traces that form linear and reticular structures. Part of the jets penetrating through the bottom and wall of the cavity forms an intermediate covering layer. The forming layer jets are separated by interfaces of the target fluid. The processes of molecular diffusion equalize the density differences and form an intermediate layer with sharp boundaries in the target fluid. All noted structural features of the flow are also visualized when a fresh water drop isothermally spreads in the same tap water. The fast-changing and finely structured diffuse boundary of merging fluids, which at the initial stage has a complex and irregular shape, is gradually smoothed out by molecular diffusion processes. The similar flow patterns were observed in all performed experiments, however the geometric features of the flow depend on the individual thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the contacting fluids.

The relationship between child psychology and the widespread usage of mobile devices in the modern day is examined in "The Mobile Dilemma: Child Psychology and the Era of Technological Dependence." The abstract serves as a brief synopsis of the work, highlighting its important ideas and arguments. Concerns concerning the effects of excessive time spent on mobile devices on children's mental health and development have arisen in this age of technology dependency. The essay opens by pointing out the importance of investigating the psychological effects of kids' exposure to mobile gadgets. The effects of mobile phone addiction on learning, memory, and social and emotional health are investigated. The neurodevelopmental implications are explored further in the abstract, with a focus on the impact of mobile technology on brain plasticity and the formation of the developing brain. It offers advice on how to establish appropriate limits for children's screen time, encourages the development of digital literacy, and promotes responsible behavior.The pros and cons of using mobile devices in the classroom are also examined, along with their effects on students' ability to study and the risks and difficulties that could arise from implementing such a strategy. The emotional and social impacts of mobile device addiction are discussed in the abstract. This includes the impact on one's social life, empathy, ability to communicate, and sense of self-worth. The abstract also stresses the importance of interdisciplinary efforts involving parents, teachers, psychologists, and legislators to combat mobile device addiction through intervention and preventative techniques. Future directions are highlighted, with a focus on topics such as mobile technology development, digital well-being, privacy protection, mental health implications, screen time limits, digital literacy, and the impact of cultural and socioeconomic variables.

During the Covid 19 pandemic, we saw a huge impact on the lives of individuals in cities. The way people responded was controlled and limited. The lockdown restricted a lot of movements in the cities as well as contained the citizens in their houses. Through a semi-structured interview, the research aims to understand the change in behaviour and response of individuals across various cities. The paper aims to understand how people change their day-to-day life in cities during the pandemic and while the restrictions getting released post the first wave. The paper also understands how the pandemic impacted urban spaces and what value they hold for people. By interviewing individuals from different cities, the data were transcribed and analysed to understand this behavioural change and the attitude of people. The outcome of the research was derived as a concept map through the codes generated during the research.

This article aims to investigate gaps in the law and policies on e-waste management in communi-ties of Thailand and suggests a guideline for improving, developing, and designing legal measures and state policies for more effective enforcement of the law on e-waste management in communities. The findings reveal that the currently applicable law of Thailand lacks effective approaches and rules for e-waste management. Also, there is not any implementation of key envi-ronmental principles for e-waste management in communities, such as the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) that requires manufacturing companies to take part in being responsible for disposal ex-penses or the Public Participation principle that requires users, manufacturers, distributors, and government agencies to take parts in disposing e-waste. As a result, problems of e-waste in com-munities of Thailand have been continuously increasing. According to such problems, the authors suggest that legal measures on e-waste management in communities should be specifically de-signed by implementing key environmental principles as a basis in determining formats and guidelines of e-waste management, especially participation of all sectors that can help in solving and reducing e-waste in communities that is harmful to health, sanitation, and environment.

Despite laws and directives for the regulation and restriction of pesticide in farming, the large use of Plant Protection Products (PPPs) in paddy fields is a relevant worldwide cause of contamination of the environment. The aim of this work is to evaluate the environmental impact due to the use of PPPs by using an integrated approach based on chemical analyses and ecotoxicological hazard assessment, supported by statistical tools, in order to overcome the issues related to the traditional tabular evaluation. Samples of soil and water of seven conventional and organic paddies located in Northern Italy have been examined for two years by extensive chemical and ecotoxicological analyses. The results evidenced a direct relationship between the presence of Oxadiazon in water and bioassays responses as the main cause of the toxicity measured. This phenomenon affected both biological and conventional rice fields, due to the free circulation of water through irrigation canals. Therefore, the implementation of organic districts with a water circulation isolated from conventional fields represents a simple and effective countermeasure to safeguard the agricultural practices of organic crops.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the Spanish economy hard. The result is an unprecedented economic and social crisis due to uncertainty about the remedy, and due to the socio-economic effects on people’s lives. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the macro-economic impact of COVID-19 in 2020, using the principal indicators of the Spanish economic and productive model. National statistics were examined in the search for impacts or anomalies occurring since the beginning of the pandemic. To estimate the strength of the impact on each of the indicators analysed, we used Bayesian structural time series. Results: In 2020, the cumulative impact on the Gross Domestic Product was of -11.41% [95% credible interval: -13.46; -9.29]. The indicator for Business Turnover fell by -9.37% [-12.71; -6.07]. The reduction in business activity was related to the sharp fall in demand. The Spanish employment market was strongly affected; our estimates showed a cumulative increase of 11.9% [4.27; 19.45] in the rate of unemployment during 2020. The autonomous communities which are economically the most heavily dependent on the services sector were those which recorded the worst indicators. Conclusions: Our estimates portray a dramatic situation in our country, and show all too clearly the fragility of a productive system which has to make the behavioural changes that are necessary to confront the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this study we mimic the unique, transparent protective carapace (shell) of myodocopid ostracods, through which their compound eyes see, to demonstrate that the carapace ultrastructure also provides functions of strength and protection for a relatively thin structure. The bulk ultrastructure of the transparent window in the carapace of the relatively large, pelagic cypridinid (Myodocopida) Macrocypridina castanea was mimicked using thin film deposition of dielectric materials to create a transparent, 15 bi-layer material. This biomimetic material was subjected to the natural forces withstood by the ostracod carapace in situ, including scratching by captured prey and strikes by water-borne particles. The biomimetic material was then tested in terms of its extrinsic (hardness value) and intrinsic (elastic modulus) response to indentation along with its scratch resistance. The performance of the biomimetic material was compared with that of a commonly used, anti-scratch resistant lens and polycarbonate that is typically used in the field of transparent armoury. The biomimetic material showed the best scratch resistant performance, and significantly greater hardness and elastic modulus values. The ability of biomimetic material to revert back to its original form (post loading), along with its scratch resistant qualities, offers potential for a biomimetic eye protection coating that could enhance material currently in use.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 changed the way we interact and engage in commerce at a fundamental level. Social distancing and stay-at-home orders leave businesses and cities wondering what economic activity will look like in the future. Given a likely reduction in face-to-face interactions, it is important to better understand how social interactivity influences economic outcomes. Here we measure the effect of social interactions in the workforce on patent production and economic efficiency. We decompose U.S. occupations into individual work activities, determine which of those activities are associated with face-to-face interactions, and reaggregate the labor force of each U.S. metropolitan statistical area (MSA) into a metric of social interactiveness. We then calculate each MSA’s density of social work activities and find that this measure is more highly correlated with an MSA’s per capita patent production than simple population density. This suggests that density of face-to-face interactions is the important driver of a city’s rate of invention. We close by exploring analogies between the development of cities and the development of stars, suggesting ways these analogies may help frame future research on cities.

This article is devoted to discussing the famous Impact factor citation suited to indicate the published scientific result's significance. Considering this problem based on the available statistical data, we demonstrate that: Impact factor follows a distribution having a heavy power tail that may lead to inconsistency in scientifically comparable journals' evaluation. Further, we remark that many papers recognized as sleeping and seemingly sleeping beauties are not considered when calculating. This makes the impact factor unsuitable in evaluating the original, groundbreaking discoveries and their consequences. Due to permanent changes in the composition of the underlying datasets, the impact factor can not be considered as a reliable indicator and to be used as a consistent evaluation metric. Overall, discussing all represented impact factor obstacles and other appropriate considerations, we conclude that the considered index can hardly be used as a reliable estimator of the publication's significance.

Investments in digital infrastructure in marginalised communities are set to increase in the next decade. These are premised on the potential of digital technologies to contribute towards solving societal problems, including the fragility of food value chains in rural areas. Although there are mixed empirical findings on the impact of these digital infrastructure investments, huge investments are continuing amid changing ICT policies in most developing countries. This paper, using a case study of a local livestock value chain in a rural community in Zimbabwe, argues for the application of non-conventional approaches towards digital infrastructure transformation impact assessment. Using selected theories and frameworks (socio-ecological systems framework, choice framework and technology affordances theory) as well as empirical data from a project in a rural community, the paper shows that real-time impact assessment using context-specific metrics may reveal hidden digital infrastructure transformation impacts, positive and negative, that are often overlooked when traditional impact assessment approaches are employed. The findings of this study contribute towards improving approaches towards ICT impact assessment. Practitioners engaging in impact assessment are challenged to move beyond dependence on traditional metrics (e.g. access) to the adoption of participatory processes to decipher context-appropriate metrics.

In Bangladesh, microcredit program has been in function for almost half a century. Though popularly termed as a tool for poverty alleviation and women empowerment, criticism about microcredit program’s actual effectiveness isn’t new. This study attempts to evaluate the impact of such programs by measuring borrowers’ social mobility. Using a multidimensional approach, indicators like household income, economic susceptibility, living conditions, consumption pattern, children’s education, healthcare facilities, women’s participation in decision-making were taken into account for measurement. Quantitative method was used. Based on a non-probability sampling, 107 microcredit borrowers were selected for conducting interview schedules who live in a rural, a semi-urban and an urban area. Statistical analysis of data reveals that those who have been taking loans for several number of years have all managed to increase their income level to a variety of extent, but only those have gained some sort of mobility who have been taking loans for more than 4-5 years and have taken 5 times or more. Few of them have actually moved from microcredit to become a microfinance client by taking bigger amount of loans and having savings. Positive responses about the indicators being used in the study were found among the handful of those who have mobilized significantly. In true sense, most of the borrowers are stuck at the bottom end of socio-economic ladder and are struggling to manage a better living standard.

The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus obstructed the Chinese economy and has expanded to the rest of the world at a rapid pace affecting at least 215 countries, areas and territories. The advancement of the disease and its economic repercussions is profoundly ambiguous, making it challenging for policymakers to formulate suitable microeconomic and macroeconomic policy responses. The scenarios in this paper illustrate how an outbreak could significantly affect the global economy in the short run. It has been estimated that each additional month of crisis would cost from about 2.5-3% of the global GDP and that the GDP growth would take a blow, reaching about 3-6%, depending on the country. Scenarios also suggest that GDP can drop by more than 10% and even exceed 15% in some countries. Via addressing the economic consequence of COVID-19 in different industries and countries, the paper presents assessments of the likely global economic costs of COVID-19 and the GDP growth of different countries. Economies will be negatively affected because of the high number of jobs at risk. Countries highly dependent on foreign trade are more negatively affected. Given that disease and its economic influence are highly unpredictable in numerous aspects, the global economy at the moment is the most critically threatened in history.

This study evaluates various safety aspects of standardized impacts that cyclists may suffer while wearing a bicycle helmet, by combining a partially validated finite element model of the cranio-cervical region and a newly developed bicycle helmet model. Under EN 1078 standardized impact conditions, the results of simulated impact tests show that the helmet can absorb 40% to 50 % of the total impact energy at impact velocities above 4 m/s. Further, based on a relationship between Head Injury Criterion and the risk of injury from field data, the results of the simulations suggest that minor injuries may occur at impact velocities of 10 km/h, serious injuries at 15 km/h, and severe injuries at 20 km/h. Fatal injuries will likely occur at impact velocities of 30 km/h and higher.

A framework of similarity laws, termed oriented-density-length-velocity (ODLV) framework, is suggested for the geometric distorted structures subjected to impact loading. The distinct feature of this framework is that the newly proposed oriented dimensions, dimensionless numbers and scaling factors for physical quantity are explicitly expressed by the characteristic lengths of three spatial directions, which overcome the inherent defects that traditional scalar dimensional analysis could not express the effects of structural geometric characteristics and spatial directions for similarity. The non-scalabilities of geometrical distortion as well as other distortions such as different materials and gravity could be compensated by the reasonable correction for the impact velocity, the geometrical thickness and the density, when the proposed dimensionless number of equivalent stress is used between scaled model and prototype. Three analytical models of beam, plate and shell subjected to impact mass or impulsive velocity are verified by equation analysis. And a numerical model of circular plate subjected to dynamic pressure pulse is verified in more detail, form the view of point of space deformation, deformation history and the components of displacement, strain and stress. The results show that the proposed dimensionless numbers have attractively perfect ability to express the dimensionless response equations of displacement, angle, time, strain and strain rate. When the proposed dimensionless numbers are used to regularize impact models, the structural responses of the geometrically distorted scaled models can behave the completely identical behaviors with those of the prototype on space and time —not only for the direction-independent equivalent stress, strain and strain rate but also for the direction-dependent displacement, stress and strain components.

The article focuses on mining of non-energy mineral resources with minimum environmental impacts. It issues from research results of a project Competence Centre for Effective and Ecological Mining of Mineral Resources implemented at the Faculty of Mining and Geology at VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Geological Survey, a company Watrad ltd., a state enterprise Diamo, a company RPS Ostrava plc and a company Sedlecký kaolin plc. The paper starts with a partial analysis of the existing legal norms related to mining and processing of mineral resources. Next, it analyses mineral resource mining options free of negative environmental impacts. The fundamental tool to assess potential environmental impacts of mining is the implementation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for a given mineral resource. In the Czech Republic environmental impact assessment is carried out by course of Act 100/2001 Coll. Its important amendment is Act 39/2015 Coll. claiming, inter alia, that the environmental impact assessment is rigidly connected with other permits and procedures, such as the zoning process and building construction permits. The article describes the environmental impacts of mining of non-energy mineral resources, including the following factors: appropriation of land, impacts on surface water, ground water and soil, noise, influence on the landscape character, and air pollution. The paper also includes a case study summarizing information on the environmental factors that may play a role in potential underground mining of graphite in the deposit Český Krumlov - Městský Vrch and the deposit Lazec - Křenov.

Low 25 OH vitamin D (25(OH)D) in preterm infants is a risk factor of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), but increased supplementation failed to demonstrate beneficial effect on BPD. In neonatal animal models, deficiency and excessive vitamin D exposure have been associated with increased mortality and lung histological alterations evocative of BPD. Our hypothesis is that 25(OH)D levels ≥ 120nmol/L is also a risk factor for BPD or death. This retrospective single-center cohort study included all infants born <31 weeks gestational age without major malformation with at least a determination of 25(OH)D <36 weeks corrected age and no determination <50 nmol/L. Routine 25(OH)D determination was performed at 1 month and monthly thereafter. A total of 175 infants were included. Infants with BPD or who died had a significantly lower term and weight, but a similar frequency of 25(OH)D ≥120nmol/L (50.5% vs 43.9%, p=0.53). The logistic regression identified weight (OR 0.997, 95%CI [0.995-0.998]) and term (OR 0.737, 95%CI [0.551-0.975]) as significantly associated with BPD or death; the occurrence of excessive 25(OH)D was not significantly associated (OR 1.029, 95%CI [0.503-2.093]). The present study did not demonstrate any significant association between excessive 25(OH)D after one month of age and BPD or death.

An accurate flux measurement of low-energy charged particles trapped in the magnetosphere is necessary for space weather characterization and to study the coupling between the lithosphere and magnetosphere, which allows for the investigation of the correlations between seismic events and particle precipitation from Van Allen belts. In this work, the project of a CubeSat space spectrometer, the Low-Energy Module (LEM), is shown. The detector will be able to perform an event-based measurement of the energy, arrival direction, and composition of low-energy charged particles down to 0.1 MeV. Moreover, thanks to a CdZnTe mini-calorimeter, the LEM spectrometer also allows for photon detection in the sub-MeV range, joining the quest for the investigation of the nature of Gamma-ray bursts. The particle identification of the LEM relies on the ΔE−E technique performed by thin silicon detectors. This multipurpose spectrometer will fit within a 10 × 10 × 10 cm3 CubeSat frame, and it will be constructed as a joint project between the University of Trento, FBK, and INFN-TIFPA. To fulfil the size and mass requirements, an innovative approach, based on active particle collimation, was designed for the LEM; this avoids the heavy/bulky passive collimators of previous space detectors. In this paper, we will present the LEM geometry, its detection concept, the results from the developed GEANT4 simulation, and some characterisations of a candidate silicon detector for the instrument payload.

Tropical rock lobsters (Panulirus ornatus) are a highly cannibalistic species with intermoult animals predominantly attacking animals during ecdysis (moulting). Rapid, positive characterisation of pre-ecdysis lobsters may open a pathway to disrupt cannibalism. Ecdysial suture line development is considered for pre-ecdysis recognition with suture line definition compared for lobsters emerged and immerged, using white, near ultraviolet (365 nm), near infrared (850 nm) and spe-cialty Osram SFH 4737 broadband IR LEDs against a reference of intermoult lobsters with no suture line development. An alternative pre-ecdysis recognition strategy used a novel low-cost spectral camera composed of the Sony IMX219, AMS AS7265x spectral sensors and Osram SFH 4737 broadband infrared LEDs. Images and data using the novel low-cost spectral camera was acquired from intermoult, pre-ecdysis, and post-ecdysis lobsters. Compared with the white light appear-ance, suture line definition was enhanced under 850 nm, 365 nm, and SFH 4737 LEDs for immerged lobsters, while the 850 nm LED achieved the best suture line definition of emerged lobsters. The spectral camera was unable to characterise pre-ecdysis. A least squares regression for binary classification decision boundary successfully separated 86.7% of post-moult lobsters. Achieving post-moult characterisation validated the speculative exploratory approach in developing this novel low-cost spectroscopy tool.

GNSS is nowadays a standard tool for monitoring and studying the Earth’s dynamic environment. However, the development of dense GNSS measurements remains limited in many experiments by the cost of geodetic-class equipments allowing to achieve the high precision required by many applications. Recently, multi-constellation, multi-frequency, low-power and, above all, less expensive GNSS electronic chips have become available. We present a prototype of a low-cost, open-source multi-GNSS station. Our prototype comprises a dual-frequency GNSS chip, a calibrated antenna, a Raspberry Pi card and a 4G key for data transmission. The system is easy to deploy in the field and allows precise positioning in real time and post-processing. We assess the performance of our prototype in terms of raw data quality, and quality of the obtained high rate and daily position one-year-long time series. Our results demonstrate a quality equivalent to geodetic-class equipment and better quality than other low-cost systems proposed so far.

The manufacturing geometrical variability in axial compressors is a stochastic source of uncertainty, implying that the real geometry differs from the nominal design. This causes the real geometry to lose the ideal axial symmetry. Considering the aerofoils of a stator vane, the geometrical variability affects the flow traversing it. This impacts the downstream rotor, especially when considering the aeroelastic excitation forces. Optical surface scans coupled with a parametrization method allow for acquiring the information relative to the real aerofoils geometries. The measured data are included in a multi-passage and multi-stage CFD setup to represent the mistuned flow. In particular, low excitation harmonics on the rotor vane are introduced due to the geometrical deviations of the upstream stator. The introduced low engine orders as well as their amplitude depend on the stator geometries and their order. A method is proposed to represent the phenomena in a reduced CFD domain, limiting the size and number of solutions required to probabilistically describe the rotor excitation forces. The resulting rotor excitation forces are reconstructed as a superposition of disturbances due to individual stator aerofoils geometries. This indicates that the problem is linear in in the combination of disturbances from single passages.

Disseminated or military tuberculosis (TB) is defined as the presence of at least two non-contiguous sites of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, occurring as a result of progressive primary infection, reactivation and spread of a latent focus or due to iatrogenic origin. Disseminated TB represents a life-threatening condition, especially in at-risk children and when the diagnosis and treatment are delayed. We report on a case of a 3-year old boy who presented with long-lasting unrecognised disseminated TB that was successfully managed in a low-resource setting.

This paper presents high-resolution digital measurements at low cost, combining oversample and averaging. Experiments of processing data between samples and between multiple temperature sensors in the same environment are conducted. They provide results with effective increase in the analog to digital converter bits, in correspondence with the minimization on the effects of noise. It is shown that averaging a set of small, low-cost sensors at a small microcontroller can give flexible access to improved measurement accuracy.

The production and secretion of very-low density lipoproteins (VLDL) by hepatocytes has a direct impact on liver fat content as well as the concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides in the circulation and thus affects liver and cardiovascular health, respectively. Importantly, excess caloric intake and lack of physical activity are associated with overproduction of VLDL, hepatic steatosis, and increased levels of atherogenic lipoproteins. Cholesterol as well as triglycerides in remnant particles after VLDL lipolysis are risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and have garnered increasing attention over the last few decades. To date, however, increased risk of ASCVD is not the only concern when considering today’s cardiometabolic patients, as they often also suffer from hepatic steatosis. This notion highlights the importance of understanding the molecular regulation of VLDL biogenesis. Fortunately, there has been a resurgence of interest in the intracellular assembly, trafficking, degradation, and secretion of VLDL by hepatocytes, that has led to many exciting new molecular insights, the topic of this review. We think that increasing our understanding of the biology of this pathway will help improve the health of the cardiometabolic patient in the long term.

Two modal decomposition techniques, including proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), are used to identify the wake patterns past single and two crossing cylinders in 60° and 90° arrangements with gap ratio G = 4. The flow is simulated using direct numerical simulations (DNS) for Reynolds numbers Re = 100. The spatial scale of flow decreases with increasing modal frequency from the modal analysis. Two main modes are identified in the wake of the cylinders, namely spatially antisymmetric and symmetric modes. Antisymmetric and symmetric modes are related to cylinders’ vortex shedding and shedding vortices’ shift motion, respectively, whose frequencies are odd and even multiples of cylinders’ lift force frequency. In addition, a low-frequency mode concerning the shadowing effect of the downstream cylinder (DC) in 90° arrangement is found in the wake of the DC centre.

The present work aimed to validate a low-cost passive monitoring procedure. For its validation, the monitoring of atmospheric organic pollutants - polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) was carried out in a capital of the central-western region of Brazil. The sensors were fixed on poles intended for electrification during the dry season. After 15 days, samples were extracted by solvent extraction and analysed by High-Resolution Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detector (HRGC-FID). For the validation of the procedure, PAHs monitored and standardised by the American Environmental Agency (EPA), a benchmark for environmental monitoring of air quality by several countries, were analysed. The results demonstrated that the low-cost passive monitoring method was effective in the quantification of PAH in the environment-air, capable of being used by countries that do not have many resources for monitoring air quality.

In 2011, commercial aviation contributed approximately 3.5% of global anthropogenic climate change through the emission of greenhouse gases during flight and operational non-CO2 climate effects. Over the last few years, numerous aviation-related organisations have set goals to reduce aviation’s climate impact. These goals, however, lack alignment, are poorly or ambiguously defined, or are internally inconsistent. This increases uncertainty about what aviation should work towards, how various stakeholders can contribute, and introduces problems with respect to accountability. In order to address this issue, this paper presents a comprehensive definition of a climate neutral air transport system as an “air transport system of which the climate effects of all its greenhouse gases and non-carbon dioxide effects throughout the entire life-cycle of each element of the system is balanced”. The proposed definition spans relevant system and encompasses all life cycle phases. To achieve a climate neutral air transport system by 2050, all life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions and non-CO2 climate effects remaining after in-sector reduction should be neutralised, as should all remaining non-CO2 climate forcing from emissions prior to 2050. Clarity on governance is furthermore needed, as the goal and associated targets proposed should be adopted globally.

When asked to estimate the carbon footprint of a bundle of relatively low carbon footprint items and relatively high carbon footprint items, people typically report a lower value compared to estimating the high carbon footprint items alone. This finding is called the negative footprint illusion and suggests people report the average rather than sum of the combined items’ carbon footprint. In a recent paper by Gorissen et al. (2024), the authors claimed that people are immune to this illusion if the question is framed differently. Specifically, they found that estimates of the environmental friendliness of a set comprising a burger (high carbon footprint) and an organic apple (low carbon footprint) was higher than for a set comprising the burger alone, whereas no difference was found between the two sets when participants were asked to estimate how environmentally damaging they were. Using larger item categories wherein the degree of the items’ environmental impact is clearly communicated, here we show it does not matter whether participants are required to estimate how friendly or damaging the items are. The roles of attribute substitution, dependent variables, and independent variables (stimulus characteristics) in modulating the negative footprint illusion is discussed.

The aim of this research work is to study the influence of temperature, solar irradiation and wind dust on the production of solar energy. In addition, it aims to study the assessment of water quality, in particular groundwater used for cooling and cleaning photovoltaic panels (quality analysis). it's an important source, stable and sustainable can be used entirely for cooling and cleaning PV modules from the sales dust, in order to improve their performance. To date, all research studies carried out in this context of cooling and cleaning using water have not taken account of the nature of this water. We have taken a sample of water from a well in a rural area in the Darra Tafilalet region of Morocco. This region has an arid and semi-arid climate, with very high temperatures and dust-laden winds, particularly in summer. These meteorological characteristics influence the efficiency of cells, particularly photovoltaic (PV) panels, reducing their performance. Next, the water sample was analysed in the laboratory. The results obtained show that the groundwater in this area is very sensitive to cooling and cleaning photovoltaic panels. Moreover, these results indicate that the temperature, solar irradiation and wind-blown dust have a significant influence on energy production.

In this paper, we aim to present real implementation cases where non-visible elements of environmental impact assessments (EIA), wind flow, are visualized using a 3D digital twin technology. The conventional EIA process serves as a crucial tool in the evaluation of potential environmental impacts prior to the initiation of development projects. This evaluation helps to establish a legal and institutional framework that seeks to minimize the adverse effects on the environment. However, traditional EIA methods present challenges, particularly for non-experts, in comprehending the results of assessments involving non-visible environmental factors such as noise, air quality, and wind flow. These elements are often represented in static images or numerical tables, limiting accurate understanding and engagement. Our proposed method, termed Digital Twin based EIA, addresses these limitations by leveraging digital twin technology. This advanced methodology allows for the visualization of non-visible environmental elements in a spatio-temporal dimension, providing a more interactive and comprehensive user interface/experience for both citizens and stakeholders. In this context, we present a unique case study that focuses on visualizing wind flow using this technology. This paper serves as an example of how digital twin platforms can enhance traditional EIA processes, offering a more immersive and informative experience. The evolution of EIA into the digital realm signifies an important step forward in fostering public understanding and engagement in environmental protection efforts.

Air pollution poses a significant risk to public health and ecosystems. The use of sophisticated models to simulate the transformation and dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere is a recognized method to assess air pollution levels and its sources and inform policy decisions for effective mitigation strategies in urban and industrial environments. The reliability of models depends, in part, on the sensitivity to the variance of input parameters, which can introduce uncertainty into the model's predictions. This uncertainty is especially challenging when the input parameters exhibit inherent variability. In this study, we analyse the uncertainty of an integrated emission/dispersion model by evaluating the relationship between input parameters and model outcomes. We uncover new aspects of this relationship while clarifying some previously known dependencies. Wind speed was found to have the most significant effect on calculated concentrations, with small differences leading to substantial concentration variations. The time of day, which reflects prevailing vertical turbulence conditions, was also found to have a notable impact on concentrations, whereas ambient temperature can also significantly influence model’s results. Based on these findings, we offer specific recommendations for regulators and scientists involved in environmental impact assessment to improve the accuracy and reliability of air pollution modelling.

Although child-centred care is increasingly referred to within the nursing literature, a clear definition of child-centred care and clarity around the concept is yet to be achieved. The objectives of this review were to examine: 1) What constitutes the concept of child-centred care in healthcare? 2) How has the concept of child-centred care developed? 3) What is the applicability of child-centred care and what are its limitations? and 4) How does the concept of child-centred care benefit and inform children’s healthcare? In total, 2984 papers were imported for screening, following removal of duplicates and screening, 21 papers were included in the scoping review.The findings suggest that child-centred care is an emerging, ambiguous, poorly defined concept; no clear consensus exists about what constitutes child-centred care. Although it seems antithetical to argue against child-centred care, little robust evidence was identified that demonstrates the impact of, and benefit from, child-centred care. If child-centred care is to be a sustainable, convincing model to guide practice and compete with other models of care it needs to establish robust evidence of its effectiveness, impact on children and their families as well as the wider impacts on the healthcare system.

The pursuit of sustainable wellbeing is one of the research objectives of positive experience design. Driven by this goal, the purpose of this paper is to provide an impact-centered sustainable positive experience design model. Firstly, the literature review method was used to define the research status and concept of impact-centered sustainable design. Secondly, an impact-centered sustainable positive experience design model was constructed, and relevant formulas for concept generation and concept evaluation were proposed. Thirdly, design verification was conducted through a workshop. Finally, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) questionnaire was used to evaluate and discuss the design model. An impact-centered sustainable positive design model was proposed, which includes the important impact dimensions of sensory experience and meaningful experience on users’ quality of life at different levels: healthy living (pleasure index, health behavior), harmonious community (social connectivity, social contribution), and livable environment (living environment, environmental contribution). Based on positive experience related theory, this study takes long-term impacts as the starting point for sustainable positive experience design, which helps designers to generate design concepts from a systematic and long-term perspective.

In conclusion, this qualitative exploration has unveiled the profound and essential impact of music on psychological well-being, especially in the post-pandemic world. Through in-depth literature reviews, informal interviews, and observations with thirty CAS participants from SMC, the researcher uncovered ten salient themes that collectively illustrate music's multifaceted role as a potent remedy. These findings showcase how music serves as an emotional outlet, a cognitive enhancer, and a source of inspiration. The emotional depth and spiritual resonance participants associate with music underscore its capacity to address diverse human needs, making it an indispensable tool in navigating the complexities of our post-pandemic reality. Moreover, the cognitive benefits observed, such as improved concentration and focus, are particularly pertinent in the context of remote work and education, highlighting music's necessity in our daily lives. Additionally, this study emphasizes the vital role of virtual music communities in fostering social connections, even amidst physical isolation, further underscoring the enduring relevance of music in these challenging times. This research contributes to the expanding knowledge of music's impact on well-being, offering a holistic perspective encompassing spiritual, emotional, social, and cognitive dimensions. It enriches existing music psychology theories and invites further exploration into the mechanisms underpinning music's diverse effects. These insights have practical implications for fields such as mental health, education, and remote work, where music can be utilized as an essential tool for stress reduction and emotional regulation. This is highlighted further in the Suggested songs that can help sought the mind, body, spirit and soul. Looking ahead, future research could delve deeper into the long-term impact of music engagement on well-being and explore the universality of music's benefits through cross-cultural studies. Overall, music, as illuminated by this study, stands as a timeless and indispensable companion, offering solace, inspiration, vitality, and connection in the face of any contemporary challenges.

To solve the problem of deformation and stress in segments when a full-face hard rock tunnel boring machine (TBM) tunnel for an urban subway passes through existing buildings, a three-dimensional mechanical calculation model of TBM tunneling under existing buildings was established based on numerical analysis to comprehensively study the spatial attributes of tunnel segments during TBM tunneling. The Qingdao Metro Line 1 TBM tunnel in the hard rock stratum of Xiaobei District passes through existing buildings. The results indicated that (1) the stress and deformation of the segments were different at different positions. The horizontal and vertical stress and displacement of the segments in front of the building were significantly affected by the building. When the segment was not in the area below the horizontal plane of the building, the vertical stress of the segment was significantly greater than the two stresses in the horizontal direction. (2) The vertical displacements of the vault and the arch bottom were the largest, and the influence of vertical accessories was stronger when the segment was closer to the building.(3) When the tunnel was excavated to approximately one tunnel diameter in front of the building, the building was affected. If the surrounding rock is unstable, the excavation face may collapse and the ground surface may sink, possibly leading to inclination, cracking, and uneven settlement of the building.

In this research, we investigate the healthcare expenditure patterns in Uzbekistan, analyze their economic implications, and provide policy recommendations. The study focuses on the time frame from 2000 to 2019, employing quantitative data analysis, theoretical frameworks such as Wagner’s Law, and an economic geography perspective. Our objective is to gain insights into the relationship between economic development and healthcare spending, identify spatial disparities, and forecast future trends. The findings reveal fluctuations in per capita healthcare spending, emphasizing the necessity for sustainable financing mechanisms and preventive measures. Ultimately, our study underscores the significance of aligning healthcare expenditure decisions with economic objectives while prioritizing the well-being of the population.

In response to the problem of increasing climate change and energy security, investment in renewable energy sources has increased significantly both in Europe and globally. Wind and solar power plants are expected to be the largest contributors to global decarbonization, ranking first and second in projected capacity by 2050. Since all power plants have some impact on the environment, this also applies to photovoltaic power plants. Because of the large capacities projected for PV installed capacity, their environmental impacts should be evaluated. The environmental impacts of PV power plants change over time. Improving the manufacturing technology of PV system components, increasing the efficiency of solar cells, and using materials that are less harmful to the environment will reduce these impacts. Manufacturing PV system components is a highly energy-intensive process that involves greenhouse gas emissions. As new renewable energy capacity is built, the amount of "green" electricity on the grid increases, reducing CO2 emissions per kWh consumed. The objective of this paper is to analyze the current status of the environmental impact of PV power plants under these changing conditions in terms of CO2 emissions, land use, pollutant and noise emissions, and water consumption. The capacity installed to date will reach the end of its lifetime by 2050, which means that the amount of waste associated with it will increase over time. This can have a significant impact on the environment, which is why part of the work is dedicated to this problem. In addition to the available information from the literature, in the part related to land use, the authors also made their own estimates based on data on newly installed PV power plants and PV modules available on the market. The results of the analysis show that there is enough land both in Europe and worldwide to install the planned capacities of rooftop and ground-mounted PV power plants. CO2 emissions are at the same level as for concentrated solar power, with a decreasing trend. Pollutant emissions, noise and water consumption are not a major problem compared to other types of power plants. Overall, it can be concluded that the expansion of PV capacity has a very positive impact on the environment.

Although the similarity laws were widely used in impact fields, the scaling relations of anisotropic elastic structures often were broken when the geometric distortion (not equal scaling in different spatial directions) and the material distortion (different materials used for scaled model and full-size prototype) were considered. To overcome the difficulty of geometric and material distortion, a directional framework of similarity laws, termed as oriented-density-length-velocity (ODLV) system, is proposed for the anisotropic elastic structure under impact loads. Different from previous similarity law systems using scalar dimensional analysis, the directional similarity law framework mainly considers spatial anisotropy for structural geometry and material parameters. Based on the oriented dimensional analysis and the orthotropic Hooke's law, directional dimensionless numbers and directional scaling relations with geometric power properties for the elastic modulus and the Poisson's ratio are presented systematically. By selecting the dominant material parameters controlling similarity, three important scaling techniques with correction of geometric width and thickness are proposed to compensate for the difficulty of distortion. A clamped square plate with different anisotropic and isotropic elastic materials subjected to dynamic pressure pulse is verified numerically and discussed in detail. The results show that the thin square plate prototype must be scaled to be the thinner/thicker rectangular plate, and the components of displacement, stress and strain between scaled model and full-scale prototype behave good consistency in both spatial and temporal fields.

A toy model for the distribution of the impact factor (IF) of a journal is proposed. The model demonstrates the presence of a heavy tail for the IF distribution, which occurs due to some random non-scientific circumstances. Therefore, the use of IF as an indicator of the quality of scientific papers seems to be inadequate.

Sharing activity is getting higher attention due to increasing popularity in recent years. In the paper, the authors investigated the main elements affecting the sharing activity. (1) Literature review: The theoretical part starts from the revision of definitions of sharing activity; description of the links between sharing and sustainable development, policy recommendations and relevant regulation in the field; later on, the study emphasises the key elements important for sharing. Finally, the authors investigated how the Covid-19 pandemic affected sharing activity; (2) Methods: During empirical research, the authors revised the list of 37 variables. The study uses data for each of the 27 EU countries from 2011 to 2020. The authors investigated correlation between macroeconomics variables to determine key variables for the regression model; (3) Results: The authors constructed a dynamic regression model that can be applied to predict the number of participants visiting sharing platforms in the European Union (EU); (4) Conclusions: The study shows that seeking to forecast the number of visits to sharing platforms it is necessary to use values of main macroeconomic variables such as consumer price index, productivity index, total unemployment rate, the number of users and households connected to the Internet, etc.

The objective of this work is to compare how the gases emitted during the manufacture of the clinker vary in a cement plant, using two types of fuel: petroleum coke and unusable tires (UTs). The study is based on a case study using real time data on more than 40 process variables. Gases are analysed from two points of the production process: Sintering Kiln, main focus of emission to the atmosphere by chimney, and Preheater. The variation of CO and NOx depending on the oxygen and fuel type is studied. The SO2 levels are also analyzed, observing a decrease when using the UTs. The quality of the Clinker has been compared depending on the fuel type. The results are compared, on the one hand, with the quality of the clinker, determined by the content of the majority (C3S, Alite) and minority (Free CaO) phases, and, on the other hand, with the Kiln sintering temperature, the most influential parameter in the productive process. It is verified that Clinker quality is maintained, regardless of the type of fuel used. Concluding that the use of UTs as fuel can generate an important economic and environmental benefit for cement companies and their environment.

One of the main drivers behind the urbanization process is attributed to economic fundamentals of urban growth, which boost migration from rural to urban context. This migration can be studied geographically, with increasing rates of population as the main component in developing countries, over Asia and Africa, specifically. Research has been focusing in creating models and adaptative schemes to manage and plan cities to promote sustainable development for housing large quantities of population and preserve a long-term living environment. The approach from a smart city perspective, adjusted to the rapid urbanization condition can be helpful to deal urban issues by convergence and interaction between urban agents and information technology. At academia, few works have addressed the role of Smart Cities to face the challenge of rapid urbanization. The aim of this study is to research and analyze if strategies with smart city vision can lessen environmental impacts at cases with rapid urbanization, and how can we leverage technology to promote environmental sustainability at rapid urbanization phenomena occurring at developing countries using RIAM environmental assessment method in the case of Beijing, China'.

We report the experiences of the bike sharing system in Ningbo, China. To analyze the impact of the system, system log data are collected for the whole month of May 2014 (with more than 1.7 million usage records), supplemented by questionnaire data from 1,856 respondents. Our results show that public bike usage follows the same pattern as road traffic, with morning and evening peaks on week days. In terms of mode substitution, 16% of public bike trips would have been made by private cars. In average, each public bike is used 3.7 times per day, with each trip lasting around 23 minutes and covering around 3.5 kilometre. This translates into a reduction of car travel by more than 11 million kilometre per year, a significant contribution to the sustainability of urban transport in Ningbo.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 poses a devastating threat to human society in terms of health, economy and lifestyle. Establishing accurate and real-time models to predict and assess the impact of the epidemic on the economy is instructive. We have designed a new model to quantitatively assess the impact of the COVID-19 on the economy of China’s mainland. The nominal GDP in the Q1 of 2020 that we predicted for China’s mainland with the Baidu Mi-gration Data is RMB 20,785.7 billion, which is less by 3.59% than that in 2019. The estimated val-ue is confirmed roughly by the official report released in April 17, 2020 (RMB 20,650 billion, 6.8% year-on-year declined). Strict control measures during the epidemic have greatly reduced Chi-na's economic activity and had a serious impact on the country's economy. Orderly promotion of population mobility plays a decisive role in economic recovery.

This paper summarizes opinions on the economic impacts of horticulture research and extension at MSU Coastal Research and Extension Center. More than 8,400 horticulture producers, master gardeners, research and extension staff, and non-profit organizations participated in horticulture events during the last five years. Qualitative assessments of horticulture research and extension performed by the faculty and staff were solicited during voluntary surveys.

Introduction In 2016 the European Union setup its first structured food provision program to combat food insecurity. We aimed to measure the program’s capacity in assisting its beneficiaries to achieve a healthy diet and measure their satisfaction. Methods A computational study was carried out to calculate daily food provision per person under the program for January 2016-December 2017. A cross sectional survey in 3942 beneficiaries took place in December 2017-June 2018 collecting anthropometric, sociodemographic and program satisfaction data. Descriptive statistics were performed and reported as relatively frequencies, mean ± standard deviation. Results Dairy, fresh meat, legumes, sugar, olive oil and tomato concentrate were the most commonly procured items. The program’s contribution to vegetable, dairy and cereal intake was the lowest (3.4%, 6.1%, 6.0% respectively) as opposed to free sugars (12.2%) and oils (24.5%). The program’s algorithm favors greatly (almost 3-fold) single person applications compared to 4+ persons applications. The monetary value was estimated at 21.23±23.4 euros/food provision, however 64.4% of beneficiaries reported a high positive impact on the household budget. 50.7% and 41.6% reported high positive impact on feelings of anxiety and security, respectively. ~70% of the beneficiaries were highly satisfied with the foods provided, with lower scores for quality and shelf-life (50.7% and 58.8% high respectively). Conclusions The program is met by high beneficiary satisfaction and is perceived as a substantial assistance. Increases in the amounts and variety of foods delivered, with a focus on fruit, vegetables and fish should be considered, to further improve the program’s dietary impact.

Due to the high solar irradiance or energy price, certain regions in the U.S. may reach 100% PV penetration and experience degradation of frequency response greater than the interconnection as a whole. Therefore, in this section, the 100% PV penetration region in each interconnection is simulated to study the local high PV penetration effects. The study was performed by quantifying RoCoF, frequency nadir, and settling frequency at different regional PV penetration levels. The impact of high regional PV penetration on the compliance of grid code on frequency response is also studied.

Introduction: Pharmaceutical products are inevitable for human health. Owing to the growing need for pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical companies introduce drugs annually into the market in addition to the extensive collection of existing pharmaceutical products. Households, farms, health facilities, and pharmaceutical industries release pharmaceutical waste into the environment at low concentrations through routine pharmaceutical use, damage, and expiry. The effects of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) on non-target species in the environment are not known. Over the years, pharmaceuticals such as diclofenac and ibuprofen in trace amounts have been detected in public water systems, ground and surface water. Unwanted medicines should be safely disposed of at a reduced financial cost to mitigate the public and environmental health risks. Lack of general knowledge of how to dispose of unused pharmaceuticals leads to improper disposal resulting in accidental toxicity, rising healthcare costs, landfills pilfering/scavenging, water supply pollution, anti-microbial resistance, and death. To mitigate such effects, pharmacists should raise public awareness about safe disposal practices. Objective: This review aims to examine the sources of pharmaceutical waste, disposal costs, secure disposal methods, the effects of inappropriate disposal, and the role of pharmacists in the disposal. Method: The information on the stated objectives was gathered from available sources through a comprehensive literature review. Conclusion: Many countries contain tons of pharmaceutical waste that are expensive to destroy. Because of improper disposal, pharmaceutical waste has been found at trace amounts in drinking and surface water. A practical, environmentally sustainable approach to pharmaceutical waste management, with policies and guidelines, and public awareness campaigns, are necessary to address the problem of safe waste disposal. The national drug regulatory bodies should conduct environmental risk assessment resulting from the disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals. Pharmacists should facilitate extensive training on sustainable drug use and proper pharmaceutical waste disposal at all levels to reduce the risks associated with improper disposal. Reduction of pharmaceutical waste generation at each step of a drug’s lifecycle, implementing takeback options, collection at approved sites, and modern technology to treat wastewater are highly recommended to reduce the effects of unwanted pharmaceuticals on human health and the environment.

This paper revisits a classic problem in physics - Hertz elastic dynamics of two colliding elastic spheres. This study obtains impact period in terms of hypergeometric function and successfully combines Deresiewicz's three segmental solutions into one single solution. Our numerical investigation confirms that Deresiewicz's inversion is a good approximation. As an essential part of this study, a general Maple code is provided.

Background and Research Highlights: Despite all the concerns and initiatives, natural resources like forests, as well as biodiversity are decreasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Conservation is considered as one of the major tools to prevent such loss and rapid degradation. Evidence around the world shows the adverse effects of conservation laws and policies on indigenous peoples and other local communities. Objectives: This study was conducted in one of the forest-dependent communities situated in Sundarban (world’s largest mangrove forest) to understand the impact of conservation laws and policies on their livelihood. Materials and Methods: A qualitative methodology was designed to collect data, using focus group discussions and case study with community people, and individual interviews with the personnel from NGOs and relevant government departments. Findings: Strict conservation policies and restrictions in accessing forest resources made lives and livelihoods of the local community insecure and unstable, thus putting the community in a vulnerable situation. The had to leave their traditional mode of income and look for alternative livelihood options. Almost no evidence was found in relation to upkeeping their rights in conservation activities. Prohibited movement, provision of punishment for entering into the forest without proper permission and struggles in everyday life were some of the highlighted issues. They had no participation in conservation activities, management of alternative livelihood options, and even they were not sensitized before putting restrictions. Although they had a history of emotional and physical attachment with the forest, existing activities did not consider these issues. In addition, corruption and abuse of power by law enforcement agencies towards the local community intensified the sufferings. Conclusion: This study argues that the realization of human rights in conservation activities and the sensitization of the implementing stakeholders are prerequisites for ensuring the sustainability of both biodiversity and the affected people.

In Ghana, about 73% of households rely on solid fuels for cooking. Over 13,000 annual deaths are attributed to exposure to indoor air pollution from inefficient combustion. In this study, assessment of thermal efficiency, emissions and total global warming impact of three cookstoves commonly used in Ghana was completed using IWA water boiling test (WBT) protocol. Statistical averages of three replicate tests for each cookstove were computed. Thermal efficiency results were: wood-burning cookstove 12.2% (Tier 0), traditional charcoal cookstove 23.3% (Tier 1-2) and improved charcoal cookstove 30% (Tier 2-3). The wood-burning cookstove emitted more CO, CO2 and PM2.5 than charcoal cookstove (coalpot) and improved cookstove. Emission factor for PM2.5 and emission rate for the wood-burning cookstove (Tier 0) were over four times higher than the traditional charcoal cookstove (Tier 3) and improved cookstove (Tier 2). On the basis of WBT, annual global warming impact potential for emissions are estimated at 4 tonnes of CO2e for the wood-burning cookstove, 1.5 tonnes of CO2e for charcoal cookstove (coalpot) and 1 tonne of CO2e for improved cookstove. We conclude that there is the need for awareness, policy and incentives to enable end-users switch to improved cookstoves for increased efficiency, reduced emissions/global warming impact.

ackground: The swift assimilation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across multiple industries is altering the worldwide economic terrain. Unprecedented opportunities and difficulties are brought about by this revolutionary technology, which has an impact on innovation, trade, labor markets, and security. Objective: The goal of this study is to thoroughly investigate the economic effects of AI by exploring how it may affect labor markets, innovation, trade internationally, and security. The goal is to offer insights that support strategic decision-making and policy formation by examining current trends, opportunities, and difficulties. Results: The research highlights the dual character of artificial intelligence's influence, highlighting both its potential to spur economic expansion and its drawbacks, including the loss of jobs, a lack of standards, and security issues. The study highlights how crucial cooperation is to overcoming these obstacles and realizing AI's full potential. Conclusion: The balancing opportunities and risks becomes critical as AI continues to change the economic landscape. The report promotes proactive steps including ethical AI design guidelines, ongoing worker retraining, and flexible regulatory strategies. As we shape an AI future that puts inclusion, creativity, and responsible governance first, collaboration emerges as a key theme.

Background: Protein CCDC186 is involved in the maturation of dense core vesicles in the trans-Golgi network in neurons and endocrine cells. To date, only one patient, within a large sequencing study of 1000 cases, and a single case report with variants in CCDC186 had previously been described. However, no functional studies in any of these two cases had been performed. Methods: Exome sequencing from one affected individual of each family was performed. In addition, Sanger sequencing of the parents and one of the affected siblings was also performed. CCDC186 protein was assessed in cultured fibroblasts or muscle tissue by western blot. Transcriptomic analysis was done by means of RNA sequencing. Results. We identified three patients from two gypsy families, unrelated to each other, with the same homozygous mutations in CCDC186 gene. Clinically, all patients presented with seizures, frontotemporal atrophy, hypomyelination, recurrent infections, and endocrine disturbances such as severe non ketotic hypoglycemia. Low levels of cortisol, insulin or growth hormone could only be verified in one patient. All of them had a neonatal onset and died between 7 months and 4 years of age. WES identified a homozygous variant in CCDC186 gene (c.2215C>T, p.Arg739Ter) in the index patients of both families. Protein expression studies demonstrated that the CCDC186 was practically undetectable in fibroblasts and muscle tissue. These observations correlated perfectly with the transcriptomic analysis performed in fibroblasts in one of the patients, which showed a significant reduction of CCDC186 mRNA levels. Conclusion. Our study provides functional evidence that mutations in this gene have a pathogenic effect on the protein and reinforces CCDC186 as a new disease-associated gene. In addition, mutations in CCDC186 could explain the combined endocrine and neurologic alterations detected in our patients

This paper aims at trying to answer the question of whether a low cost drone equipped with a regular camera can serve as a simple device to estimate the size of objects. Ad-ditionally, it assesses if the accuracy of measurement is good enough for using a drone for measurements, relying solely on GPS position and camera. A review of the literature pertaining to ground object measurements was conducted. The availability of such in-struments was evaluated in terms of purchase and rental costs, the number of instru-ments on the market, and the time to obtain them. The most common measurement methods were considered and their unit costs were reviewed. The cost of professional surveying and measuring equipment was compared to the possibility of using low-cost, non-commercial drones to measure objects and surfaces. The quality of the images ob-tained was compared with high-resolution satellite systems. Is an ordinary drone with a standard camera suitable for length measurement without professional measuring equipment? Should the results be considered only in the category of size estimation?

One of the key issues in sustainable tourism research is the gap between tourists' expressed friendly attitudes towards sustainable behaviors and their actual behaviors. Although many "low-carbon" themed restaurants have emerged during the low-carbon transformation of the Chinese tourism industry, low-carbon food services have not been significantly improved. This study takes food as the entry point to explore tourists' behavior and attitudes towards low-carbon tourism in relation to food. We conducted two interviews. The first interview was a semi-structured contextual interview with 120 tourists who had experiences in food streets, aim-ing to identify the core user group: low-carbon attitude-friendly tourists with high-carbon food behaviors. The second interviews was an in-depth interview based on grounded theory with 29 core users, analyzing the four main reasons for their high-carbon food behaviors and their re-quirements for low-carbon food services in tourism. Based on this, we extracted four design ele-ments for low-carbon tourism food services: low-carbon information show service, low-carbon service product attractiveness improvement, low-carbon food environment atmosphere creation, and service providers' low-carbon behaviors. Through these four service elements, we constructed a low-carbon tourism food service design framework based on the core users' needs, discussed the mechanism of service elements, and provided service design suggestions accordingly. The re-search results serve tourism providers, low-carbon tourism researchers, and designers.

Chronic pain is a serious health concern and potentially debilitating condition, leading to anxiety, depression, reduced productivity and functionality, and poor quality of life. This condition can be even more detrimental and incapacitating in the pediatric patient population. In low and middle income countries (LMICs), pain services are inadequate or unavailable, leaving most of the world's pediatric population with chronic pain untreated. Many of these children in LMICs are suffering without treatment, and often die in pain. Awareness and advocacy for this population must be prioritized. We reviewed the available literature on the chronic pediatric pain burden in LMICs, barriers to treatments, and current efforts to treat these patients.

Background: Long COVID, characterized by a persistent symptom spectrum following SARS-CoV-2 infection, poses significant health, social, and economic challenges. This review aims to consolidate knowledge on its epidemiology, clinical features, and underlying mechanisms to guide global responses; Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review, analyzing peer-reviewed articles and reports to gather comprehensive data on long COVID’s epidemiology, symptomatology, and management approaches; Results: Our analysis revealed a wide array of long COVID symptoms and risk factors, with notable demographic variability. The current understanding of its pathophysiology suggests a multifactorial origin yet remains partially understood. Emerging diagnostic criteria and potential therapeutic strategies were identified, highlighting advancements in long COVID management.; Conclusion: This review highlights the multifaceted nature of long COVID, revealing a broad spectrum of symptoms, diverse risk factors, and the complex interplay of physiological mechanisms underpinning the condition. Long COVID symptoms and disorders will continue to weigh on healthcare systems in years to come. Ad-dressing long COVID requires a holistic management strategy that integrates clinical care, social support, and policy initiatives. The findings underscore the need for increased international cooperation in research and health planning to address the complex challenges of long COVID. There is a call for continued refinement of diagnostic and treatment modalities, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach to manage the ongoing and evolving impacts of the condition.

The article presents a methodology for modeling the impact of factors of both on-farm activity and environmental factors on the resulting indicators of an international company. The dataset includes the company's profit, revenue, valuation, share price, and market share from 2012 through 2022. This empirical period is optimal for such a type of modeling. Modeling the impact of carbon emissions factors on the resulting indicators is considered based on complex systems theory. Endogenous model variables include indicators of the development of the international company. Predefined model variables reflect the influence of both the external environment and internal factors on the development indicators of an international company. An approach of picture fuzzy rough sets based on time series of endogenous and exogenous variables can provide an opportunity to analyze and consider the consequences of feedback changes in the systems of which they are a part. Based on the results of the analysis of the model construction, it is concluded that picture fuzzy rough sets can be an excellent way to model interdependent social processes.

Bulk composition, mineralogy and microchemistry of various fractions of the filling of the Crater No. 4 at Emmerting were investigated. Here we present mainly the fine fractions, which, in contrast to pebbles larger than ca. 4 cm, are relatively poor in material affected by melting. A 0.1 mm long meteorite fragment without ablation features was found, and remelted fragments of the same body have been identified. The projectile was dominated by enstatite, also containing forsterite, basic plagioclase, Ni-rich pyrrhotite and troilite, kamacite, silica, and probably merrillite. The molten fragments contain porous Mg-rich glass (indicating temperature &gt; 1500 °C), minor Fe oxides, and occasionally uncommon Ni-rich minerals. The bulk composition and electron microprobe show that the amount of meteoritic material is low (&lt;&lt; 1 %), and it is not unequivocally manifested even in platinum-group elements abundances and osmium isotope ratios (the latter, however, were only measured in two samples). This can be explained by dilution of the filling by particles brought after the crater formation, and by probably achondritic composition of the projectile. Relatively large hollow spheroid Fe oxide particles were observed in thin sections from the magnetic fraction. A Mn oxide hollow spherule has also been found. In magnetically separated filling from the nearby Crater No. 5, bulk chemical composition points to contamination with several metals and metalloids probably due to influence of recent alluvial sediments. Therefore, the extent of meteoritic contamination in this crater may be even smaller.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a profound shift to online education, impacting students across various educational levels. This research, drawing from a comprehensive survey of 1,000,000 students, delves into the surge in demand for online education during the pandemic and its potential enduring implications. The study scrutinizes factors steering this transition, the perceived effectiveness of online education, challenges encountered by students, and their anticipated preferences for the future. Results unveil nuanced perspectives among K-12, undergraduate, and postgraduate students, with safety, flexibility, and accessibility emerging as pivotal influencers. The findings offer valuable insights into challenges faced and future preferences, enlightening educational stakeholders about the dynamic needs of students and contributing to the ongoing evolution of the post-pandemic educational landscape.

Myocastor coypus is a pest animal present in Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia that causes agricultural and ecological damages. Moreover, it has to be considered as a potential risk for public health. Forty-four Nutrias from the “Parco Naturale La Mandria” (Piedmont region, Northwest Italy) have been analysed. A complete necropsy and a whole histological evaluation of liver, kidney and lung have been carried out on all the animals. Moreover, the positivity to Hepatitis E Virus (HEV), Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), Francisella spp., Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum have been investigated. None of the animal resulted positive for HEV, EMCV, Francisella spp. or Neospora caninum. Two animals tested positive for Toxoplasma gondii. A high presence of histological lesions has been identified in different organs, suggesting that lesions could be induced by different pathogens. As previously reported, Nutria can act as a host for several pathogens, including important agents for human and animal health, and surveillance is necessary, to fully understand the biological role and the importance of coypu as a disease reservoir in our country.

Obesity, characterized by the excessive accumulation of body fat, contributes to a multitude of physiological dysfunctions. This paper explores the complex relationship between obesity and various risk factors and complications, shedding light on critical health implications. Obesity triggers alterations in insulin, leptin, adiponectin, cytokines, and insulin-like growth factors, fostering conditions conducive to cancer initiation. Aberrations in nutrient-dependent intracellular signaling pathways, driven by the excess nutrition characteristic of obesity, contribute to the neoplastic transformation of cells. The Body Mass Index (BMI) correlates directly with adiposity, underlining its significance in cancer risk. Furthermore, insulin and insulin-like growth factors, notably IGF-2, play pivotal roles in this relationship. The expression of IR-A receptors is elevated in cancer. Obesity and cardiovascular diseases share a strong association. Obesity elevates the risk of fatal events like myocardial infarction. High cholesterol levels contribute to atherosclerosis in the aorta and coronary arteries. The severity of coronary artery disease is influenced by plaque formation characterized by calcium deposits. Obesity is also linked to hypertension and increased ventricular mass, exacerbating cardiovascular risks. Hypercholesterolemia and hypertension correlate with a high Body Mass Index (BMI). Obesity is intricately connected to insulin resistance, particularly evident in childhood obesity. It entails a gradual decline in insulin sensitivity, leading to elevated insulin levels in the bloodstream. Insulin resistance is a central factor in the development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Obesity also results in elevated triglyceride levels and reduced high-density lipoproteins, contributing to atherogenic dyslipidemia and a heightened risk of atherosclerosis. Additionally, obesity is associated with various other disorders, including epilepsy, depression, and neuropsychological problems. Beyond its physiological impact, obesity is associated with significant psychosocial challenges. Studies indicate that individuals with obesity face a higher risk of depressive symptoms, often related to overeating and unhealthy dietary patterns. The social withdrawal tendencies of obese individuals exacerbate these symptoms, with higher rates of depression observed in this group. OSA, a sleep disorder characterized by intermittent breathing cessation during sleep, is strongly correlated with obesity. Approximately 58% of obese individuals experience OSA, with higher Body Mass Index (BMI) associated with an increased risk. Weight reduction has been found to mitigate the severity of OSA and related arrhythmias. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy demonstrates effectiveness in reducing visceral fat accumulation and leptin levels. This comprehensive review underscores the intricate web of health implications associated with obesity, emphasizing the critical need for preventive measures and intervention strategies to address the multifaceted challenges posed by this global health concern.

This paper investigates the impact of sediment deposition and inflow conditions on horizontal impact pressure and frequency analysis of bridge deck vibrations during flooding. Flooding-induced pressure and vibrations contribute to bridge collapse, and sediment deposition influences water flow and impact pressure. The study explores the relationship between sediment deposition height and impact pressure, revealing a significant increase as sediment approaches 50% of bridge deck clearance. Sediment amplifies impact pressure response to flow velocity changes. The dimensionless sediment deposition height has a greater influence on impact pressure compared to the inflow Froude number. Two distinct frequencies, dominant and secondary, are identified for impact pressure and water level fluctuations. Dominant frequencies positively correlate with sediment deposition height and Froude number, indicating an increasing trend. Secondary frequencies remain stable (0.31-0.58 Hz). These findings enhance understanding of flow dynamics and bridge-flow interaction in sediment-deposited channels, providing theoretical support for evaluating and managing disasters related to bridges in such environments. Overall, this research contributes to the field of bridge engineering and supports improved design and maintenance practices for bridges exposed to sediment-deposited channels.

Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the lives of populations across the world. Since the first reported case of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China, the world faced a situation of dealing with a novel virus. While the physical health effects of the coronavirus was the center of focus for much of the pandemic, Covid-19 was accompanied with significant social and psychological consequences on the world populations. In this review, we aim to assess how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the African continent at large, highlighting the socio-psychological consequences. Through citing some examples of a few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the review will detail the experiences of the populations within this region which remain plagued with economic and health vulnerabilities that were further exposed by the pandemic.

The opportunities and potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Environmental Assessment (EA) are often mentioned. However, do we in the EA field understand the implications of what is happening in other biological sciences, and are we preparing for the changes that are coming? This interdisciplinary letter focuses on AI-driven developments in biodiversity data and analysis as a starting point for stimulating discussion about what AI means in practice for the field of EA. We highlight implications for training, transformation of practice and decision making as first steps in a research agenda.

Single parenting is a social phenomenon that has always been in existence and is as old as mankind, and today the number of single-parent families has been rampantly increasing. As a result, the researcher conducted a study in the Gambella region of Ethiopia to investigate the economic and educational implications of single parenting on female adolescent students. The study employed a qualitative research approach with a case study research design. The researchers used the purposive sampling technique to select the research area and research participants for in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and eleven interviewees, seventeen participants in focus group discussions within two groups, and seven key informants participated. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated, and thematically analyzed. Interviews with research participants revealed that adolescent girl students from single-parent homes experience financial difficulties. The study also explored that students with single parents are more likely to be absent from school, to come late to school, to score low marks, and to drop out of school. Therefore, having an understanding of the benefits of having intact parents for the well-being of adolescents and raising children together should be advocated.

The effect of coal hydrophilic particles in water-glycerol drops on the maximum diameter of spreading along a hydrophobic solid surface is experimentally studied by analyzing the velocity of internal flows by Particle Image Velocimetry. The grinding fineness of coal particles was 45-80 μm and 120-140 μm, their concentration was 0.06 wt.% and 1 wt.%. The impact of particle-laden drops on a solid surface occurred at Weber numbers (We) from 30 to 120. It is revealed the interrelated influence of We and the concentration of coal particles on changes in the maximum absolute velocity of internal flows in a drop within the kinetic and spreading phases of the drop-wall impact. A physical model is formulated for internal convective flows in the longitudinal section of a drop parallel to the plane of the solid wall. The kinetic energy of translational motion of coal particles in a spreading drop compensates for the energy expended by the drop on sliding friction along the wall. At We=120, the inertia-driven spreading of the particle-laden drop is mainly determined by the dynamics of the deformable Taylor rim. An increase in We contributes to more noticeable differences in the convection velocities in spreading drops. When the drop spreading diameter rises at the maximum velocity of internal flows, a growth of the maximum spreading diameter occurs. The presence of coal particles causes a general tendency to reduce the drop spreading.

Blast charge initiation procedures have a significant impact on both mining safety and production rates. In this study, the inventory benefit of an electric initiation system was investigated to assess its influence on both fragmentation and blast-induced damages. The Wipfrag software's was used to examine the size distribution and productivity of 12 small-scale blasts initiated by both non-electric and electric detonators. All blast rounds was initiated with plain type of electric and NONEL detonators. The average burden, spacing, stemming length, and charge weight were, respectively, 0.85 m, 1.10 m, 0.66m, and 1.1kg. The results showed that the mesh through which 80% of the blast fragments will pass for the electric blast is smaller than the mesh through which the material products from the NONEL blast will pass. The results also demonstrate that the generated blast-induced ground vibration (PPV) from all blast rounds for electric blast varies from 0.4–1.2 mm/s and 80–105dB, while that for non-electric blast ranges from 0.05–0.2mm/s and 72–95dB. As a result, the electric blast initiation technique was found to produce good fragmentation, with a higher percentage of optimum fragment sizes on spec than non-electrically initiated blasts.

The article's purpose is a citation analysis of the impact of scientific publications by authors of different gender compositions. The PageRank method was chosen to calculate the citation impact of scientific publications, and the citation has also estimated the impact of scientific publications based on the number of citations. The normalized citation impact of scientific publications is calculated according to nine subsets of scientific publications that correspond to patterns of different gender compositions of authors. Also, these estimates were calculated for each country with which the authors of the publications are affiliated. The Citation database was chosen for the scientometric analysis Network Dataset ( ver . 13). The dataset includes more than 5 million scientific publications and 48 million citations. The main subject areas of scientific publications in this database are computer science, artificial intelligence, mathematics, engineering, etc. The results indicate that articles with a predominantly male composition are cited more than articles with a mixed or female composition of authors in this direction. Analysis of advantages in dynamics indicates that in the last decade for developed countries, there has been a decrease in the connection between the citation impact of scientific publications and the gender composition of their authors. However, the obtained results still confirm the presence of gender inequality in science, which may be related to socioeconomic and cultural characteristics, natural homophily, and other factors that contribute to the appearance of gender gaps. An essential consequence of overcoming these gaps, including in science, is ensuring the rights of people in all their diversity.

This experimental study investigates the effect of scarf geometry in restoring the impact response of scarf patched 3 mm thick glass-fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) matrix composite laminates. Traditional circular along with rounded rectangular scarf patch configurations considered as repair patches. Experimental measurements revealed that the temporal variations of force and energy response of the pristine specimen are close to that of circular repaired specimens. The predominant failure modes were witnessed only in repair patch which include the matrix cracking, fibre fracture, delamination and no discontinuity in adhesive interface was witnessed. When compared with the pristine samples, the top ply damage size of the of the circular repaired specimens is larger by 9.91 %, while that of the rounded rectangular repaired specimens is larger by 434.23 %. The results show that circular scarf repair is more suitable choice of repair approach under the condition of 37J low-velocity impact event even though the global force-time response is similar.

Affective prosody is an indispensable cognitive cue that moderates social activities, and has become a prevailing research topic in psychology-related disciplines. The present study conducts the first bibliometrics-based visualization analysis concerning affective prosody to evaluate the influential cases, including countries/regions, institutions, publication venues, academic articles, and disciplinary contributions, and the diachronic changes of publication trends and research hotspots. With the combination of statistical results and a qualitative literature inspection, limitations of extant studies and promising research directions were also proposed. The present study extracted the bibliographic data of 1,624 articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, which were published over the past 25 years (1997-2021). Statistical results revealed four leading powers (the U.S., Germany, England, and Canada) and four emerging fronts (China, France, Netherlands, and Switzerland), and identified three primary research themes in this field, including clinical implication, measurable index, and modality-specific issues. Literature inspection demonstrated current limitations in individual characteristics control and experiment-related influential factors, and proposed two prosperous research directions. Findings of the present study could facilitate academic retrieval of affective prosody research, help concerned researchers identify thematic hotspots and seek appropriate collaboration, and provide convenience for research policy and management in this field.

The COVID-19 disease has infected many countries with generalised impacts on the different income categories. To test this hypothesis, we carried out a survey among households (n = 412) representing different income groups in Nigeria. We used validated food insecurity experience and socio-psychologic tools. We analysed the data obtained using descriptive and inferential statistics. The earning capacities of the respondents range from US$145/month for the low-income earners to US$1945/month for high-income earners. A total of 173 households (42%) ran out of food during the COVID-19 pandemic. All categories of households have experienced increasing dependency from the general public and perception of increasing insecurity, with the high-income earners having the greatest shift. In addition, increasing levels of anger and irritations have been experienced with all categories. Of the socio-demographic variables, only gender (p = 0.012), level of education of household head (p = 0.000), work hours per day (p = 0.006), and family income based on society class (p = 0.000) were significantly associated with food security and hunger due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Household heads with medium (OR: 4.36, 95% CI: 2.64 – 7.21, p &lt; 0.001) and high (OR: 30.27, 95% CI: 3.99 – 229.90, p &lt; 0.001) family income based on society class were more likely to have satisfactory experience on food security and hunger than respondents with low family income. Irrespective of the social class of the respondents, some respondents had negative experiences such as movement/change of location within the same city (17.68%), begin a new relationship (14.43%), recent change of job/loss of job (11.55%), movement to another city (10.81%), and separation from spouse or long-term relationship (10.07%). However, 231 (60.16%) reported satisfaction with their jobs despite the pandemic. Psychological stress due to impact of COVID-19 was observed to be more in the low income earning group than others. It is recommended that socio-economic groups should be mapped and support systems should target each group as per the needed support in terms of health, social, economic, and mental wellness; the government should show political commitments and transparency in food security and counselling supports. National authorities should prioritize empirical-based interventions on resources allocation during crises.

The objectives of the research are to investigate the characteristics of the board of directors on the financial performance of the enterprise. Using a sample data from 52 construction and real estate enterprises listed on Vietnam stock exchange in the period 2006-2020. Using typical regression methods such as pooled OLS, FEM, REM and assessing the defects of the research model, the FGLS method is selected. At the same time, due to the existence of endogenous phenomena and the nature of interdependence among enterprises in Vietnam, research using the instrumental variables two-step generalized method of moments (IV-GMM) in order to correct for cross-sectional dependence, autocorrelation, endogeneity, and heteroskedasticity in the analysis. Research results suggest that board size, female board members, meeting frequency, and board members' education have a positive influence on financial performance. Moreover, the independence of the Board of Directors increases, the business efficiency decreases. The research also found a positive relationship of tangible fixed assets, and a negative relationship between capital structure choice, firm size and corporate financial performance.

Preprints are regularly cited in peer reviewed journal articles, books and conference paper. Are preprint citations somehow less important than citations to peer reviewed research papers? This study investigates citation patterns between 2017 and 2020 for preprints published in three preprint servers, one specializing in biology (bioRxiv), one in chemistry (ChemRxiv), and another hosting preprints in all disciplines (Research Square). As evaluation of scholarship continues to largely rely on citation-based metrics, this analysis and its outcomes will be useful to inform new research-based education in today’s scholarly communication.

With the development of Internet technology, teachers are constantly seeking innovative teaching methods to match the potential of enhanced technology. Although many studies have been performed before , they aren’t enough in this field. The purpose of this paper is to explore innovative teaching designs and examine the impact of Internet-assisted English teaching of reading based on constructivism. The case is carried out in NO.9 middle school of Bengbu, a underdeveloped area of China, most of students aren’t interested in learning English .We compared Internet-assisted with traditional textbook literature methods to improve the reading proficiency of students, using a questionnaire survey,pre-test and post-tests comparisons. The result showed Internet-assisted English reading teaching is better than textbook. It can arouse students' interest and motivation,reading proficiency and exam result of students have been improved significantly, created a positive learning situation.

The EigenAnt algorithm has been proposed to find the shortest path between two nodes with a proof of convergence. Two novel features are noticeable in EigenAnt compared to the conventional ant colony optimization algorithms. Pheromone evaporation in the EigenAnt algorithm is done locally for the selected path and it does not use heuristic information in its selection phase. On the other hand, a simple version of ant colony optimization that also does not use heuristic information has been used for analyzing convergence, considering parameter impact analysis, in the problem of finding the shortest path for 1-node binary chain problems. In this paper, we propose to improve the EigenAnt algorithm by adding additional parameters in such a way as to be able to take advantage of the analysis developed for the simple ant colony optimization algorithm. We demonstrate through our analysis that since the Improved EigenAnt algorithm has one parameter more than ant colony optimization algorithms, tuning of convergence speed is decoupled from tuning of convergence features in the algorithm. Thus, IEigenAnt, which can be interpreted as having two uncorrelated intensification and diversification components, makes it possible to achieve a balance between intensification and diversification. In order to illustrate the advantages of this decoupling, we present experimental results for the routing network problem.

This paper focused on impact localization of composite structures, which possess more complexity in the guided wave propagation because of the anisotropic behavior of composite materials. In this work, a composite plate was manufactured by using a compression molding process with proper pressure and temperature cycle. Eight layers of woven composite prepreg were used to manufacture the composite plate. A structural health monitoring (SHM) technique is implemented with piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) to detect and localize the impact on the plate. There are two types of impact event are considered in this paper (a) low energy impact event (b) high energy impact event. Two clusters of sensors recorded the guided acoustic waves generated from the impact. The acoustic signals are then analyzed using a wavelet transform based time-frequency analysis. The proposed SHM technique successfully detect and localize the impact event on the plate. The experimentally measured impact locations are compared with the actual impact locations. An immersion ultrasonic scanning method was used to visualize the composite plate before and after the impact event. A high frequency 10 MHz 1-inch focused transducer was used to scan the plate in the immersion tank. Scanning results show that there is no visible manufacturing damage in the composite plate. However, clear impact damage was observed after the high-energy impact event.

Outer particles collision with certain dynamic object is not a pure impact wear behavior; it is typically accompanied by sliding wear phenomena. This study aimed investigating the impact-sliding wear performance of three different TC17 titanium alloys. One was untreated, and the other two were subjected to laser shock peening (LSP) by 5 and 7 J pulse energy, respectively. Wear test was performed on a novel impact-sliding wear testing rig, which can realize multiple impact-sliding motions by changing motion parameters in x and z directions. Present results showed that wear resistance of both treated samples improved compared with the untreated alloy. Given the increase in wear cycles, increment in wear rate of the untreated sample was constantly higher than those of treated samples. All results can be attributed to the increase in surface hardness of the material and residual compressive stress, which was also introduced after LSP.

The combination of increased pressures for high-volume, high-impact publications in English language with the high rejection rates of submitted manuscripts for publications presents an often unsurpassable obstacle for (early career) researchers. At the same, the register requirements of peer-reviewed journals -that can contribute to whether a paper is accepted for publication- has received little attention. This paper redresses this gap, by investigating the linguistic choices in 60 published manuscripts in four journals, with impact factor (IF) above 2; all 4 journals, publish original research papers in the field of chemical engineering science and specifically focus on wastewater treatment. Our survey shows that chemical engineering research publications tend to comply to a set of unwritten requirements: multidisciplinarity, brevity, co-authorship, focus on the description of practical results (rather than methods), and awareness of non-specialised audiences. It is found that less discipline-specific vocabulary was used in higher IF journals and this is interpreted within the current context of manuscript publication and consumption. Also, a complex relationship between the advertised scope of each journal and the actual published papers exists, indicating that guide for authors and aims and objective published by the journal's editorial office should be critically evaluated.

Nicaragua is preparing the construction of an interoceanic canal that will be the longest and largest canal on earth. An environmental and social impact assessment has been published in 2014 supporting a general viability of the canal. Nonetheless, several scientist and societal actors raised serious concerns regarding the social, economic and ecological sustainability. Despite an open dispute within the Nicaraguan society, no independent, transparent and scientifically sound assessment has been carried out. Only the environmental and social impact assessment, charged by the canal constructor, has so far been realized. The aim of this study is to contribute to an open scientific debate through an objective and independent quantification of land use and hydrological impacts. This article presents a transparently documented and comprehensible impact assessment investigation of the West Canal Segment of the Nicaragua Canal. Based on publically available data and scientifically sound and recognized methods land use, hydrological (water availability) and socio-economic impacts (streets, population) are described, quantified and compared with official declarations in the impact assessment. While some results support official declarations other do not. The number of affected population and the water use of the Brito Lock resulted much higher in this study, for instance. Hence, society and water availability could be affected much higher than estimated in the impact assessment.

Uncertainties in initial water saturation and early water breakthroughs of un-known sources and paths, which occurred in the low resistivity Lower Haushi sand-stone (LHS) reservoir at the beginning of oil production, imply that the bypassed oil can yet remain in the reservoir. In addition, the upper part of LHS is a tight oil reser-voir, which can still contain a significant amount of unrecovered oil. This opens the opportunity to produce the remaining oil instead of abandoning this reservoir. Low resistivity can exaggerate water saturation, leading to misinterpretation and premature water flooding due to inadequate oil-water contrast. Our analysis revealed a correlation between low resistivity and robust porous network connectivity, along-side elevated formation water salinity in highly porous layers. In regions of high po-rosity, sufficient oil-water contrast facilitates precise water saturation determination, affirming oil presence in all wells. However, within tight oil zones, near-complete wa-ter saturation contradicts actual oil presence. Factors contributing to saturation un-certainty and water breakthroughs were reassessed. Utilizing a 1:1 verti-cal-to-horizontal permeability ratio derived from core data enhanced simulation alignment with water production rates. Investigation into the impact of relative per-meabilities on water production was conducted. Water saturation maps were gener-ated to pinpoint remaining oil reserves. Depletion around wells is evident in lower po-rous regions, while oil persists across the entire tight reservoir, notably in two unex-plored sections.

Several Lung diseases can result in lung damage structural changes, with lung transplantation as a only therapeutic option when the disease reaches an advanced progression, unfortunately, the success of lung transplantation is limited. In this context, lung bioengineering is considered a potential therapeutic alternative and the current approach is based on the use of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) of the decellularized lung. The use of undifferentiated cells to seed an ECM can be a more practical strategy for lung bioengineering but the sterilization of the organ for this recellularization process is still a challenge. In this sense, Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) can emerge as a potential treatment alternative. Therefore, the objective of this study was to verify if LLLT, can optimize lung recelularization with mesenchymal stem cells by cytokine modulation. For this, we decellularized lungs from C57BL/6 mice perfusing SDS 1% via pulmonary artery, sterilized with LLL (660nm, 100mW, 30s). Whole lung scaffolds were recellularized: (1) Recellularized Lung (2) Recellularized Lung + LLLT. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human tooth pulp (DPSc) were seeded into lungs and incubated for 24 hours at 37ºC, 5% CO₂, in a bioreactor-like conditions, maintaining CPAP at 20cmH2O, 90% O2, and LLL at wavelength of 808nm, 100mW, 30s. Culture medium were analyzed at 24 hours. H&amp;E, immunostaining, SEM and ELISA assay were performed. We produced viable biological scaffolds absent of DNA content, preserving glycosaminoglycans and collagen I, III and IV, fibronectin, laminin and elastin and lung structure (SEM). The levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were stable during the 24 hours of culture. IFN-γ levels showed significant difference in the DPSc and DPSc+LLLT group in the 24-hour evaluation. The levels of IL-10 decreased after LLLT. These findings highlight LLLT's role in cytokine regulation and contamination prevention during lung recellularization with mesenchymal stem cells. Overall, these results demonstrated that LLLT's modulated cytokine levels and could prevent contamination during the lung recellularization process with mesenchymal stem cells, offering promise for enhanced therapeutic strategies in lung bioengineering

Phenylketonuria is an inherited metabolic disorder that leads to neurobehavioral dysfunction. The main treatment is a low-phenylalanine diet and/or the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin. Regular outpatient follow-up care and measurement of the phenylalanine level in the blood are required. We aimed to analyze the economic burden of phenylketonuria on families and the state. The pa-tients with phenylketonuria were divided into three groups according to their treatment: a low-phenylalanine diet group (n= 50), a tetrahydrobiopterin group (n= 44) and a group taking tetra-hydrobiopterin together with the diet (n= 25). A comparative cost analysis was carried out. The annual economic burden to the state was calculated to average €18801±15345 and was lowest in the diet group, then in the tetrahydrobiopterin group and highest in the tetrahydrobiopterin+diet group (p < 0.001). Out-of-pocket costs amounted to €1531±1173 per year, and indirect losses aver-aged €2125±1930 per year for all families. The economic loss was significantly lower in the fami-lies taking tetrahydrobiopterin than in the other groups (p=0.001). The combined use of medical nutrition and BH4 treatments has been shown to increase the economic harm to the state. Reim-bursing low-protein products and increasing the rate of patients eligible for financial allowances may reduce the economic harm to families.

In the field of delta-sigma modulators, reducing system power consumption without sacrificing accuracy has become a challenge. The summing circuit, as the main part of the cascade-of-integrator-in-feedforward delta-sigma modulator, consumes a significant amount of power in active summing. On the other hand, passive summing circuits have low power consumption but can cause attenuation in the summing results. This article proposes a low-power multi-bit delta-sigma modulator based on passive and attenuationless summation scheme. The summation circuit achieves multiplication of the voltage signal carried on the summation capacitor through bidirectional sampling technique, compensating for the inherent attenuation caused by passive summation, thus eliminating the need for active OTA to achieve perfect summation. A 2-order delta-sigma modulator based on 4-bit 1-order passive noise-shaping (NS) SAR quantizer is designed to verify the scheme. By combining a passive NS SAR as the 4-bit quantizer and the third-stage integrator of the system, and incorporating an energy-efficient cascode floating inverter amplifier (FIA) structure as the core active OTA, these elements have significantly enhanced the energy-efficiency of the modulator. Simulation results show that at a supply voltage of 1.2 V and a bandwidth of 20 kHz, the SNDR reaches 102.62 dB, power consumption is only 148.32 μW, and Schreier figure-of-merit (FoM) of SNDR is 183.92 dB.