This paper investigates the relationship between public spaces and quality of life (QoL) for older adults, aiming to identify knowledge gaps within the context of population ageing and urbanization. Recognizing the growing importance of sustainable urban development, the research explores how cities can foster active ageing and improve QoL through accessible and inclusive public spaces. A scoping literature review identifies five key QoL domains for older adults: autonomy, meaningful activities, positive social relationships, leisure opportunities, and health. The review highlights areas requiring further investigation, including the interplay between environmental design and social connections, intergenerational perspectives on public space liveliness, the influence of context on QoL and the built environment, and the value of qualitative research in this field. By contributing to the understanding of QoL in relation to public spaces through the lens of Person-Environment fit theory, this study aims to inform urban design, landscape architecture, and policymaking in the creation of age-friendly communities with inclusive public spaces.

The most important prognostic factors in curatively treated prostate cancer at the initial diagnosis are T and N stage, histological subtype, Gleason score, initial PSA, PSA density and percentage of core biopsy positivity. Newer, but non-standard prognostic factors are urine PCA3 and genetic markers of prostate cancer. A simple, but seemingly underestimated standard test is serum Calcium (Ca) level, which has been shown by a previous study group to be a good predictor of lethal prostate cancer, but there is scarce evidence regarding the prognostic value of calcium levels at diagnosis. We aimed to determine whether a Ca level in the upper part of normal values has a prognostic value in curatively treated prostate cancer. We have retrospectively included 84 consecutive patients with prostate cancer, who underwent curative radiotherapy (primary or adjuvant; external beam RT with or without brachytherapy). We have performed statistical analysis of available prognostic factors. Ca level at diagnosis was found to be a statistically significant predictor of disease-free survival.

Newborn screening (NBS) is hailed as a public health success, but little is known about long-term outcomes following a positive newborn screen. There has been difficulty gathering long-term follow-up (LTFU) data consistently, reliably, and with minimal effort. Six programs developed and tested a core set of minimal LTFU data elements. After an iterative data collection process and the development of a data collection tool, the group agreed on minimal LTFU data elements. The denominator captured all infants with an NBS diagnosis, accounting for children who moved or died prior to the follow-up year. They also agreed on three LTFU outcomes: if the child was still alive, had contact with a specialist, and received appropriate care specific to their diagnosis within the year. The six programs representing NBS public health programs, clinical providers, and research programs provided data across multiple NBS disorders. In 2022, 83.8% (563/672) of the children identified by the LTFU programs were alive and living in the jurisdiction; of those, 92.0% (518/563) saw a specialist, and 87.7% (494/563) received appropriate care. The core LTFU data elements can be applied as a foundation to address the impact of early diagnosis by NBS within and across jurisdictions.

While numerous studies have explored the correlation between the built environment and ride-hailing demand, few have assessed their nonlinear interplay. Utilizing ride-hailing order data and multi-source built environment data from Nanjing, China, this paper uses the machine learning method, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), combined with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and Partial Dependence Plots (PDP) to investigate the impact of built environment factors on ride-hailing travel demand, including their non-linear and threshold effects. The findings reveal that dining facilities have the most significant impact, with a contribution rate of 30.75%, on predicting ride-hailing travel demand. Additionally, financial, corporate, and medical facilities also exert considerable influence. The built environment factors need to reach a certain threshold or within a certain range to maximize the impact of ride-hailing travel demand. population density, land use mix and distance to the subway station collectively influence ride-hailing demand. The results are helpful for TNCs to allocate network ride-hailing resources reasonably and effectively.

Wildfires present a significant risk to societies globally due to population growth, con- centrated activities, climate change, and extreme environmental conditions. To establish effective fire suppression and management policies, it is crucial to determine whether the distance between ignition points and urban areas is increasing or decreasing. This study analyses 101,597 fires in Spain and California between 2007 and 2015, using the Mann-Kendall test to determine trends. The study analyses the location and cause of fires to determine their distance from human constructions over time at two spatial scales. The findings suggest that wildfires are not moving away from buildings and, in some areas, are moving significantly closer.

This paper critically reviews the correlation between the built environment and sociology as it pertains to residential segregation and social housing policy in Iran. The objective is to identify design strategies that minimize the risk of social isolation, promote social interaction, and foster a sense of community within affordable housing zones. The literature review includes existing research on urban segregation and social sustainability, with a focus on architectural solutions. Case studies are utilized to exemplify both positive and negative social outcomes related to urban segregation and identify effective design elements. The findings highlight the complex nature of residential segregation and its impact on social isolation, social capital, and social exclusion. The built environment contributes to the problem by facilitating the creation of isolated communities, and architects have a crucial role in addressing them. The results suggest that a comprehensive social housing policy is necessary to improve the quality of social housing and reduce residential segregation in Iran. Finally, the paper provides practical design strategies to promote social interaction, enhance accessibility and mobility, create mixed-use developments, and incorporate sustainable design features in social housing policy. By using design strategies that support social sustainability and inclusiveness, architects can create thriving and sustainable urban environments that prioritize the needs of marginalized communities.

. Background/Objectives: Crohn's disease is a chronic and debilitating intestinal disorder that alternates between remission and active flare-ups, often leading to hospitalization. Social support is known to enhance adaptation to the disease and modulate stress perception in patients, while stress may exacerbate symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the roles of perceived stress and social support in Crohn's disease and their impact on the frequency of flare-ups. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted, assessing stress and social support in a cohort of 91 patients with Crohn's disease during flare-up and remission phases. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) and a Social Support Questionnaire were utilized for evaluation. We examined the relationship between stress and social support in Crohn's disease. The interaction between the variables studied was also studied, considering the stage of the disease. Finally, we realized analysis of the influence of these two variables on the development of flares in Crohn's disease. Results: The study revealed that patients experience higher stress levels during flare-ups and that these levels are amplified by a lack of social support. A significant relationship was identified between the levels of social support and the occurrence of flare-ups, indicating that better social support is associated with fewer flare-ups.. Conclusions: Patients with Crohn's disease in the flare-up phase are subject to considerable stress. Deficit in social support is linked to an increase in stress levels. The interplay of social support and stress plays a critical role in the development of flare-ups.

The number of long-term cancer survivors increases continually. Understanding their needs is crucial to ensure an adequate follow-up. The aim of our study was to summarize the current literature concerning needs and what in-fluences these needs. A Scoping review of systematic reviews was conducted according to the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Four electronic databases were searched. Of 414 retrieved papers, 11 met the eligi-bility criteria. Needs were aggregated into six domains (health-related information, health system, mental, practical, relationship and physical) and 15 categories. The lack of adequate information and the lack of access and/or conti-nuity of supportive care were the most prominent needs. Female gender, younger age, a low level of family and/or social support, and higher educational level were identified as risk factors. Employment and relationship status can affect the needs both in a positive or negative way. The weeks or months after the end of the treatments are partic-ularly critical and needs can be emphasized during this period. Cancer survivors could also leave positive changes. The variety of needs affects the quality of life of cancer survivors. The current Swiss healthcare system is not de-signed to support these people. Needs assessments should be systematically provided to ensure a better awareness on the part of health professionals and to allow an individual, holistic, and integrated follow-up.

Research into health, particularly social and psychological health, is crucial. Ultimately, an in-depth understanding of social and psychological health will more than promote well-being. Technology research is indispensable, particularly concerning health and the built environment, given the need to create holistic and supportive frameworks for well-being. Moreover, because literature reviews establish the foundation for academic inquiries, they provide valuable overviews for foresight into grey research areas, particularly multi-disciplinary research like health technology and the built environment. Hence, this study aims to discover the existing themes on health, technology, and built-environment nexus subjects while revealing the grey areas and suggesting proactive areas for future research. The objectives drove this aim to: 1. investigate the implications of technology for the social and psychological dimensions of health; 2. uncover the likelihood of a nexus between health, technology, and the built environment; and 3. highlight new research perspectives for the concluding seven years of the SDGs (2024–2030). The review results highlighted ten themes around which a nexus exists between health, technology, and the built environment; they also pointed out new research perspectives for the next seven years (up to 2023).

Transition metal complexes have historically played a pivotal role in creating vibrant pigments utilized across artistic mediums such as ceramics, paintings, and glass mosaics. Despite their extensive historical use, our understanding of the mechanisms governing transition metal complex behavior has predominantly emerged in recent times, leaving numerous aspects of this process ripe for exploration. These complexes exhibit striking color variations under diverse conditions when employed in pigment formulations. This review utilizes a bottom-up scientific approach, spanning from microscopic to macroscopic scales, to unravel the molecular origins of the colors generated by transition metal complexes in pigments and ceramic glazes. Advanced spectroscopy techniques and computational chemistry play pivotal roles in this endeavor, highlighting the significance of understanding and utilizing analytical data effectively, with careful consideration of each technique's specific application. Furthermore, the review investigates the influence of processing conditions on color variations, providing valuable insights for artists and manufacturers aiming to enhance the precision and quality of their creations while mitigating environmental impact.

The licensing of new reactors implies the use of verified and validated neutronics codes. Numerical validation can rely on sensitivity and uncertainty studies but they require repeated execution of time-consuming neutron flux and depletion calculations. The computational costs can be shortened by using perturbation theories. However, Depletion Perturbation Theory is restricted to single integral values such as a nuclide density. Relying on reduced basis approaches, which reconstruct the whole nuclide densities at once, is one way to get around this restriction. Furthermore, the adjoint-based reduced-order model uses the direct and adjoint equations for the projection. For diffusion or transport calculations, Exact-to-Precision Generalized Perturbation Theory has been developed. Still, no models for depletion calculations are readily available. Therefore, this paper describes a novel adjoint-based reduced order model for the Bateman equation. It uses a range-finding algorithm to create the basis and the Depletion Perturbation Theory for the reconstruction of the nuclide densities at first order. Our paper shows that for several perturbed cases, the depletion reduced-order model successfully reconstructs the nuclide densities. As a result, this serves as a proof of concept for our adjoint-based reduced order model which can perform sensitivity and uncertainty burn-up analysis in a shorter time.

Revolutionizing Lng Plant Construction and its Comprehensive Comparative Analysis And Evaluation Of Modular Design Development Versus Stick-Built Approach For Enhanced Efficiency And Cost-Effectiveness,.Although the utilization of modularization concepts in the LNG industry remains limited, this study focuses on exploring their potential. It is worth noting that modular units typically incur higher costs compared to field erected units due to the additional requirements of structural steel and robustness for transportation purposes.Nevertheless, the increased cost of modularization can often be balanced by conducting the work at the fabrication site instead of on-field construction. This approach reduces the overall project cost by minimizing field construction expenses and shortening the construction schedule. The objective of this paper is to assess and compare LNG modularization options for a newly established LNG facility in comparison to a conventional stick-built plant used as the base case.:The paper delves into various topics related to LNG plant construction, such as the development of modular units, a comprehensive comparison of different options, evaluation of construction schedules and manpower requirements, logistics considerations, and a recommended approach for design and construction. The cost estimates and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) schedules are meticulously compared for each option. Additionally, an inshore/near shore gravity base structure (GBS) option is included for further comparison. It is crucial to emphasize that establishing general costs is not possible as each project is distinct and requires individual study and analysis.:Each project has unique characteristics, resulting in varying shapes of cost curves and break-even points. The outcomes of the feasibility evaluation play a crucial role in determining the extent to which the modular approach to construction is advantageous for the specific project at hand. The evaluation takes into consideration multiple factors to determine the potential benefits of adopting a modular construction approach, allowing decision-makers to make informed choices regarding the project's construction methodology

A new type of artificial block is proposed by modifying the traditional block. Based on the physical model experiment, the wave reflection and run-up characteristics of the new ecological blocks under regular waves were examined, and the influence of the height of the "planting trough" border on the hydrodynamic properties was analyzed. The results indicate that the wave reflection and run-up would decrease with a decrease in the breakwater slope. As wave height increases, wave run-up increases, and the reflection coefficient falls. Wave reflection and run-up increase with an increasing wave period. The relative depth of the water has a smaller impact on the wave reflection than the wave run-up. The reflection coefficient of the new ecological blocks is consistently lower than that of the conventional and continues to decrease as the border of the "planting trough" is raised. The raised borders prevent water loss in the trough, resulting in no significant improvement in the wave run-up performance of the new blocks. The reflection coefficient and the relative run-up R/H gradually increase with the average wave breaking parameter ξ increase. The crude permeability coefficients for the new blocks, New Heights 1 and New Heights 2, are 0.53, 0.53, and 0.54, respectively.

The progress in markerless technologies is bringing clinicians tools to rapidly evaluate tests such as Timed Up and Go (TUG) without compromising the time of the assessment, yet it raises questions about the potential trade-off in accuracy compared to traditional marker-based systems, suggesting that the precision of these evaluations is not yet conclusively established. The OpenCap system is an easy tool to process 3D kinematics with two iPhone cameras placed in front of the subject. Previous research has primarily focused on walking and movement towards the cameras with the subject facing the cameras (WF) and thus has been unable to disentangle the differences in the movement directions. We have compared the OpenCap system with a standard marker-based system for both walking directions. In OpenCap, we found significantly worse results capturing walking facing away from the cameras (RW). Compared to the marker-based system, our findings indicate troubles measuring kinematic parameters but provide good accuracy in measuring spatial-temporal parameters. These insights pave the way for refining markerless assessment technologies, potentially enhancing their utility in clinical settings.

The main purpose of this article is to consider the smoothness control of a weak solution after some moment if there is known solution regularity until this moment. The necessary tools can be varied. It is possible to control kinetic energy dissipation to fix moment or changing of velocity square or summability of acceleration square to fix at point time.

The feeling of beauty is one of the positive human feelings. In architecture and design, it is associated with forms appropriate to their purpose. The usefulness of products to meet needs is also important. They are well received by users. The task of designers is to achieve perfection in their work. The rational design and use of artificial living environments are expressions of concern for natural resources (sustainable environment). These issues are addressed, i.e., by an interdisciplinary initiative of the New European Bauhaus. The aim of the paper is to expand knowledge about beauty and utility. They are important when choosing mass-produced goods. The article uses research methods: interpretive research, analyses, comparisons, logical argumentation, etc. Experimental qualitative research using a checklist was used. The results expand the knowledge on the selected topic and research scope of the research of the paper. The survey can be used to rationally evaluate architecture, interiors, and design facilities. It can be helpful for various aesthetic and functional strategies dedicated to different users. The paper demonstrates the role of beauty and functionality in the built environment. They are analyzed in the context of social and technical conditions, as well as contemporary sustainable design

The capacitor-mismatch among diverse defects caused by the manufacturing process variations significantly affects the linearity of capacitor-array used to implement the capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC) in the successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Accordingly, the linearity of the SAR ADC is limited by that of capacitor-array, resulting in serious yield loss. This paper proposes an efficient foreground self-calibration technique to enhance the linearity of the SAR ADCs by mitigating the capacitor-mismatch based on the split ADC architecture along with variable capacitors. In this work, two ADC channels (i.e., ADC1 and ADC2) for the split ADC architecture include their capacitive DACs (CDACs) whose binary-weighted capacitor-arrays consist of variable capacitors. A charge-sharing SAR ADC is used for each ADC channel. In the normal operation mode, their digital outputs are averaged to be the final ADC output, as in a conventional split ADC. In the calibration mode, every single binary-weighted capacitor for the two ADCs is sequentially calibrated by making parallel or/and antiparallel connection among two or thee capacitors from the two channels. For instance, because the capacitors of the CDACs ideally exhibit the binary-weighted relation as Cn=2×Cn−1, variable capacitor Cn of ADC1 can be updated to be closest to the sum of Cn−1 of ADC1 and Cn−1 of ADC2 for the calibration. For the process, the two capacitor-arrays of the two ADCs can be reconfigured to be connected to each other, so that Cn of ADC1 can be connected with two of Cn−1 of ADC1 and ADC2 in antiparallel. The two voltages at the top and the bottom plates of the CDAC are compared by a comparator of ADC1, and the comparison results are used to update Cn. This process is iterated, until Cn is in agreement with the sum of two of Cn−1. Finally, all the capacitors can be calibrated in this way to have the binary-weighted relation. The simulation results based on the proposed work with a split SAR ADC model verified that the proposed technique can be practically used, by showing that the total-harmonic-distortion and the signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio were enhanced by 21.8-dB and 6.4-dB, respectively.

The variety of risks due to climate change with a potential impact on Cultural Heritage CH requires a multidisciplinary approach and a preliminary overview of the existing methods for risk analysis and assessment in different fields. Thus, the starting point of the research conducted by the Sapienza PNRR working group consists in a systematic literature review of risk assessment approaches, methods and indicators. As a first outcome, the research has designed a multidisciplinary comprehensive framework consisting of the definition of risk categorization, the framework represented by a measurable index and the main target, according to the classification of Cultural Heritage based on the harmonization of European vocabularies definitions and protocols. The risk assessment framework sets the methodological core of a future multi criteria matrix and digital platform for decision focused on the historic built environment and it is functional to the definition of specific operational guidelines connected to each risk for elaborating descriptive/predictive Architectural Heritage’s transformation scenarios to support the development of mitigation and adaptation strategies.

In our increasingly urbanized world, precise and up-to-date maps of human settlements are essential for sustainable urban development policies. The availability of open-access Sentinel-2 data from the Copernicus program presents an opportunity to create a comprehensive global map of human settlements, offering a detailed view of built areas on a large scale. This study estimates large-scale built-up fractions using encoder-decoder deep learning architectures like U-net, Res-U-net, and Attention-U-net in the large and complex urban area of Delhi, India. Openly available datasets like Open Street Map (OSM) and Microsoft building footprint datasets are used to derive built-up fractions at 10×10m resolution cells for over 34,000 km2. Our results show that Attention-U-net with the Huber loss function performs the best in different built-up densities (i.e., urban, semi-urban or rural) with an R2 score of 0.631, while Res-U-net and U-net obtained an R2 score of 0.623 and 0.612, respectively. The investigated networks significantly improve the accuracy over the latest Global Human Settlement Layer product (GHSL-S2), which uses a deep-CNN and reaches an R2 of 0.387 in our case study area. The result of this study yields a valuable spatial layer for examining the spatial distribution of human settlements across the entire spectrum from rural to urban areas.

Efficient commencement of clinical trials is pivotal for their successful execution. The purpose of this study was to determine and examine the factors that contribute to trial start-up delays. The study assessed 20 clinical trials' start-up stages in order to identify relevant variables. Results showed that trials with an emphasis on devices, trials that did not outsource, trials that utilized less auxiliary services, and trials that employed interventional designs had quicker start-up times than observational studies. Furthermore, approval times were substantially shortened by using a centralized Institutional Review Board (IRB) rather than a local IRB. Furthermore, compared to studies that successfully enrolled subjects, those who failed to do so required more time to complete contracts and budgets and secure IRB clearance. This study underscores the diverse impact of clinical trial features on start-up timelines. Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing the initiation process of clinical trials.

We performed urine cytology analysis of a pharmacologically induced diuresis for diagnostics of upper tract urothelial carcinoma. To evaluate the diagnostic value of cytology of pharmacologically forced diuresis, a first cohort of 77 consecutive patients with primary upper tract urothelial carcinoma treated with radical surgery was enrolled. To evaluate pharmacologically forced diuresis cytology as follow-up procedure, a second cohort of 1250 patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer was selected. In the first cohort, sensitivity of cytology of pharmacologically forced diuresis in patients with invasive, high-grade, low-grade, and concomitant carcinoma in situ was 8%, 9%, 0% and 14%, respectively. In the second cohort, cytology of pharmacologically forced diuresis was positive in 30/689 (4.3%) of patients, in whom upper urinary tract recurrence was present in 21/30 (70%) and urethral recurrence in 8/30 (26%) of cases. As a follow-up tool, cytology of pharmacologically forced diuresis showed a sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of 60%, 99%, 70% and 98%, respectively. Summarized, as diagnostic tool, sensitivity of cytology of pharmacologically forced diuresis is slightly better in patients with invasive upper tract urothelial carcinoma and concomitant carcinoma in situ. As follow-up method, positive cytology of pharmacologically forced diuresis is strongly related to cancer recurrence and can reveal urethral recurrence. cytology of pharmacologically forced diuresis might be useful in patients with contraindications for imaging or with difficult endoscopic access to the upper urinary tract.

Objectives of this study were to investigate effects of repeated superstimulation on the success of ovum-pick up and in vitro production of embryos (OPU-IVP) and donor health and evaluate the efficiency of a modified SOF sequential medium in producing viable embryos. Over 1 y, six cross-bred beef heifers and three beef cows were subjected to superstimulations and OPU-IVP. Oocytes recovered were used for in vitro embryo production and the resulting embryos were transferred as fresh or frozen-thawed. Number of follicles, oocytes recovered, cleavage and blastocyst rates substantially varied among individuals. However, repeated trials did not significantly affect the efficiency of OPU-IVP. The pregnancy rates (PR) 22 to 30 d after embryo transfer for in vitro-derived fresh embryos was similar to that of fresh in vivo embryos, whereas transfer of in vitro-derived frozen embryos reduced PR compared to frozen-thawed in vivo embryos. All recipient heifers diagnosed pregnant delivered a viable calf, suggesting developmental competence of the embryos. Repeated OPU-IVP had no apparent deleterious effects, as all donors had viable calves after ET. We concluded that multiple OPU-IVP cycles can be effectively performed for a prolonged interval to maximize embryo production from elite donors without compromising their reproductive health.

This paper reports an experimental investigation on compression after low-velocity impact response for two lay-up configurations of symmetric CFRP laminated composite specimens obtained by reversing their angle-ply orientation, namely [0/-45/45/90]s versus [90/45/-45/0]s, the impact velocity of the projectile up to the BVID level being subsequently considered. To this aim, a modified Compression-After-Impact (CAI) test device is proposed that involves clamping the specimen's upper and lower edges between two adjustable wide and flat anti-buckling plates through a removable bolt-nut assembly. Such a solution relies on the fact that the specimen's active length is shortened, reducing the risk of global buckling. Besides, the bolts carry part of the load with minor localized bearing damage, provided that the metallic plates act as washers by supporting the bolt-bearing region laterally, thus avoiding crashing failures at the specimens’ loaded edges. With these settings, roughly the same percent decrease in the average values of maximum compression load (i.e., 22%) was recorded for both lay-up configurations impacted up to their BVID threshold, whereas in terms of compressive stiffness behavior, a reduction of 17 % was found for [0/-45/45/90]s specimens compared to 6 % obtained for [90/45/-45/0]s specimens.

Keywords: Demographics, Diversity, Gender, Race, Age, Professionals, Built Environment, Construction Industry, South Africa

Methane is a greenhouse gas and identified as a key driver of near-term climate change. Bottom-up approaches estimate annual methane loss from US natural gas production and transport at 6 Tg, but recent studies suggest this may be an underestimate. To investigate this possibility, an equipment-based emissions inventory, using EPA emission factors, was developed to calculate methane emissions from oil and gas operations in the Delaware Basin, USA. Emission factors and activity data were then updated using contemporary and region-specific measurement data. The original inventory estimated emissions at 315 Gg CH4 y-1 (gas production-normalized rate of 0.6% loss), while the updated inventory estimated emissions of 1,500 Gg CH4 y-1 (2.8% loss). The largest changes resulted from large fugitive emissions from oil production (+430 Gg CH4 y-1), updating maintenance activity emissions (+214 Gg CH4 y-1), considering flaring inefficiency (+174 Gg CH4 y-1), and the inclusion of associated gas venting (+136 Gg CH4 y-1). This study suggests that a systematic underestimate probably exists in current bottom-up inventories and identifies sources currently missing or may be incorrect. We also strongly recommend that emission factors should be validated through direct comparison against measurement campaigns that include long-tail distributions typical of oil and gas activities.

Earth is a complex material with a mechanical and physical behavior that differs from modern building materials. The conservation of rammed earth (RE) constructions presents specific difficulties that are challenging to overcome. The lack of knowledge about RE due to its abandonment for decades and attempts to adopt materials and repair methodologies designed for new building products has led to inadequate interventions. In the case of historic defensive constructions, the doubts and technical difficulties are even greater due to the nature of the so called military RE (with physical and mechanical characteristics significantly different from those of civil, more common, RE) and, not least, due to the historical and cultural heritage value of these constructions. Some important interventions have been carried out recently and others are underway or in the planning stage, and there is a constant lack of information and technical data on the best ways to intervene. To fill this gap, the state of conservation of the RE defensive structures and the results of interventions carried out throughout history in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula are being assessed. This article sets out the framework of the subject, identifies the material and construction techniques, and recognizes the main causes of its deterioration and decay. With special focus on the most frequent damages detected in historic military defensive structures built with RE, it analyses and discuss the most common techniques that have been used for the repair and conservation of these particular structures.

We consider two abstract systems of parabolic-hyperbolic type that model thermoelastic problems. We study the influence of the physical constants and the initial data on the nonexistence of global solutions that in our framework are produced by the blow-up in finite time of the norm of the solution in the phase space. We employ a differential inequality to find sufficient conditions that produce the blow-up. To that end, we construct a set that is positive invariant for any positive value of the initial energy. As a result we found that the coupling with the parabolic equation stabilizes the system, as well as the damping term in the hyperbolic equation. Moreover, for any pair of positive values $(\xi,\epsilon)$, there exist initial data such that the corresponding solution with initial energy $\xi$ blows-up at a finite time less than $\epsilon$. Our purpose is to improve results previously published in the literature.

Background: Data suggest that food allergies greatly impact a child’s health and growth due to inadequate nutrient intake. Our study aimed to establish the long-term outcome of children with food allergies compared to a control group. Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study with longitudinal follow-up with a mean period of 4.85 years from the diagnosis to the last study visit. The patients’ nutritional intake was assessed using a three-day food diary and analysed by a dietitian. Patients (61 boys and 33 girls, mean age 6.9 years) had a single food allergy including 21 patients with cow’s milk, 34 with egg, and 39 with peanut allergies. The control group included 36 children (19 boys and 17 girls, mean age 8.03 years). Blood analysis was performed on all participants. Results: Data from our study showed that patients with cow’s milk, egg or peanut allergies had normal growth and achieved catch-up growth from the diagnosis until the last study visit. In the cow's milk allergy group, the allergy was shown to affect calcium intake (p<0.05), while egg and peanut allergies did not impact the dietary intake of nutrients. None of the investigated food allergies affected blood results (p<0.05). Conclusions: In the present study, we showed that single food allergies do not compromise growth in children if they are provided with appropriate support and that the affected children reach catch-up growth from the diagnosis.

Plasmonic nanomaterials have garnered considerable attention in the scientific community due to their applicability in light-mediated technologies, owing to tunability, large light absorption cross-sections, transparency, and potential scalability. While single morphology plasmonic nanoparticles exhibit substantial absorption cross-sections, their effectiveness is limited to a narrow energy window, especially under polychromatic illumination like sunlight. Integrating plasmonics with a Fabry-Pérot nanocavity is a promising approach to broaden the absorption energy range of the photosystem. Traditionally, the fabrication of these nanocavities involves clean room processes, posing scalability challenges. This study presents a novel approach, demonstrating the successful enhancement of light absorption in a plasmonic photoelectrode system through a Fabry-Pérot nanocavity created using bottom-up solution methods. This innovative technique not only overcomes the scalability issues associated with clean room processes but also enables the production of scalable photosystems that can be rendered entirely opaque or semitransparent. Such versatility opens up a multitude of application possibilities for these photosystems.

Up-conversion luminescence (UCL) materials are of great importance due to their unique optical properties. In particular, the red UCL, falling into the optical transmittance window of biological tissues, can realize deep tissue penetration depth and high-resolution bioimaging. In this work, effective red UCL is achieved in the ternary sulfide by the introduction of Tm3+ or Ho3+ ions into Er3+ doped NaYS2 under 1550 nm excitation. The main emission peak is successfully tuned from green (NaYS2:Er3+) to highly efficient red luminescence (NaYS2:Er3+,Tm3+ and NaYS2:Er3+,Ho3+). The maximum red to green emission intensity ratio (IR/IG) increased by 31 and 80 times, respectively. The lifetime of 4I9/2(Er3+) level decreases significantly from 3432 s (NaYS2:Er3+) down to 636 (NaYS2:Er3+,Tm3+) and 423 s (NaYS2:Er3+,Ho3+), respectively. This is due to the altered energy transfer pathways, resulting in the population of 4F9/2(Er3+). The mechanisms of UCL and energy transfer processes are further supported by fluorescence decay dynamic measurements. The results show the realization of red-emissive UCL in the promising NaYS2 matrix, representing a new type of red UCL phosphors.

Background. There are few studies about post myocardial infarction follow-up using telemedicine. We organized a post-discharge telemedicine service with a dedicated team. To do this, it was necessary that all stakeholders involved in the organization and use of the telemedicine service were properly educated and informed. Methods. We designed a theoretical-practical mini-course, to train healthcare personnel and increase skills, with excellent learning outcomes and satisfaction. Thereafter, we enrolled patients affected by acute myocardial infarction with ST elevation (STEMI), MINOCA (myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary atherosclerosis), Takotsubo syndrome or spontaneous coronary dissection, and high-risk acute myocardial infarction without ST elevation (NSTEMI). At discharge, the cardiology technician performed counselling for the patient; using regional platforms, televisit at 1 and 4 months monitored major adverse cardiac events (MACE), heart failure, arrhythmias, unstable angina and non-cardiovascular events, therapy adherence, target therapy and customer satisfaction. Results. Between November 2021 and February 2023, we enrolled 110 patients: 72% affected by STEMI, 22% by NSTEMI. At the 1-month follow up, 12 patients did not reach pressure target and 23 patients did not reach LDL target. We observed three in hospital readmission, three in hospital visits for further investigation and one death. To date, a four months follow up was performed for 54 patients. No readmissions or deaths occurred. We detect a rate of 96% of customer satisfaction. Conclusion. A health coordination center with a dedicated team makes televisit safe as a follow-up for post myocardial infarction patients. Before, it is fundamental for healthcare professionals the acquisition of theoretical knowledge and updates and the acquisition of manual, technical and practical skills.

Data from the WHO and UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) 2022 revision were analyzed to assess the status of routine immunization in the WHO African Region, disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the coverage with the first and third dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis containing vaccine (DTP1 and DTP3 respectively) and with the first dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV1), in the region, was estimated at 80%, 72% and 69%, respectively (all below the 2019 level). Only 13 of the 47 countries (28%) achieved the global target coverage of 90% or above with DTP3 in 2022. From 2019 to 2022, 28.7 million zero-dose were recorded (19.0% of target population). Ten countries of the region accounted for 80.3% of all zero-dose children including the four most populous countries (Nigeria, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, United Republic of Tanzania). Reported administrative coverage greater than WUENIC was found in 19 countries, highlighting routine immunization data quality issues. The WHO African region has not yet recovered from COVID-19 disruptions to routine immunization. It is critical for Governments to ensure that processes are in place to prioritize investments for restoring immunization services, catching-up on vaccination of zero-dose and un-der-vaccinated children and improving data quality.

This paper explores the latest developments in electrolysis technology, a key player in the transition to sustainable energy systems. Electrolysis, despite currently contributing a small share to global hydrogen production, holds immense potential for producing green hydrogen. The study delves into the efficiency of electrolysis systems, emphasizing ongoing efforts to enhance energy conversion rates. It investigates the impact of high-temperature electrolysis on reducing electricity consumption, thus making the process more efficient. The paper discusses the various challenges in the research on water electrolysis and underscores the critical role electrolysis plays in integrating renewable energy sources. The study emphasizes the need for continuous advancements in electrolysis technology to bridge existing gaps, making a compelling case for its pivotal role in the green hydrogen revolution.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) continues to impact the health outcomes and emotional well-being of reproductive-age women, globally. Several studies have provided conflicting evidence concerning the role of dietary approaches in improving PMS symptoms. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the possible influence of a healthy diet and motivational strategies on PMS symptoms and health-related quality of life among Omani adolescents. This open-label, randomized, prospective controlled trial was conducted in two randomly selected secondary schools, in Al Seeb Willayah, in Muscat region. Adolescents with PMS symptoms, who were at grade 10 or 11, aged 16 years or above, had regular menstrual cycles and not known to have psychiatric disorder, were included in this study. Participants in the intervention group received an individual face-to-face dietary consultation and motivational phone consultation. The health outcomes, including the PMS symptoms in both groups, and quality of life, were recorded via a daily record of severity of problems questionnaire (DRSP) and the 14-item Self-Reporting-Based Perceived Stress Scale tools, respectively. The primary outcome was the differences in the mean premenstrual symptom scores between the two groups. Secondary outcomes included the quality of life and stress levels of participants. The study period was from 1 February and ended 30 June 2021. SPSS was used to analyze the data and intention-to-treat analysis was utilized.A total of 72 adolescents with PMS were randomized to the intervention and control groups (n=36 each). Both groups were similar at baseline (P-value>0.05). No significant association was found between healthy-diet and PMS symptoms (P-value>0.05). In addition, no significant association was found between healthy-diet and quality of life at follow-up (P-value=0.216). The outcomes of this study refuted any possible relationships between healthy diet and PMS symptoms. Accordingly, dietary consultations may not facilitate the clinical management of PMS symptoms in adolescent females.

In this paper we compare the effects of forecasting demand using individual (disaggregated) components versus first aggregating the components either fully or into several clusters. Demand streams are assumed to follow autoregressive moving average (ARMA) processes. Using individual demand streams will always lead to a superior forecast compared to any aggregates, however we show that if several aggregated clusters are formed in a structured manner then these subaggregated clusters will lead to a forecast with minimal increase in mean-squared forecast error. We show this result based on theoretical MSFE obtained directly from the models generating the clusters as well as estimated MSFE obtained directly from simulated demand observations. We suggest a pivot-algorithm, that we call Pivot Clustering, to create these clusters. We also provide theoretical results to investigate sub-aggregation, including for special cases such as, aggregating MA(1) streams and ARMA streams with similar or same parameters.

(1) Background: The synthesis of core-shell magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles (MMSN) from phase transfer process is usually performed at 100-250 mg scale. At the gram scale, nanoparticles without core or with multicore systems are observed. (2) Methods: Iron oxide core nanoparticles (IO) were synthesized through thermal decomposition procedure of -FeO in oleic acid. Phase transfer from chloroform to water was then performed in order to wrap IO with mesoporous silica shell through the sol-gel procedure. MMSN were then functionalized with DTPA, and used for the separation of metal ions. Their toxicity was evaluated (3) Results: The phase transfer pro-cedure was crucial to obtained MMSN at large scale. Three synthesis parameters were rigorously controlled: temperature, time and glassware. Homogeneous dispersion of MMSN at the gram scale was successfully obtained. After functionalization with DTPA, the MMSN-DTPA were shown to have a strong affinity for Ni ions. Furthermore toxicity was evaluated in cells, zebrafish and through seahorse metabolic assays, and the nanoparticles were found nontoxic. (4) Conclusions: We developed a method of preparation of MMSN at the gram scale. After function-alization with DTPA, the nanoparticles were efficient in metal ion removal and separation, fur-thermore, no toxicity was noticed up to 125 µg.mL-1 in zebrafish.

AISI 1050 steel circular pocket milling under minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) surroundings including nozzle elevation angle, lubricant flow rate, air pressure and cutting speed was studied. The machined surface quality (Ra) was evaluated for Up-milling side and Down-milling side. In this study, to obtain an manifest explanation on the pivotal effective parameters of MQL surroundings and cutting speed on the machined surface quality (Ra) through analyzing Taguchi L9 (34-2) approach and ANOVA calculation to identify those parameters, by utilizing the experimental outcomes to interpret three-dimensional (3D) surface plots and the diagrams of Signal-to-Noise ratios and major impact plots of Mean. The obtained outcomes of optimal operating parameters indicated that the pivotal effective parameters of MQL surroundings are nozzle elevation angle and lubricant flow rate on the machined surface quality. Simultaneously, a quadratic mathematical paradigm generated by using response surface design (RSD) and desirableness function evaluation were utilized to forecast the optimal values of the machined surface quality compared to Taguchi method. The results unveiled that the optimal values of the machined surface quality are adjacent to experimental attained values. The machined surface quality has been significantly improved using MQL surroundings.

China is striving to leverage the power of science and technology to green its agriculture while increasing grain productivity. In this context, this study presents the green growth rate of agriculture from the DEA-based Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP) indicator, together with the growth rate of grain yields, and applies it to the case of Jiangsu, a major grain-producing province with a well-developed economy. It is found that Jiangsu's agriculture has generally performed well in the implementation of the two major national strategies of green development and grain security, especially in the northern Jiangsu, which is a major grain-producing area. In contrast, the phased fluctuations of green growth in agriculture in Southern Jiangsu are more pronounced, with even negative green growth occurring during the green agriculture movement. Much of the volatility in agricultural green growth at the provincial, subregional, municipal level comes from the effects of the movement of the green technology frontier led by best practitioners. Accordingly, the possibility of improving the weak state of the catch-up effect on green growth is explored from the perspective of the Chinese government-led agricultural science and innovation system; it also traces the green agricultural initiatives in the main grain-marketing areas that have failed to deliver the expected green growth, and recommends a review of such policies and refinement of the GTFP Index tool for assessing sustainable green growth.

In regions with limited precipitation information like Peru, many studies rely on precipitation data derived from satellite products (SPPs) and reanalysis products. These products provide near-real-time information and offer global spatial coverage, making them attractive for various applications. However, it is essential to consider their uncertainties when conducting hydrological simulations, especially in a key region like the Pacific drainage (Pd), where 56% of Peruvian population resides (including the capital Lima). This study evaluates the performance of three precipitation products: Reanalysis, ERA5-Land (top down approach), and two SPPs: GPM+SM2RAIN and SM2RAIN-ASCAT (bottom-up approaches). Hydrological modeling was conducted on 30 basins distributed across the Pd, which were grouped into five regions (I-V, ordered from south to north). The results showed that SM2RAIN-ASCAT performed well in regions I-III-IV, ERA5-Land in region II, and GPM+SM2RAIN in region V. The hydrological model GR4J was tested, and better efficiency criteria were obtained with SM2RAIN-ASCAT and GPM+SM2RAIN when comparing simulated versus observed streamflows. The hydrological modeling with SM2RAIN-ASCAT and GPM+SM2RAIN demonstrated satisfactory efficiency metrics (KGE > 0.75; NSE > 0.65). Additionally, ten hydrological signatures were quantified to assess the variability of simulated streamflows in each basin, with metrics such as Mean Flow (Q mean), 5th Quantile Flow (Q5), and 95th Quantile Flow (Q95) showing overall better performance. Finally, the results of this study demonstrate the reliability of using bottom-up satellite products in Pd basins.

A multitude of factors influence our well-being and health in everyday life. Some of which we are totally aware like a delayed train, car exhausts, or continuous work stress. Other factors influence us on a subconscious level, making them, however, not less important to address. One of these factors is the built environment surrounding us almost every second of our lives. The idea of biophilic design states the importance of natural elements implemented in architectural structures to improve the occupants’ health and well-being. Adding to this field of research, this article targets the impact of biophilic design on positive emotions and productivity by using novel approaches like Facial Emotion Recognition (FER) with Residual Masking Networks, and sentiment detection using Large Language Models. Two separate but related studies were conducted and their results reported here. The first study measured emotions of people when confronted with images of different kinds of architecture, via FER (Facial Emotion Recognition) and also via a user survey. We distinguish between self-stated emotions entered through a survey by study participants, and emotions detected from studying the participants’ faces through AI from our FER (Facial Emotion Recognition) system. We found clear trends for most detected emotions, and significant evidence for self-stated emotions, that architecture implementing biophilic design evokes more positive emotions than one that does not. The second study measures the influence of natural elements on productivity and team-engagement. We found that natural elements do influence productivity and sentiment positively; however, only the change in sentiment was shown to be significant. As our sample size, especially for the second study, was relatively small, future research will apply these ideas in a larger setup to acquire further evidence for the importance of biophilic design for human well-being and health.

Simple weir irrigation was recently introduced in rural areas of Zambia. This irrigation technique is based on gravity diversion of the river flow using simple weirs. This study was conducted between November 2022 to January 2023 in 3 northern region provinces (Luapula, Copperbelt, and North-western) of Zambia to perform a diagnostic assessment on simple weirs during the dry and the wet seasons. In this study, 15 single-line simple weirs were selected. The objective of the study is to assess the physical status, identify problems and extent, and estimate water diversion potential by each single-line weir. The findings of this study showed that 67% of weirs were in excellent status (recently maintained and repaired), and 26% of the weirs were partially damaged (leakages, decayed thatch grass). The study revealed that single-line weirs were able to raise a flood height of 0.1m at low flow and 0.5m at medium flow. It was found that single-line weirs in excellent condition diverted more than 90% of the river flow while poorly maintained weirs diverted below 45% of the river discharge. Based on the findings, Single-line weirs have the potential to assist small-scale farmers in accessing river water for irrigation purposes through diversion.

With the advent of digitization, the integration of advanced technologies in operations and projects across all sectors is in progress. Accordingly, efforts are being made to utilize cutting-edge technologies to improve the circularity of the built environment. This study aimed to review the existing applications and limitations of building information modeling (BIM) tools for circular economy (CE) implementation from this perspective. A literature review was conducted to provide an overview of the use of BIM tools for conducting life cycle assessments, energy analysis, waste management, and formulation of material passports for buildings. It was found that BIM tools, which are available across all life cycle phases of building, have a great potential to improve the circularity of the sector. The overview provided on the use of various BIM tools may help stakeholders of the built environment understand the role of BIM for CE adoption in the sector.

The main aim of this work is to compare and characterize the state of decay developed in a set of 14 monuments, including churches and Pazos (Galician traditional house) of the architectural heritage of the Barbanza Peninsula (Galicia), considering its relationship with the influence of the environmental factor. A macroscopic inspection was carried out to determine the deterioration patterns. The most reported pathology across the peninsula, due to the moisture regime, was the formation of dark areas (generally as biofilms) and the lichen growth (biological colonization). Depending on the proximity to the coast, the study area was divided into two zones. Zone 1, closer to the sea (<1 km) with an important influence of sea salts and wind and zone 2, further from the sea with higher altitudes (center of the peninsula) and important rainfall, humidity and therefore, fauna growth. Crusts (to a lesser degree, because it is a mainly rural area) are more frequent in zone 1, but the state of conservation of stone is better than in zone 2 due to the concentration of urban centers that require aesthetics and constant maintenance. In zone 2, however, abandonment is greater and biological colonization (mainly by lichens and plants) is more developed along with deterioration patterns due to biological damage. The synergy of several factors such as salt, climatic conditions and spatial characteristics of the architectural heritage studied define the degree of deterioration of each heritage objective. The research has a potential contribution to the conservation measures to be undertaken.

MRI is the gold standard for treatment response assessment in glioblastoma. However, there is no consensus regarding the optimal interval for MRI follow-up during standard treatment. Moreover, reliable assessment of treatment response is hindered by the occurrence of pseudoprogression. It is unknown if a radiological follow-up strategy with 2-3 months intervals actually benefits patients and how it influences clinical decision making about continuation or discontinuation of treatment. This study assessed the consequences of scheduled follow-up scans (post-chemoradiotherapy [post-CCRT], after 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy [TMZ3/6], after completion of treatment [TMZ6/6]) and unscheduled scans on treatment decisions during standard concomitant and adjuvant treatment in glioblastoma patients. Additionally, we evaluated how often follow-up scans resulted in diagnostic uncertainty (tumor progression versus pseudoprogression), and whether perfusion MRI improved clinical decision making. Scheduled follow-up scans during standard treatment in glioblastoma patients rarely resulted in early termination of treatment (2.3% post-CCRT, 3.2% TMZ3/6, and 7.8% TMZ6/6), but introduced diagnostic uncertainty in 27.7% of cases. Unscheduled scans resulted in more major treatment consequences (30%; p<0.001). Perfusion MRI caused less diagnostic uncertainty (p=0.021) but did not influence treatment consequences (p=0.871). This study does not support the current pragmatic follow-up strategy and suggests a more tailored follow-up approach.

This paper focuses on the relationship between Mental Health and the Landscape. It aims to find out how people respond to Biophilic inspired landscape design in a healthcare setting. The focal point is not to cure diseases but to help them deal with the physiological, psychological, and psycho-social imbalance and provide a healing environment for the overall well-being of an individual. For this study, a Multispecialty Hospital was selected where an Indoor Healing Garden is used as a retrofitting tool to reduce stress and thus reconnect humans with nature. A multi-method approach is being used for this study. Initially, a questionnaire was conducted for the targeted users categorized into three types – patients, staff, and visitors to know their longing for the landscape. Based on this data and available literature, an evidence-based design was proposed. This conceptual design model is then shown to the targeted user and the response is recorded. The data has then collaborated with similar studies done earlier and design elements are highlighted which helps in creating a restorative environment by reducing stress and increasing recovery rate and thus approaching sustainable development.

Food insecurity is a pervasive issue for Allegheny County as one in five residents experience food insecurity. Food insecurity is linked to chronic health conditions like heart disease and hypertension and disproportionately affects women in the United States, particularly women who are head of household. There are multiple dimensions used to measure regional food insecurity, one of which is food accessibility. Prior research has examined the linkages between food access and food insecurity, and this study aims to further explore the relationship between equitable access to sustainable food and levels of regional food insecurity. This study examines food outlets in Allegheny County to determine if there is a significant relationship between food outlet availability and food insecurity. Both the presence and accessibility of these food outlets were examined. To measure accessibility, the walking distance to the nearest public transportation stop was calculated for each public transportation stop. The minimum distance to each food outlet was compared to food insecurity rates on a Census Tract level. Results showed that communities without grocery stores did, on average, have higher rates of food insecurity. Also, communities with a higher proportion of female-headed households experienced greater food insecurity, regardless of access to food outlets. However, there was no statistically significant relationship between the distance from public transportation stops to grocery stores and rates of food insecurity. Based on these findings, we suggest that sole reliance on distance as an indicator of food insecurity can be misleading, and there should be a greater focus on walkability within the community as using opposed to physical distance alone.

There are strong indications that the built environment intertwines consistently with the advent of Covid-19 and the need for post-disaster recovery. The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic has exerted adverse effects on both human and global developments; while the efforts to combat this menace call for an integrated human social capital index. This research seeks to adequately enhance the comprehension of how the built environment can be enhanced through resilience in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. The study's goal is to investigate the impact of a resilient built environment on increasing resilience in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Overall, the quantitative study test the impact of four built environments resilience indices (Built Environment capitals; Disaster management indices, Awareness of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and Built Environment adaptive strategies) on Human social capital and Covid-19 pandemic Indices. This study reveals the role of human social capital in achieving a resilient built environment in the wake of Covid 19 pandemic in Nigeria. Also, built environment capitals, disaster management indices, and awareness on the Covid-19 have indirect effects on Covid-19 pandemic indices through the human social capital. The implication of the study is useful for Post-Covid 19 recovery; which is important for future planning of the built environment in Nigeria.

This paper proposes a novel symmetrical active-switched coupled-inductor high-step-up DC/DC converter. A new active-switched coupled inductor is used to allow much higher voltage gain of the proposed converter. The symmetrical circuit structure of the proposed converter evenly divides large input currents and reduce input current ripple by operating in interleaved mode so power density is increased. The switches also have low voltage stress. The operating principle and design considerations for the converter topology are described. The proposed converter with an input voltage of 40 V, an output voltage of 400 V and an output of 1000 W at a switching frequency of 50 kHz is implemented. The simulations and experimental results are thus depicted to verify the theoretical analysis. The highest efficiency is 95.5% at 200 W measured by using a HIOKI 3390. Consequently, the proposed converter is suitable for renewable energy generation systems that require high power, high voltage gain and high efficiency.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of three warm-up durations on post-exercise oxidative stress biomarkers, as well as recovery from the Wingate test in 14 amateur handball players. These players completed the Wingate test three times: after 5-min, after 10-min, and then after 15-min of warm-up, spread over two weeks with an interval of one week between each session. At the end of each session of the Wingate test, blood samples were taken: at rest (PR), after warming up (PWU) and immediately at the end of the test (P0), then after 10-min (P10) and after 20-min (P20) of recovery. The measured parameters are the total antioxidant status (TAS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein-bound-carbonyls (PC) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The main findings revealed that anaerobic exercise induces oxidative stress, as evidenced by changes in antioxidant status and significant increases in concentrations of the majority of oxidative stress indicators (p < 0.05). At P20, plasma GPx, SOD, GR, TBARS, and PC contents, are lower and significantly different after a 15-min warm-up than after a 10-min or 5-min warm-up. ANOVA showed a significant ‘‘warm-up×recovery’’ effect on plasma GPx, SOD, GR, TBARS, and PC contents [F(8.104)=3.61; p<0.001; η2p=0.22, F(8.104): from 1.88 to 19.97; η2p: from 0.19 to 0.61: 0.05<p<0.001], respectively. We concluded that a 15-min warm-up was more efficient than the other duration in reducing free radical rise, emphasizing the importance of warm-up length on plasma oxidative stress biomarkers.

Convolution forms one of the most essential operations for the FPGA-based hardware accelerator. However, the existing designs often neglect the inherent architecture of FPGA, which puts forward an austere challenge on hardware resource requirements. Even though some previous works have proposed approximate multipliers or convolution acceleration algorithms to deal with this issue, the inevitable accuracy loss and resource occupation easily lead to performance degradation. Toward this, we first propose two kinds of resource-efficient optimized accurate multipliers based on LUTs or carry chains. Then targeting FPGA-based platforms, a generic multiply-accumulate structure is constructed by directly accumulating the partial products produced by our proposed optimized radix-4 Booth multipliers without intermediate multiplication and addition results. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed multiplier achieves a maximum 51% look-up-table (LUT) reduction compared to the Vivado area optimized multiplier IP. Furthermore, the convolutional process unit using the proposed structure achieves a 36% LUT reduction compared to existing methods. As case studies, the proposed method is applied to DCT transformer and LeNet to achieves hardware resource saving without loss of accuracy.

The demand for improving the nuclear waste management has since long been identified as one of the major hurdles for widespread use of nuclear energy. Nuclear waste management, through partitioning and transmutation (P&T) has been researched since the 1990ies with partitioning being a pre-requisite for the process. Recently, an innovative approach of reactors directly operating on spent nuclear fuel, iMAGINE, has been proposed which could deliver on the aims of P&T as a side effect to more efficient nuclear energy production in the future. The results shown here confirm that it is possible to achieve the aims of P&T without prior partitioning, but it is certainly less efficient since the high concentration of MAs, required for efficient burning, are impossible to obtain in a short operational time. The proposed nuclear waste management approach will be a long-term effort when it is accomplished without partitioning/separation technologies. However, none of the analyses contradicts this effort – the key points are a) when the technology for treating the waste is possible and reliable, the time horizon will not be a major concern b) the waste management is now intrinsically linked with energy production instead of requiring dedicated costly facilities, delivering a promising economic basis c) the waste management is now associated with long-term energy production and massively improved resource utilization. In summary, the objectives of P&T are achievable without prior partitioning – this is a ground-breaking result. However, the approach will require continued nuclear energy production for a very long time. In case of a nuclear phase-out decision, a much more efficient transmutation scenario would have to be envisaged as already discussed several years ago for Germany.

Graphene is a two-dimensional nanostructured material with intrinsic properties that show promising performance in various applications, including electronics, renewable energy, medicine, mechanical enforcement and others. This study reports a bottom-up approach for the conversion of cyclohexane into graphene nanoflakes, which were then deposited onto fiberglass using a non-thermal generator. The composite was characterized using transmission electron microscopy, which revealed the formation of stacked few-layer graphene with a partially disordered structure and a d-spacing of 0.358 nm between the layers. X-ray diffraction confirmed the observations from the TEM images. SEM images showed the agglomeration of carbonaceous material onto the fiberglass, which experienced some delamination due to the synthesis method. Raman spectroscopy indicated that the obtained graphene exhibited a predominance of defects in its structure. Additionally, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analyses revealed the formation of graphene layers with varying levels of porosity.

Abstract：Ballast pick-up velocity is a crucial parameter in the design of a slurry system in excavating devices, it influences transportation stability, safety, and economy of the system. In this study, a vertical pipe hydraulic experiment with different ballast sizes under water condition was conducted to investigate the ballast pick-up velocity in the shield slurry system. Thereafter, the coupling method of computational fluid dynamics and the discrete element method (CFD-DEM) was employed to establish a numerical model of the ballast pick-up velocity in the shield slurry system, and its applicability was verified by comparing the experiment results. Additionally, the ballast pick-up process under actual working conditions was studied, and the influence of ballast size and concentration on pick-up velocity was investigated. Overall, the primary findings of the study are as follows: 1) The numerical method can be applied to predict both the single ballast and ballast group pick-up velocity. 2) The pick-up process of the ballast group can be divided into four stages. 3) The conveying velocity of the ballast should be higher than the pick-up velocity of the single ballast to facilitate smooth discharge. 4) For a certain increase in ballast concentration, the pick-up velocity tends to be stable.

Design guidelines and the Design Review Panel (DRP) are crucial components in ensuring consistent and high-quality design within masterplan sites. This study focuses on New Zealand, examining the challenges faced by industry partners in adapting to masterplanned design guidelines. The case study centers on Hobsonville Point, the largest Government lead masterplan community in New Zealand, which promotes sustainable and higher-density living—an uncommon concept in the country. We conducted interviews with 18 key stakeholders involved in the development of Hobsonville Point. The results show that the DRP provides flexible judgments and insightful information that better accommodates individual development characteristics than the strict numerical standards specified in design guidelines. This study underscores the importance of DRP in producing good design outcomes, especially when they are involved at the very beginning of the design process. Additionally, we took note of stakeholder concerns about DRP members' expertise and the possible effects of high turnover rates on the design process. To strive for continual improvement, future empirical studies on the DRP process are encouraged to enhance proficiency and dependability. Design guidance should be prioritised to ensure climate-related design is implemented to promote sustainable urban development.

The need to address climate change and establish sustainable urban environments has driven increased efforts in Europe to develop climate-neutral cities. This study highlights the importance of integrating solar energy technologies and nature-based solutions as key strategies to achieve climate neutrality. By examining current practices, emerging trends, and case examples, it explores the benefits, challenges, and prospects associated with the integration of solar energy and nature-based solutions in urban contexts. The study presents a pioneering approach to assess the urban heat and climate change mitigation benefits of combining building-integrated photovoltaics and nature-based solutions specifically within the European context. The results emphasize the synergistic relationship between nature-based components and solar conversion technology, identifying effective combinations for different climatic zones. In warmer regions of Southern Europe, strategies like rooftop photovoltaics on cool roofs, photovoltaics shadings, green walls, and urban trees have demonstrated effectiveness. Conversely, mid- and high-latitude European cities have seen positive impacts through the integration of rooftop photovoltaics and photovoltaics facades with green roofs and green spaces. As solar cell conversion efficiency improves, the environmental impact of photovoltaics is expected to decrease, facilitating their integration into urban environments. The study emphasizes the importance of incorporating water bodies, cool pavements, spaces with high sky-view factors, and effective planning in urban design to maximize resilience benefits. It also highlights the significance of prioritizing mitigation actions in low-income regions and engaging citizens in the development of social photovoltaics positive energy houses, resilient neighbourhoods, and green spaces. By adopting these recommendations, European cities can lead the way in creating climate-neutral urban environments that prioritize clean energy, nature-based solutions, and the overall well-being of residents. The findings underscore the need for a multidisciplinary approach that combines technological innovation, urban planning strategies, and policy frameworks to effectively achieve climate neutrality in European cities.

. Background: Recent studies suggest that acquired brain injury with impaired consciousness in infancy is related to more severe and persistent effects and may have a cumulative effect on ongoing development. In this work, we aim to describe vocational outcome in a group of patients at 15 years from a severe brain lesion they suffered in developmental age. Methods: This study included a total of 147 patients aged 1.5 to 14 years with acquired brain lesion. Clinical, functional details (“Glasgow Outcome Scale – Extended”, “Functional Independent Measure”, Intelligence Quotient) were collected at the time of their first hospitalization and vocational outcome was determined after 15 years. Results: 94 patients (63.9%) presented with traumatic brain injury, while 53 patients (36.1%) presented with a brain lesion of other origin. Traumatic patients had a higher probability to be partly or fully productive than non-traumatic ones: 75.5% of traumatic subjects were working –taking into account limitations due to the traumatic event, versus 62.3% of non-traumatic ones. A relationship between some clinical variables and the vocational outcome was found. Conclusions: Rehabilitation should adequately emphasize “vocational rehabilitation” because a significant proportion of people experiencing a disorder of consciousness in childhood may show good social integration in adult age.

Like the most of crops, especially sugarcane needs to be kept upright until it is harvested. Because, lodging of sugarcane has a significant negative effect on cane yield and sugar content of sugarcane. To keep sugarcane upright earthing up is an utmost intercultural operation. In Bangladesh, most of the operations for sugarcane cultivation including earthing up are generally done in traditional method using human labor which increases production costs as well as reduces the income of sugarcane growers. So, a cost effective two-wheeled tractor (2WT) mounted earthing up machine was developed in Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute (BSRI), Pabna to reduce drudgery and cost of sugarcane production. Field tests were conducted in experimental sugarcane field at BSRI and technical and economic performances of the developed earthing up machine were also carried out based on the field test. Average effective field capacity and field efficiency were found 0.16 ha/hr and 77.41 %, respectively for the developed earthing up machine. The earthing up machine was not found economically viable when it is used only for earthing up operation. Besides, when the 2WT was being used as the main driver for other activities including earthing up operation, then the earthing up machine becomes economically beneficial with net cash flow, net present value, internal rate of return, benefit-cost ratio and payback period of BDT 148497/ha, BDT 23184, 3%, 3.81:1 and approximately 1 year, respectively. On the contrary, considering cost of only earthing up tool without 2WT, then it was found economically beneficial with net cash flow, internal rate of return, net present value, benefit-cost ratio and payback period of BDT 16428/ha, BDT 3053, 4.7%, 2.71:1 and approximately 2 years, respectively. Since 2WT is commonly used for versatile farming purposes. Therefore, versatile use of 2WT as prime mover for other machines including earthing up machine can make earthing up machine economically viable and beneficial for sugarcane growers.

We develop the theory of Heyting locally small spaces, including Stone-like dualities such as a new version of Esakia duality and a system of concrete isomorphisms and equivalences. In such a way, we continue building tame topology, realising Grothendieck's ideas. We use up-spectral spaces and define the standard up-spectralification of a Kolmogorov locally small space. This research gives more understanding of locally definable spaces over structures with topologies.

The fixed stroke fatigue test can not simulate the real load condition of the landing gear, and the variable stroke fatigue test has increasingly become the mainstream. A modular test device for fatigue test for aircraft landing gears was designed, the automatic control of the buffer stroke was realized with ectopic displacement control technology effectively, the horizontal loading cylinder could follow the wheel axis actively with the displacement active control technology, follow-up loading along the vertical direction was realized through constructing a polar coordinate system and making the load line automatic alignment, a split-type dummy wheel was designed to improve the loading accuracy, a booster cylinder was designed to realize the control loading of high pressure combined with the hydraulic control system. The test shows that the technical scheme meets the design requirements, and the fatigue test was completed successfully. The device for landing gear variable stroke fatigue testing can be applied to other landing gear static / fatigue tests.

The metro station ridership features are associated significantly with the built environment factors of the pedestrian catchment area surrounding metro stations. The existing studies have focused on the impact on total ridership at metro stations, ignoring the impact on varying patterns of metro station ridership. Therefore, the reasonable identification of metro station categories and built environment factors affecting the varying patterns of ridership in different categories of stations is very important for metro construction. In this study, we developed a data-driven framework to examine the relationship between varying patterns of metro station ridership and built environment factors in these areas. By leveraging smart card data, we extracted the dynamic characteristics of ridership and utilized hierarchical clustering and K-means clustering to identify diverse patterns of metro station ridership, and finally identified six main ridership patterns. We then developed a new built environment measurement framework and adopted multinomial logistic regression analysis to explore the association between ridership patterns and built environment factors. (1) The clustering analysis result revealed that six station types were classified based on varying patterns of passenger flow, representing distinct functional characteristics. (2) The regression analysis indicated that diversity, density, and location factors were significantly associated with most station function types, while destination accessibility was only positively associated with employment-oriented type station, and centrality was only associated with employment-oriented hybrid type station. These results could inform the coordinated development of rail transit and land use, and the renewal and enhancement of the built environment in the pedestrian catchment area surrounding metro stations.

The Agile Building Adaptation (AgiBuild) framework is the adoption and adaptation of the large-scale agile framework for building adaptation projects. The agile methodology is proven to drive innovation by focusing on adaptation to change and user centricity. Similarly, the authors envision that the AgiBuild framework can fundamentally change the way that buildings are re-designed, refurbished, and operated. The AgiBuild framework is developed from the need of the building adaptation industry to manage uncertainties, overcome communication barriers, and improve innovation. In this study, a literature review of Agile and its impact on building adaptation projects is undertaken. Based on this systematic literature review, this paper defines the AgiBuilt framework and provides its benefits and barriers to implementation. A key finding of the literature review is that leadership influence, and adequate training form the key foundation for the implementation of the AgiBuild Framework. In defining the AgiBuild framework, the paper describes its components and how its implementation is likely to proceed. The authors propose that by adopting the AgiBuild framework, the industry can transform itself into a highly innovative and user-centred industry to improve productivity and performance of the construction industry..

A claim management office (CMO) is a new intra-organisation fit based on an organisational project management (OPM) approach and deals specifically with improving claim performance. However, CMO is either misunderstood or often overlooked in construction companies, mainly due to ignorance of the OPM context but further exacerbated by a lack of real case study research on how to adopt CMO in these organisations. This study addresses this prevailing knowledge gap by investigating the nature of the construction industry from the CMO viewpoint and developing an extensive framework through which to improve organisational claims performance. Organisational ambidexterity theory integrated with X-inefficiency theory is adopted for claims performance outcomes, due to organisation intra-firm irrational decisions when managing such claims. Data was obtained and analysed from a international large construction company (which used CMOs) and its internal focus group discussion (as a multi-method approach). The reference framework provides new perspectives on how construction-related companies can adopt a CMO structure, which enables them to improve claims performance by planning in three interrelated activities viz. function-, process- and performance-based-. Furthermore, findings contribute to researchers and practitioners by providing a true understanding of the CMO-related mechanism and plausible roadmap for future work.

We calculate energies of shallow donors confined in a rolled-up quantum well in the presence of the electric field by solving numerically the Schrödinger equation in natural curvilinear coordinates. It is found that the curves of density of states (DOS) are very sensitive to the variation of the donor position, the geometry of the spiral and the applied electric field value. Novel results for dependencies of donor’s dipole moment and its polarizability on the electric field strength and its orientation, for different donor positions are presented. Also, we found that anisotropic Stark effect of the first order provides in this structure a dependency of the polarizability on the external electric field in a spike-like shape, giving rise to a sharp variation of the dipole moment.

Bis-benzimidazole derivative (BBM) molecule, consisting of two 2-(2’-Hydroxyphenyl) benzim-idazole (HBI) halves, has been synthesized and successfully utilized as a ratiometric fluorescence sensor for the sensitive detection of Cu2+ based on enol-keto excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). In this study, we strategically implement femtosecond stimulated Raman spec-troscopy and several time-resolved electronic spectroscopies, aided by quantum chemical calcula-tions to investigate the detailed primary photodynamics of BBM molecule. The results demonstrate that the ESIPT from BBM-enol* to BBM-keto* was observed in only one of HBI halves with a time constant of 300 fs, after that, the rotation of the dihedral angle between two HBI halves generate a planarized BBM-keto* isomer in 3 ps, leading to dynamics red shift of BBM-keto* emission.

Coastal flooding exacerbated by climate change is recognised as a major global threat which is expected to impact more than a quarter of people currently residing in Pacific Islands countries. While most research in the last decade has focused on understanding the dynamics and impacts of future coastal flooding from extreme sea levels, relative sea level rise (RSLR) effects on tsunami hazards are not well understood. Far-field or distant-sourced tsunamis tend to have relatively lower impacts in Pacific Island states compared with locally sourced events, but there is limited understanding on how the impact of far-field tsunamis changes over time due to RSLR. Using the hydrodynamics software BG-Flood, we modelled the Tōhoku tsunami from propagation to inundation in Samoa under incremental SLR to examine the effects that RSLR has on changing the exposure of the built environment (e.g., buildings) to a far-field tsunami. Outputs of maximum tsunami inundation and flow depth intensities which incorporate incremental SLR were then combined with digital representations of buildings and depth-damage functions in the RiskScape multi-hazard risk modelling software to assess the changes in building exposure over time. Results indicate that present day buildings exposure in Samoa to a Tōhoku-oki type far-field tsunami will increase by approx. 600% with 1 m RSLR by 2080–2130, and approx. 2,350% with 2 m RSLR by 2130–2140. These findings provide a useful baseline for tsunami hazard risk assessment under changing sea level conditions in analogous island environments.

Reservoir in the Central Structural Zone of the Xihu Sag is the Huagang Formation, dominated by natural gas reservoirs, and the reservoir in the Western Slope Zone is the Pinghu Formation, dominated by light oil and wet gas. In this paper, the Gas Drive Water Displacement- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (GWD-MRI) experiments are used to simulate the charging characteristics of the sandstone migration layer. The centrifugal- Magnetic Resonance (Cen-NMR) experiments simulate the short-term fast trap charging process, and the Semi-Permeable Baffle (SPB) charging experiment simulates the slow trap accumulation process. Studies have shown that there is a start-up pressure for the migration layer charging, and the start-up pressure of the core with a permeability of 0.3mD is about 0.6MPa. Experimental simulations have confirmed that there is a front zone with changed water saturation, with a width of about 1-1.5cm. The migration layer charging mainly has two actions, drive effect and carry effect. The drive effect reduces the water saturation to 70%-80%, and the carry effect can still reduce the water saturation by 5%-10%. The water saturation of rapid charging is mainly affected by the petro-physical. The porosity is high, the water saturation is low. The water saturation decreased significantly with the increase of centrifugal force when the centrifugal force is smaller. If the centrifugal force is greater than 0.8 MPa, the water saturation decreases slowly. The water saturation of the trap slowly charging is basically maintained at 40%-50%, which matches the water saturation of the airtight coring from 40%-55%, the petro-physical do not affect the final water saturation.

Abstract: Background and objectives: Symptomatic walled-off pancreatic necrosis is a serious local complication of acute necrotising pancreatitis. The endoscopic step-up approach is the standard treatment for symptomatic walled-off pancreatic necrosis; however, adjunctive radiologic percu-taneous drainage for this condition is controversial. This study compared the clinical and radio-logic resolution of walled-off pancreatic necrosis achieved with the endoscopic step-up approach with or without radiology-guided percutaneous drainage. Material and Methods: This retrospective, single-center cohort study enrolled patients with symp-tomatic walled-off pancreatic necrosis who underwent endoscopic transmural drainage (ETD) followed by directed endoscopic necrosectomy (DEN) with or without radiology-guided drainage. A total of 34 patients (endoscopic approach, n=22; combined modality approach, n=12) underwent the endoscopic step-up approach (ETD followed by DEN). Baseline characteristics, clinical success, and resolution of necrosis were compared between groups. Results: All patients achieved symptom resolution from walled-off pancreatic necrosis. The mean patient age was 58.4 years, and 21 (61.8%) were men. After treatment with the endoscopic approach and combined modality approach, clinical success was achieved in 90.9% of patients within 11.5 days, and 66.7% of patients within 16.5 days, respectively. Both the total hospital stay (55 days vs 71 days; p=0.071) and time to complete radiologic resolution were shorter (93 days vs 124 days; p=0.23) in the endoscopic approach group. Conclusion: The endoscopic step-up approach resulted in the clinical resolution of symptomatic walled-off pancreatic necrosis comparable to that of the combined modality drainage. However, the endoscopic approach alone allows higher clinical success, early clinical and radiologic resolution, and a shorter hospital stay.

Background: The currently advised follow-up scheme of PSA-testing after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is strict and might pose a burden to our healthcare system. We aimed to optimize the 1-year follow-up scheme for patients who undergo RARP. Methods: All patients with histologically-proven prostate cancer (PCa) who underwent RARP between 2018 and August 2022 in the Prostate Cancer Network the Netherlands were retrospectively evaluated. We excluded patients who underwent salvage RARP and patients who had &lt;1 year of PSA follow-up. Postoperative PSA-values were collected. Biochemical persistence (BCP) was defined as PSA-level &gt;0.10 ng/mL at 0-4 months after RARP, whereas biochemical recurrence (BCR) was defined as PSA-level &gt;0.2 ng/mL at any time point after RARP. We aimed to identify a group of patients who had a very low risk of BCR at different time-points after surgery. Results: Of all 1155 patients, BCP was observed in 151 (13%), of whom 79 (6.8%) had PSA ≥0.2 ng/mL. BCR further developed in 51 (4.7%), and 37 (3.4%) patients at 5-8 and 9-12 months after RARP, respectively. In 12 patients, BCR was found at 5-8 months after RARP in absence of BCP. These patients represented 1.2% (12/1004) of the entire group. In other words, 98.8% (992/1004) of patients who had an unmeasurable PSA-level at 0-4 months after RARP also had unmeasurable PSA-level 5-8 months after surgery. Limitations are the retrospective design and incomplete follow-up. Conclusions: Patients with an unmeasurable PSA-level at 3-4 months after RARP may not need to be retested until 12 months of follow-up as almost 100% of patients will not have biochemically recurrent disease at 5-8 months of follow-up. This will reduce PSA-testing substantially at the costs of hardly any missed patients with recurrent disease.

This paper presents a comprehensive review that highlights the characteristics of non-isolated step-up converters based on high boost voltage lifting techniques. The paper categorises the high boost techniques: multistage/multilevel, switched capacitor, voltage multiplier, voltage lift, switched inductor, and magnetic coupling. The paper also discusses in detail the advantages and disadvantages for each category such as cost, complexity, power density, reliability and efficiency. The number of passive and active components, voltage gain, voltage stress, switching frequency, efficiency and power rating are also compared. Although the paper considers coupling inductors in the context of the non-isolated converter, the focus of the entire article is on the non-isolated high voltage step-up techniques. The key contribution in this paper is the review of high boosting techniques rather than the DC /DC converters. This allows divergence of new ideas and new power converters that will help provide highly efficient and flexible power converters for several applications where the sending end voltage is very low as photovoltaic systems. In addition, many applications and control techniques of DC/DC converters are summarised in this paper.

Background: With the trend of intelligent display, the interface design of in-vehicle HUD is an expanding research field; Methods: To solve the subjectivity and uncertainty in the optimization of HUD interface design schemes, this paper proposed a hybrid scheme evaluation and optimization method based on entropy weight and VIKOR. The entropy weight method was used to reduce the subjectivity the decision-maker's weighting and obtain the objective weight of each indicator; The VIKOR method was used to obtain the best ranking of alternative schemes, and then the optimal interface design scheme was selected; Results: The evaluation of in-vehicle HUD interface design schemes were taken as an example for verification and calculation. The results showed that this method considers the subjectivity and uncertainty of the decision-making process in the optimization of design scheme, which can effectively improve the objectivity and accuracy of the evaluation results, and provide a reference for designers to optimize interface design schemes.

When animals evolve sufficient intelligence and dexterity to be able to learn to fabricate utility products (UPs) like tools, the UP's they produce become part of an induced-reproduction system that intrinsically shares many life-like traits with biological organisms, including genome-like fabrication and operation information that is physically-encoded in the animal fabricator’s neural networks. When this set of life- like traits includes a sufficient capacity for system-improving cultural evolution (UP-evolvability), the UPs become ‘para-alive’, i.e., nearly alive, or a form of non-biological UP-paralife that is equivalent to the life- status of biological viruses, plasmids, and transposons. In the companion paper I focus on the evolution of UP-paralife in the context of modern, language-capable humans and its predicted evolution going forward in time (Rice 2022). Here I look backward in time and focus on the origin of UP-paralife and its subsequent coevolution with human intelligence. I begin by determining the pathways leading to the evolution of large brains in the rare lineages of biological life that have sufficient intelligence to learn to fabricate tools –a critical first step in the evolution of UP-paralife. The simplest forms of these learning- based UPs, made by species like chimpanzees and New Caledonian crows, represent only proto-UP- paralife because they lack sufficient UP-evolvability. Expanded UP-evolvability required a combination of three attributes that enabled continuous niche-expansion of the animal fabricator via a new and advanced form of UP-mediated teamwork (TW): i) self-domestication that facilitated TW among low-related individuals, ii) learned volitional words (protolanguage) that represent ephemeral UPs that coordinate TW, and iii) learned fabrication of simple flaked-stone tools with cutting and chopping capabilities (a UP to make other structural UPs) that expanded teammate phenotypes and TW capabilities. This specific triad of attributes is synergistic because each one acts as a TW-enhancer that can gradually erode different components of the three major constraints on TW operation and expansion: too much selfishness, insufficient coordination signals, and insufficient physical traits of teammates. The increase in UP- evolvability was transformative and marked the origin of UP-paralife and the initiation of coevolution between UP-paralife (cultural evolution) and the intelligence of its hominin/human symbiont (genetic evolution) that fostered 2.5 million years of: i) continuous brain size increase and niche-expansion within the genus Homo, and ii) parallel advances in the diversity, complexity and uses of UP-paralife. This coevolution also fostered evolutionary expansion of word-based communication, and eventually language, that acted in a catalyst-like manner to facilitate the evolution of increasingly complex forms of imagination, reasoning, mentalizing, and UP-generating technology. I next focus on the evolution of creativity in the human lineage –in the form of divergent thinking and creative imagination. I conclude that the evolution of this advanced cognitive feature required a preadaptation of sufficient intelligence and is the component of human cognition that was the major causal factor generating the greatly expanded diversity and complexity of UP-paralife currently associated with modern humans. Lastly, I apply my findings to the issue of the prevalence of extraterrestrial intelligent life. I conclude that any exoplanets with detected chemical life will very rarely (e.g., probability ~10-5 for a planet closely matching Earth’s characteristics) have evolved intelligence equalling or exceeding that of humans.

Nuclear technologies have a strong potential and a unique role to play in delivering reliable low carbon energy for a future net-zero society. However, to assure the sustainability required for the long-term success, nuclear will need to deliver innovative solutions as proposed in iMAGINE. One of the most attractive features, but also a key challenge for the envisaged highly integrated nuclear energy system is the need for a demand driven salt clean-up system. The work described provides an insight into the interplay between a potential salt clean-up system and the reactor operation in a plutonium started core in a dynamic approach. The results presented will help to optimize the parameters for the salt clean-up process as well as to understand the differences which appear between a core started with enriched Uranium and Plutonium as the fissile material. The integrated model is used to investigate the effects of the initial fissile material on core size, achievable burnup, and long term operation. Different approaches are tested to achieve a higher burnup in the significantly smaller Pu driven core. The effects of different clean-up system throughputs on the concentration of fission products in the reactor salt and its consequences are discussed for general molten salt reactor design. Finally, an investigation of how a plutonium loaded core could be used to provide fuel for future reactors through fuel salt splitting is presented with the outcome that one Pu started reactor of the same size as a uranium started core could deliver fuel for 1.5 new cores due to enhanced breeding. The results provide an essential understanding for the progress of iMAGINE as well as the basis for inter-disciplinary work required for optimizing iMAGINE.

Neck circumference (NC), neck circumference to height ratio (NHtR) and neck circumference to weight ratio (NWtR) appear to be good candidates for the non-invasive management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to evaluate the ability of routine variables to assess and manage NAFLD in participants with obesity and NAFLD included in a 2-year nutritional intervention program. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical variables and imaging techniques were performed at different study time-points (baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months). The nutritional intervention significantly improved all anthropometric measurements as well as the glucose profile and the hepatic enzymes. NC and neck ratios combined with ALT levels and HOMA-IR showed good prediction ability for the hepatic fat content and hepatic steatosis at all the study time-points in a ROC analysis. The prediction ability of the combination panels improved when the weight loss variable was also considered. NC and neck ratios are easy anthropometric measurements that in combination with routine biochemical variables (ALT and HOMA-IR) showed good prediction ability of NAFLD. More research studies are necessary to validate the utility of these simple and easy variables as surrogate markers of NAFLD since their application could improve the prevention and management of this prevalent disease.

Many pigments and dyes are not only valuable molecules in manufacturing, but also pollutants. Science has certainly been producing sustainable alternatives to counter the issue of dyes, but this is not enough. There is also a need for change in the business attitude and leadership approach of the organizations that operate in the industry. Only through the successful combination of new technologies and forward-looking decision making, it will be possible to alter the status quo and deal with the multiple environmental and supply chain challenges that these businesses are and will be facing. With a focus on colorants, this critical review article will reflect on the importance of both a biotechnological approaches and sustainable leadership to achieve a sustainable, forward-looking fashion industry.

Background: The annual mortality of patients with untreated chronic thromboembolism pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is approximately 50% unless a timely diagnosis is followed by adequate treatment. In pulmonary embolism (PE) survivors with functional limitation the diagnostic work-up starts with echocardiography. It is followed by lung scintigraphy and right heart catheterization. However, noninvasive test providing diagnostic clues to CTEPH, or ascertain this diagnosis as very unlikely, would be extremely useful since the majority of post PE functional limitations is caused by deconditioning. Methods: Patients after acute PE underwent a structured clinical evaluation with electrocardiogram, routine laboratory tests including NT-proBNP and echocardiography. The aim of study was to verify whether the parameters from echocardiographic or perhaps electrocardiographic examination and NT-proBNP concentration best determine the risk of CTEPH. Results: A total (n = 261, male n = 123) patients after PE were included into the study, in group of 155 patients (59.4%) with reported functional impairment 13 patients (8.4%) had CTEPH and 7 PE survivors had chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease (CTEPD) (4,5%). Echo parameters differed significantly between CTEPH/CTEPD cases and other symptomatic PE survivors. Patients with CTEPH/CTEPD had also higher level of NT-proBNP (p = 0.022) but concentration of NT-proBNP above 125 pg/ml did not differentiate patients with CTEPH/CTEPD (p>0.05). Additionally, proportion of patients with right bundle brunch block registered in ECG was higher in group with CTEPH/CTED (23.5% vs. 5.8%, p = 0.034) but there were no differences between other ECG characteristics of right ventricle overload. Conclusion: Screening for CTEPH/CTEPD should be performed in patients with reduced exercise tolerance compared to pre PE period, It is not effective in asymptomatic PE survivors. Patients with CTEPH/CTED had predominantly abnormalities indicatingchronic thromboembolism in the echocardiographic assessment. NT-proBNP and electrocardiographic characteristics of right ventricle overload proved to be insufficient in predicting CTEPH/CTEPD development.

Traditionally there is a gap between reactor operation and the consideration of nuclear waste in the final disposal. Fuel is produced and fuel must be disposed of in the view of the reactor operator, fuel has to be cleaned in the reprocessing and new solid fuel has to be produced in the view of the chemist. iMAGINE is designed to overcome this separation through the breakthrough development applying an optimized, integrative approach from cradle to grave of nuclear energy production as a first step to come as close as possible to the vision of zero waste nuclear power. It is described here the first time all in three the steps: reactor, fuel cycle, waste, providing the ratio behind each of the choices taken to come to the overall solution to open the discussion and thinking process on what could be achieved by a really innovative approach to integrated nuclear energy production. The opportunities regarding the handling of the remaining waste will be discussed with a view on the expectation of the final disposal community, the study ‘Nuclear waste from small modular reactors’, and the IAEA report ‘waste from innovative types of reactors and fuel cycles - a preliminary study. The aim of the is not to find answers to each of the raised points, but to identify first potential approaches and potentially promising ways to go, as well as to stimulate a discussion among experts. In the best case this could lead to a change of track for nuclear to become an even more sustainable and at least as important, trusted technology to help solve the net-zero challenge.

The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness and safety of AE-AE surgery combining otoendoscopy and surgical microscopy in the treatment of acquired pars flaccida cholesteatoma in stages Ib and II of the Japan Otological Society classification occupying the tympanic cavity and attic. A historical cohort study on 65 patients. Of the total, 44 patients were treated by AE-AE surgery using an otoendoscope and 21 with canal wall-up tympanomastoidectomy (CWUT). Patients in whom the AE-AE technique was performed had a lower recurrence rate (9%) compared to those treated with CWUT (38%); p=0.013. In addition, the median time to recurrence was lower in the AE-AE group (4 years [P25-75= 1.25-2-75]) than in CWUT group (2 years [P25-75= 3.25-4.75]); p=0.048. Thresholds were higher in the CWUT group compared to the AE-AE group in pre-surgery (53±16 vs 44±15; p=0.039) and post-surgery (52±18 vs 42±16 dB dB; p=0.042), but not in pre-post-surgery comparisons neither in the AE-AE technique (p= 0.89) nor in the CWUT technique (p= 0.96). We concluded that AE with otoendoscopic support is an effective and safe technique for acquired cholesteatomas occupying box and attic in stages IB and II.

The way Norway is spearheading electrification in the transport sector is of global interest, and details of its policies and emission impacts represent a reference. We used the NERVE model, a bottom-up high-resolution traffic emission model, to calculate all exhaust emissions in Norway (2009-2020). This allows us to evaluate the co-benefit of policies to target climate change mitigation and air quality. We have analyzed local municipal data with regards to traffic growth, road network influences, vehicle composition, emissions and energy consumption. Light vehicle CO2 emissions per kilometre have been reduced by 22% since 2009, mainly driven by an increaseing bio-fuel mixing and BEV share. BEVs are mostly located in and around the main cities, areas with young vehicle fleets, and strong local incentives. Beneficiaries of all BEVs incentives have been a subset of the population with strong economic indicators. The incentivized growth in the share of diesel-fuelled passenger vehicle has been turned, and together with Euro6 emission standards, light vehicle NOx emissions have been halved since peaking in 2014. BEV represent an investment in emission reductions in years to come and current sales set up for an accelerated decline in emissions despite growth in traffic.

Carcinoembriogenic antigen (CEA) is a routine marker for follow-up of colo-rectal cancers. We aimed to determine whether a CEA increase within the normal range can be linked to a recurrence risk. We included 78 consecutive patients with colo-rectal cancer, who underwent curative surgical treatment with or without chemo- or radiotherapy. As reference, we used the smallest value of the CEA during follow-up. A total of 34/78 patients (43.6%) had fluctuations of CEA of at least 1.1 ng/ml, with or without increases above 5 ng/ml. In 27/34 patients (79.4%) increases of CEA were explained either by recurrence (15/34 patients, 44.1%), adjuvant chemotherapy (7/34 patients, 20.6%) or benign pathology (5/34 patients, 14.7%). In 5 of 22 recurrences (23%) a CEA increase of at least 1.1 ng/ml, but below 5 ng/ml preceded the clinical relapse by a median of 8 months (range 3-22 months). The 4-year disease-free survival was 89% in patients with postoperative CEA <2.5 ng/ml, and 55% in patients with CEA >2.5 ng/ml. CEA increase by at least 1.1 ng/ml within the normal range, after curative treatment of colorectal cancer can be either an early sign of relapse or can be usually explained by other pathological processes.

In this note, we provide some effective treatments of a general linear model with adding-up restrictions via algebraic operations of given vectors and matrices in the model, including analytic expressions of the well-known ordinary least-squares estimator (OLSE) and the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) of the unknown parameters in the model.

The objective of parsing is to transform a natural language sentence it in to a standard order. and in a same way a sentence is tokenized with an appropriate format. There are certain English grammar evaluation rules and the parsing approach which is to be followed for the proper formation of a particular sentence syntactically and semantically using the parsing approach. A sentence in English language is the main element in the semantic parser, which creates a parse tree with the help of applying semantic dating technique to a number of phrases. A parser divides a token into smaller components by applying sets of guidelines that characterize and a series of the tokens to determine its structure of the language, which specified by grammar. The illustration provides easy records on grammatical connections, which can simply know and put into practice with those who have no prior knowledge of the language, such as those who need to obtain textual family members. The semantic family members represent the relationships of a number of the words in the sentence. We advocate utilizing our parser to acquire the tagged sets as well as a context-free layout grammatical representation for the source form. All pronouns, adverbs, singular, plural, nouns, verbs, people, adjectives, tenses and other words are kept in a database.

Electrospinning has gained a lot of attention in recent years due to its ability to easily produce high-quality polymeric nanofibers. However, electrospinning suffers from limited production capacity and a method to readily scale up this process is needed. One obvious approach includes the use of multiple electrospinning needles operating in parallel. Nonetheless, such an implementation has remained elusive, partly due to the uneven electric field distribution resulting from the Coulombic repulsion between the charged jets and needles. In this work, the uniformization of the electric field was performed for a linear array of twenty electrospinning needles using lateral charged plates as auxiliary electrodes. The effect of the auxiliary electrodes was characterized by investigating the semi-vertical angle of the spun jets, as well as the deposition area and diameter of the fibers. Finite element simulation was also used to analyze the impact of the auxiliary electrodes on the electric field intensity below each needle. Implementing parallel lateral plates as auxiliary electrodes was shown to help achieve uniformization of the electric field, the semi-vertical angle of the spun jet, and the deposition area of the fibers for the multi-needle electrospinning process. The high-quality morphology of the polymer nanofibers obtained by this improved process was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These findings help resolve one of the primary challenges that have plagued the large-scale industrial adoption of this exciting polymer processing technique.

We evaluated the usefulness of the novel cholesterol-triglyceride subgroup (CTS) indices that potentially reflect the metabolic status regarding risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) using a retrospective longitudinal study of the Japanese general population. We recruited 12,373 individuals from the annual users of our healthcare center. Among them, the first onset of CHD was recorded in 131 individuals between April, 2014 and March, 2020. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses for all normalized lipid indices revealed that the CTSqnt index showed a comparable hazard ratio for the CHD outcome to non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (nonHDL-c) and triglycerides. The HR of the CTSqlt index was significantly lower than for CTSqnt, but still comparable to that for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c). In comparison with the other indices, CTSqlt is more sensitive to risk increment while the index value increases. Linear regression analyses for the CTS indices and previously known lipid indices suggest that the CTSqnt and CTSqlt indices reflect the quantity of atherogenic lipoproteins and size of smaller and denser LDLs, respectively. Furthermore, the CTSqnt/HDL-c index can be used as a comprehensive risk indicator that may represent the status of lipid metabolism determined by the CTSqlt and CTSqnt indices and thus may be useful for screening. The CTS indices can be used to evaluate the metabolic status of individuals, which may increase the risk of future CHD.

The growing concern about climate change and the recognition of the planet’s limits led society to look for alternatives that promote the balance between the natural and the built environment. The circular economy emerges as an alternative to the linear economic model, inspired by natural metabolisms, by circulating resources in continuous loops, where their intrinsic value is maintained and improved. This research proposes a closed-loop strategy in the built environment by studying innovative constructive solutions that aim to find use, value, and inspiration in what is considered waste. A literature review is conducted on the circular design strategies, re-use and recycle typologies, and waste transformation processes. Then, the development of a methodology for qualitative evaluation and selection of re-used and upcycled construction materials from post-consumer waste and by-products is presented and then applied to thirty-five cases of constructive solutions from plastic, wood, paper, steel, aluminium, and agricultural waste. The research reports that the developed framework is adequate. The analysed alternative materials have good environmental performance and can be used as building materials despite their functional limitations, reflecting the enormous potential of waste as a resource for the construction industry.

The study purpose was to train and validate a deep-learning approach to detect micro-scale streetscape features related to pedestrian physical activity. This work innovates by combining computer vision techniques with Google Street View (GSV) images to overcome impediments to conducting audits (e.g., time, safety, and expert labor cost). The EfficientNETB5 architecture was used to build deep-learning models for eight micro-scale features guided by the Microscale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes-Mini tool: sidewalks, sidewalk buffers, curb cuts, zebra and line crosswalks, walk signals, bike symbols, and streetlights. We used a train--correct loop, whereby images were trained on a training dataset, evaluated using a separate validation dataset, and trained further until acceptable performance metrics were achieved. Further, we used trained models to audit participant (N=512) neighborhoods in the WalkIT Arizona trial. Correlations were explored between micro-scale features and GIS-measured- and participant reported-macro-scale walkability. Classifier precision, recall, and overall accuracy were all >84%. Total micro-scale was associated with overall macro-scale walkability (r=0.300,p<.001). Positive associations were found between model-detected and self-reported sidewalks (r=0.41,p<.001) and sidewalk buffers (r=0.26,p<.001). Computer vision model results suggest an alternative to trained human raters, allowing for audits of hundreds or thousands of neighborhoods for population surveillance or hypothesis testing.

The present decade has witnessed numerous investigations focussed on the determination of the mechanical properties of Fly ash composites. These composites have attracted attention, especially in the form of reinforcements owing to their excellent tensile and compressive properties coupled with impact and hardness response. A number of techniques viz. in-situ deposition, hand-up lay and compo-casting techniques have been reported to fabricate these composites. However, in the context of these composites, a systematic structure-property correlation has not been established till date. The present review is aimed at highlighting the current state of research in the avenue of Fly ash composites from two different viewpoints, viz. (i) fabrication technique and (ii) mechanical properties of the fabricated composites. Moreover, the necessity of establishing systematic structure-property correlation in these materials has also been briefly discussed from the author’s viewpoint.

Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is associated with access and use of public open spaces. The “President João Goulart Elevated Avenue” and current denominated “Minhocão” is a facility for leisure activities that are open for people during the night/weekends. The aim of this study was to examine if the prevalence of LTPA among individuals living in the surroundings of Minhocão is different according to proximity to, and use of, the facility. We conducted a cross-sectional study with cluster sampling with people aged ≥18 years who lived in households until 500m and between 501m to 1500m of Minhocão. The survey was conducted between December/2017 until March/2019 with an electronic questionnaire self-responded. We conducted bivariate analysis and Poisson regression to examine possible differences in LTPA according to the proximity of residences and use of Minhocão. The analysis used post-stratification weights. A total of 12,030 telephone numbers of people were drawn (≤500m = 6,942; and &gt;500m to ≤1500m = 5,088). The final sample analyzed were of 235 residents who returned the questionnaires. There was a higher prevalence of individuals engaging in at least 150 minutes per week of LTPA among users than non-users (Prevalence Ratio=2.23, IC95%1.72-2.90). People who used the park had higher prevalence of all types of LTPA than non-users. The results can serve to inform government decision-making on the future of Minhocão.

With the development of the city, a large number of water networks in the built-up areas of Bangkok have been filled and hardened, resulting in poor urban flooding and aggravating flooding, causing loss of life and property of citizens. In this paper, on the basis of combing the current water networks and open space potential flood storage points in the built-up areas of Bangkok, the complex network diagram of the water system in the built-up areas of Bangkok is constructed by combining the theory of complex networks and analyzing the attribute parameters of the network and the characteristic parameters of the open space storage nodes and water system paths, and finding that the water system network in the built-up area of Bangkok has complex network characteristics such as robustness, clustering and hierarchy. By exploring the key storage points and water system connection paths, the researchers initially constructed a flood safety pattern in the built-up area of Bangkok with 145 key nodes and 127 river paths as the backbone, and conceptualized the development study of the flood safety pattern in both horizontal and vertical directions. The urban flood safety pattern based on complex network theory proposed in this paper provides a case reference and methodological ideas to scientifically solve the game conflict between the demand for construction land for urban development and the construction area of urban open space storage points and water storage network under the increasingly severe flooding situation.

The food system represents a key industry for Europe and particularly Germany. However, it is also the single most significant contributor to climate and environmental change. A food system transformation is necessary to overcome the system's major and constantly increasing challenges in the upcoming decades. One possible facilitator for this transformation are radical and disrup-tive innovations that start-ups develop. There are many challenges for start-ups in general and food start-ups in particular. Various support opportunities and resources are crucial to ensure the success of food start-ups. One aim of this study is to identify how the success of start-ups in the food system can be supported and further strengthened by players in the innovation ecosystem in Germany. There is still room for improvement and collaboration toward a thriving innovation ecosystem. A successful innovation ecosystem is characterised by a well-organised, collaborative, and supportive environment with a vivid exchange between the members in the ecosystem. The interviewees confirmed this, and although the different actors are already cooperating, there is still room for improvement. The most common recommendation for improving cooperation is learning from other countries and bringing the best to Germany.

Trauma is one of the most common causes of death or permanent disability in young people, so a timely diagnostic approach is crucial. In polytrauma patients, CEUS has been shown to be more sensitive than US for the detection of solid organ injuries, improving the identification and grading of traumatic abdominal lesions with levels of sensitivity and specificity similar to those seen with MDCT. CEUS is recommended for the diagnostic evaluation of hemodynamically stable patients with isolated blunt moderate-energy abdominal traumas and for the diagnostic follow-up of conservatively managed abdominal traumas. In this pictorial review we illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of CEUS and the procedure details with tips and tricks during investigation of blunt moderate-energy abdominal trauma as well as during follow-up in non-operative management.

In this study, a new method for synthesizing Au-NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+-DSPE-PEG2K nanocomposites was introduced. Using a hydrothermal method, the synthesized Yb3+- and Er3+-codoped NaYF4 upconversion luminescent materials and Au nanoparticles were doped into upconversion nanomaterials and modified with DSPE-PEG2k up-conversion nanomaterials. This material is known as Ag-UCNPs-DSPE-PEG2k, it improves both the luminous intensity because of the doped Au nanoparticles and has low cytotoxicity because of the DSPE-PEG2k modified. Exciting UCNPs with a wavelength of 980nm near-infrared light will emit light with a wavelength of 520nm to further excite gold nanoparticles to convert light energy into heat. Successful synthesized gold nanoparticles was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The morphology of UCNPs was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the mapping confirmed the successful doping of Au nanoparticles. Fluorescence spectra were used to compare changes in luminescence intensity before and after doping Au nanoparticles. The cytotoxicity of Au-UCNPs-DSPE-PEG2K was tested via the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method, and its imaging ability was characterized using the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) method.

In this study, a new method for synthesizing Ag-NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ @ SiO2 nanocomposites was introduced. Using a hydrothermal method, the synthesized Yb3+- and Er3+-codoped NaYF4 upconversion luminescent materials and Ag nanoparticles were doped into upconversion nanomaterials and coated with SiO2 up-conversion nanomaterials. This material is known as Ag-UCNPs-SiO2’ it improves both the luminous intensity because of the doped Ag nanoparticles and has low cytotoxicity because of the SiO2 coating. The morphology of UCNPs was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the mapping confirmed the successful doping of Ag nanoparticles. Successful coating of SiO2 was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fluorescence spectra were used to compare changes in luminescence intensity before and after doping Ag nanoparticles. The reason for the increase in luminescence intensity after doping with Ag nanoparticles was simulated using first-principles calculations. The cytotoxicity of Ag-UCNPs-SiO2 was tested via the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method, and its imaging ability was characterized using the micro-CT method.

Protein translational modifications (PTMs) generate an enormous, but as yet undetermined, expansion of the expressed proteoforms. In this Viewpoint, we firstly differentiate the concepts of proteoform and peptidoform by reviewing and discussing previous literature. We show that the current PTM biological investigation and annotation largely follow a PTM site-specific rather than proteoform-specific approach. We further illustrate a potentially useful matching strategy in which a particular “modified peptidoform” is matched to the corresponding “unmodified peptidoform” as a reference for the quantitative analysis between samples and conditions. We suggest this strategy could provide directly relevant information for learning the PTM site-specific biological functions. Accordingly, we advocate for the wider use of the nomenclature “peptidoform” in the future bottom-up proteomic studies.

As Arab countries are beginning to recover from the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, conservation programs are restarting. Noticeably, traditional conservation efforts have not helped improve the poor living conditions in most historic urban centers of Arab cities due to many reasons such as a lack of funds, urban management policies, and the narrow scope of conservation projects. In 2016, the UN urban agenda recognized tangible and intangible heritage as the basis for sustainable, vibrant, urban economies. These efforts reflect the new shift in conservation activities to tangible and intangible heritage and consider urban heritage a tourist product rather than antiquity. This approach grants urban vitality and sustainability for heritage areas. Thus, this study investigates the existing trends and forthcoming changes in conservation and their implication for the deteriorated historic urban city centers of the Arab world. International urban heritage conservation trends were highlighted, objectives and bases of successful urban conservation trends were reviewed, and an assessment framework was developed. Two case studies of historic centers in two Arab cities, Jeddah, and Aman, were empirically assessed using the developed framework. The findings highlight the most common urban problems of the historic centers in terms of urban management policies and trends. In addition, the impact of urban management policies on historic urban areas' sustainability, vitality, and quality was revealed. The paper ends with recommendations for conservation authorities to define a proposed framework to embed the conservation within the urban development plans for deteriorated historic urban centers. The paper's findings and recommendations can contribute to the required knowledge related to urban heritage conservation for practitioners and decision-makers.

Education on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) has increased in the last two decades, specially, through MOOCs. Lately, these reusable online alternatives have tended to be revalorized by HEIs into blended learning activities, posing new challenges for instructors, specially, on how to bridge prior knowledge with in-class activities. Adopting a discursive approach to knowledge, our proposal aims to meet this challenge by identifying student’s ‘representations’, i.e., patterned constructions on disciplinary knowledge. Representations can be found across different cohorts and thus further complemented by instructors. To test this assumption and build our proposal, we analysed student’s representations in two observations. We mapped students’ representations over key I&E definitions (e.g., ‘start-up’) and, to know how prior knowledge may be complemented by instructors, we identified students’ alignment with expert disciplinary knowledge. Firstly, we found that the two cohorts tended to express representations by turning attention to several dimensions, e.g., referring to different types of features or finalities associated with concepts. Secondly, the disciplinary alignment description revealed that students tended to focus on the same components present in experts’ definitions, but with a greater level of generality. Our results have been packaged into a proposal that aims to help instructors scale their blended activities.

Mangrove vegetation plays a vital role in habitat and nursing ground for different organisms and prevents coastal erosion caused by wave and tide action. In recent years the mangrove vegetation in Chattogram coast, Bangladesh, has been interrupted by other infrastructural development, which has a destructing effect on the surrounding environment. Land surface temperature analysis of an area helps learn about different environmental conditions, weather, and climate. It is also essential to monitor the rising temperature and global warming, the biggest threat to humanity. NDBI and NDVI are the efficient process for monitoring vegetation and build up areas of a geographical location. This study focused on those analyses to understand the importance of mangrove vegetation in the Salimpur area and surrounding coastal areas of Chattogram by studying the relationship between NDVI and NDBI, NDVI and LST, NDBI, and LST. The outcome indicates that a higher vegetation index results in lower land surface temperature during different periods, negatively correlated. This study also found a strong positive correlation between buildup index (NDBI) and land surface temperature (LST), which means Land Surface temperature was found higher in Buildup areas. The vegetation areas are greatly affected by the buildup areas. The correlation between buildup areas and vegetation areas was strongly negative, which means an increase of NDBI decreases NDVI, and a decrease of NDBI increases NDVI.

Background This paper draws learnings and successes based on field implementation experience spanning four years (2016–2019) of implementing CLTS by Prince of Peace Orphans and Widows Vision, a community-based organization located in Kaberamaido district in eastern Uganda. Methods The study aimed to document, disseminate and inform from an evidence-based point of view how adaptation and collaborative engagements triggers learning from mistakes to inform iterative changes from improvements and success.This is a descriptive paper that used project documents review based on field implementation experience. Existing project reports were synthesised, collated and curated for evidence. Data were drawn from project reports and records to inform narratives in writing. Implementation of the project was executed in homogenous rural communities occupied by people of the same dialect, cultural and social settings. Results We note that success in CLTS implementation can hardly be achieved by merely following prescriptions in handbooks and guidelines but rather by devising innovative community engagement and other participatory and community-driven techniques that foster adaptive management, promote ownership, and buy-in.Having learned from our failures, we used data to inform decisions and transformatively deviated from traditional CLTS implementation and introduced high impact and innovative approaches such as the use of CLTS helpdesks and Situation room, the Pamoja approach, learning labs and iterative feedback loops, innovatively tackling slippage and carefully introducing the follow-up mandona approach. These enhanced experiential learning and ultimately resulted in sustained sanitation behaviour. Conclusions The CLTS approach as outlined in the handbook needs to be flexibly adapted to address contextual needs. Reflective and learning sessions reinforced with routine feedback loops from implementers and beneficiaries yields tremendous results, propagates experiential learning, and ultimately results in a transformative deviation from undesirable to desired sanitation behaviours. These innovative approaches once carefully blended have proved to be sustainable, are adaptable and can work in an even larger scale and in a variety of contexts.

As fossil-fueled heating in the building sector is responsible for 16 % of Germanys total CO2 emissions, it is of great importance to use climate-neutral alternatives for the decarbonization of this sector. Options for the climate-neutral heating of buildings include electricity or hydrogen as energy carriers, both explicitly considered by German policy. In this paper, bottom-up studies are conducted to investigate the role of hydrogen for the climate-neutral energy supply of ten selected residential buildings in comparison to electricity-based systems. Based on a selection of as different typical buildings as possible for single- (SFH) and multi-family houses (MFH) of different construction years, demand profiles are simulated for each building and the respective cost-optimal supply system is determined. For the construction of this system, the electricity-based technologies available are electric heater and heat pump as well as the hydrogen-based technologies hydrogen boiler and fuel cell combined heat and power (CHP) system. Based on the results of the optimization, sensitivity analyses are performed. These analyses aim to identify threshold values of the hydrogen price for the use of hydrogen in building energy systems as well as to make the quantities of hydrogen consumed visible.The identified threshold values show the significant role of hydrogen-operated CHP in MFH if the hydrogen price reaches 0.17 €/kWh_H2 in 2050 at an electricity price of 0.31 €/kWh_el. So, hydrogen-based energy systems represent an economically viable alternative to electricity-based systems with heat pumps. We identify electricity to hydrogen price ratios for the economically viable use of hydrogen in the examined buildings that range from 1.67 to 2.82. According to these ratios, the economically reasonable use of hydrogen in buildings can be derived. For the individual building groups for the year 2050, a ratio of 2.5 can be determined for SFH and 1.8 for MFH, that is favored by the use of CHP which also supplies electricity to the buildings. However, the role hydrogen will finally play in German residential buildings in the future depends to a large extent on political decisions on distribution issues and price signals.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death and morbidity with a complex pathophysiology. Traditional cancer therapies include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. However, limitations such as lack of specificity, cytotoxicity, and multi-drug resistance pose a substantial challenge for favorable cancer treatment. The advent of nanotechnology has revolutionized the arena of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Nanoparticles (1-100nm) can be used in the treatment of cancer owing to their specific advantages such as biocompatibility, reduced toxicity, more excellent stability, enhanced permeability and retention effect, and precise targeting. Nanoparticles are classified into several main categories. The nanoparticle drug delivery system is particular and utilizes tumor and tumor environment characteristics. Nanoparticles not only solve the limitations of conventional cancer treatment but also overcome multidrug resistance. Additionally, as new multidrug resistance mechanisms are unraveled and studied, nanoparticles are being investigated more vigorously. Various therapeutic implications of nano-formulations have created brand new perspectives for cancer treatment. However, a majority of the research is limited to in vivo and in vitro studies, and the number of nano-drugs that are approved has not much amplified over the years. In this review, we discuss numerous types of nanoparticles, targeting mechanisms along with approved nanotherapeutics for oncological implications in cancer treatment. Further, we also summarize the current perspective, advantages, and challenges in clinical translation.

Background In this study, we describe our clinical experience with the fifth-generation of a breast implant with a smooth, fine surface from a Korean manufacturer (BellaGel^Ò SmoothFine; HansBiomed Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea) in Asian women. Methods We analyzed 223 women (mean age=35.28±9.45 years and mean follow-up period=12.03±2.48 months), comprising 118 bilateral cases and 109 unilateral ones, who received breast augmentation using the BellaGel^Ò SmoothFine at our hospital between June 4, 2018 and February 28, 2019. For safety assessment, we analyzed frequencies of postoperative complications and overall survival of the BellaGel^Ò SmoothFine. Results Postoperatively, complications (12 cases, 5.38%) include asymmetry (3 cases, 1.35%), hematoma (2 cases, 0.90%), hypertrophic scars (2 cases, 0.90%), wound disruption (2 cases, 0.90%), rippling (1 case, 0.45%), capsular contracture (1 case, 0.45%), stretch deformities with skin excess (1 case, 0.45%). In addition, time-to-events were calculated as 10.94±0.64 months (95% CI 9.69-12.19) and the survival rate reached 0.290±0.168 (95% CI 0.094-0.901) at 12 months postoperatively. Conclusions Here, we describe our clinical experience with the BellaGel^Ò SmoothFine. Our results are of significance in that this is the first report about the fifth-generation of a breast implant with a smooth, fine surface from a Korean manufacturer in Asian women.