Abstract: Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) is a persistent air-quality problem in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and its severity and temporal variability calls for a long-term assessment. The present study reviewed PM_2.5 pollution between 2015 and 2024 and investigated the seasonal, interannual, and meteorological correlation. Daily air-quality and meteorological data were analysed with descriptive statistics, air-quality benchmark comparison, general linear model, Spearman correlation and linear regression for three monitoring stations. A total of 7,943 station-day observations were processed, with 6,268 having good daily PM_2.5 observations. Annual mean concentrations varied from 77.24 μg/m³ in 2017 to 108.74 μg/m³ in 2021, well above the annual guideline of 5 μg/m³ set by the World Health Organization. The concentrations differed significantly between seasons (p < 0.001) with higher levels found in winter season compared to monsoon season. The general linear model also indicated an interannual difference (p = 0.033), but no significant linear trend was observed by the linear regression (p = 0.797). Bivariate correlations were negative for temperature, relative humidity and wind speed, but none of these variables were statistically significant in the adjusted model. The findings indicate persistently high PM_2.5 concentrations and pronounced seasonal variation. To improve air quality in Dhaka, sustained emission controls, uniform monitoring and coordinated air quality management is required.

Abstract: The MIDREX process is a standard technology for gas-based direct reduction of iron ore, accounting for over 60% of global production of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI). Its efficiency and product quality are governed by the interplay of gas-solid flow, heat transfer, and reduction kinetics inside the shaft furnace. This study combines experiments and coupled Discrete Element Method and Computational Fluid Dynamics (DEM-CFD) simulations to investigate gas-solid flow in a MIDREX-based shaft configuration. Experiments measure pressure drop, particle mass outflow, and local particle velocities under different operating conditions. The simulations reproduce particle mass outflow with very good agreement (2% deviation) and capture the main features of particle velocity distributions. Static pressure-drop predictions show average deviations of approximately 6% and 10% at gas flow rates of 400 and 1200 m3/h, respectively. Under dynamic conditions, the simulated particle descent velocity and the pressure drop agree closely with the experimental values, with a deviation of only 3.9% (descent velocity) and 7.8% (pressure drop).

Abstract: The recovery of natural antibacterial compounds from medicinal plants is important for pharmaceutical research because extraction efficiency affects both phytochemical yield and their biological activity. This study compared four extraction methods—maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and electrically assisted extraction—for recovering antibacterial phytochemicals from Taraxacum officinale F.H.Wigg. Crude extracts were fractionated using solvents of different polarity and their phytochemical compositions were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS). Phloridzin, a phenolic compound with reported antibacterial activity, was selected as a marker of extraction efficiency. Ultrasound-assisted extraction produced an ethyl acetate fraction with the highest phloridzin concentration (3.131 mg/L) and generally achieved higher phytochemical recovery than other methods. Comparative analysis identified ultrasound-assisted extraction as the most promising approach for obtaining antibacterial phytochemicals from T. officinale. These findings support the rational selection of extraction methods for developing plant-derived antibacterial agents and formulations for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, and herbal medicine applications.

Abstract: Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) agonists are widely used for the treatment of diabetes and obesity and have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. However, the causal relationship between GLP1R agonists and inflammatory skin diseases is still unclear. Objectives: To investigate the causal relationship between genetically proxied GLP1R agonist exposure and the risk of inflammatory skin diseases, specifically psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD), in individuals of European ancestry using a drug-target Mendelian randomization approach. Methods: The available cis-eQTLs for drug target gene (GLP1R) were used as proxies for exposure to GLP1R agonists. Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were used as positive controls to ensure the validity of the genetic instruments. Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed to assess the causal association of genetically proxied GLP1R agonist exposure with 2 inflammatory skin diseases, psoriasis and AD, from the IEU OpenGWAS database. The IVW estimates were meta-analyzed and further validated using independent GWAS summary statistics from the FinnGen Consortium (R12). Results: A total of 22 significant cis-eQTL single-nucleotide polymorphisms were included as genetic instruments. Positive control analysis revealed that GLP1R agonists were significantly associated with obesity (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.77–0.94, p < 0.01) and T2DM (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.51–0.62, p < 0.01), which is consistent with the meta-analysis. MR analysis indicated that genetically predicted GLP1R agonist exposure was a risk factor for both psoriasis (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.56–2.20, p < 0.01) and AD (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.26–1.54, p < 0.01). Validation using data from the FinnGen Consortium yielded results consistent with the meta-analysis findings. Conclusions: Our study suggests that GLP1R agonists may increase the risk of psoriasis and AD. These findings provide genetic evidence to inform pharmacovigilance strategies for the clinical use of GLP1R agonists and offer novel insights for the development of targeted therapeutic interventions in inflammatory dermatoses.

Abstract:

This study investigated age-related differences in time to radiographic union and healing morphology in longitudinally displaced distal radius and ulna fractures in small dogs. Medical records and serial radiographs of 107 dogs (107 limbs) with radiographically confirmed union following anatomically molded cast (AMC) treatment between 2019 and 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. Dogs were classified into four age groups: <6 months, 6–<12 months, 1–<2 years, and ≥2 years. Time to radiographic union, bone diameter expansion, and a radiographic index of interfragmentary distance reduction (IDR) were evaluated. Median times to union were 40.0, 52.0, 64.0, and 81.0 days across the four age groups, respectively (P < 0.001). After adjustment for age group, each 1-kg decrease in body weight was associated with a 6.2% longer time to union (P = 0.014). Bone diameter expansion and IDR differed significantly among age groups (both P < 0.001), with the greatest expansion and lowest IDR in dogs aged <6 months. The age-related trend in union time persisted in a sensitivity analysis including cases lost to follow-up. Healing morphology was characterized by callus-dominant envelopment in younger dogs, whereas more skeletally mature dogs tended to show fracture-end reshaping and reduced interfragmentary distance, consistent with a convergence-dominant healing pattern. These findings may help anticipate age-related healing trajectories, inform owners, and guide treatment planning.

Abstract: Oil-mist coalescing filters are commonly compared using filtration efficiency and pressure drop from short tests, although retained liquid continues to redistribute during operation. This critical review examines how liquid morphology, distribution and connectivity affect the interpretation of wet performance and service-life evidence. Imaging reveals substantial local saturation differences and extensive inter-fiber liquid structures. Within one hybrid–Janus comparison, whole-filter saturation ranged from 54.47% to 61.96%, whereas source-reported wet-to-clean pressure-drop ratios ranged from 3.32 to 22.36. These observations support considering liquid arrangement alongside bulk inventory, but do not isolate connectivity from pore geometry and wettability. Long-duration experiments also show that drainage can coexist with pressure-drop creep over 1100 h. We distinguish measured endpoints, observation durations and lifetime estimates extrapolated from short degradation records. A traceable service-life claim requires defined loading and operating conditions, concurrent resistance and outlet measurements, an explicit endpoint, and separation of measured duration from predicted life. A proposed reporting framework and a conditional pressure-scaling analysis identify the evidence needed to assess transfer from laboratory media to compressed-air cartridges.

Abstract: Carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced cement composites are promising self-sensing materials for monitoring buildings and civil infrastructure, but their piezoresistive response arises from coupled, spatially heterogeneous conduction mechanisms that empirical models do not resolve. This study develops a three-dimensional electromechanical finite element framework in which the capillary porosity and CNT content vary spatially, the conductivity combines ionic conduction through the pore solution with electronic conduction through CNT contact and tunneling, and the connectivity of both networks evolves with a signed principal-strain measure that distinguishes gap closure from gap opening. The framework was calibrated against cyclic uniaxial compression tests on mortar containing 0.5% multi-walled CNTs by mass of cement in three moisture states. The simulations reproduced the negative piezoresistive response, and the agreement with the measurements improved as drying reduced polarization. Parametric analyses showed that the response is governed by the connectivity of the pore and CNT networks and by its strain sensitivity. Reducing the matrix porosity from 0.30 to 0.22 decreased the minimum normalized voltage from 0.949 to 0.841, and triaxial compression produced the largest response (0.82 versus 0.94 under uniaxial compression) because confinement suppresses local tensile zones. The framework supports the interpretation and design of CNT–cement sensors embedded in building structures.

Abstract: This study examines technical and organizational barriers to AI and automation implementation maturity in Japanese manufacturing. Two survey waves yielded 112 responses. Ordered logistic models showed a negative technical association only in separate estimation; organizational barriers remained negatively associated in joint estimation. The interaction was unsupported, and firm-size comparisons were exploratory. Strong construct correlation and post hoc measurement diagnostics did not establish discriminant validity. An exploratory general-barriers model also showed a negative association. Findings support assessing organizational and technical conditions together, while cross-sectional data and measurement uncertainty preclude causal conclusions.

Abstract: Pseudomonas putida (P. putida) is a strictly aerobic, non-fermenting Gram-negative bacillus ubiquitously present in soil and aquatic environments. However, emerging evidence identifies P. putida as an increasingly important opportunistic pathogen responsible for severe nosocomial infections, particularly bacteremia and sepsis in immunocompromised and critically ill patients. Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) routinely receives carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas spp isolates from the Greek hospitals. Five isolates (3 from 2023 and 2 from 2025) were sent to the laboratory as P. aeruginosa, P. putida and P. fluores. The isolates were subjected to phenotypical and molecular methods for the detection of the Metallo-Beta-Lactamases (MBL) genes [EDTA test, conventional PCR and Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) respectively]. The isolates were confirmed as VIM-producing isolates, while WGS reassigned them to four distinct species within the P. putida complex (P. soli, P. kurunegalensis, P. juntendi, and P. ceruminis). The isolates carried variations of the bla_VIM (VIM-2, VIM-4 and VIM-72) and were diverted into 5 different Sequence types (STs;3, 12, 13, 104, 125). VIM variants were distributed across phylogenetically distinct lineages, suggesting independent acquisition of events rather than clonal dissemination. Genome annotation and virulence screening confirmed the absence of the exotoxin A gene in all isolates. Although Pseudomonas putida isolates causing bacteremia have previously been reported in Greek hospitals, to our knowledge, this is the first study to assign the initially Pseudomonas spp isolates to new species of the P. putida complex and to characterize their genetic profile, at the level of resistance genes and phylogeny.

Abstract: This case report describes substantial improvement in measured visual acuity in an adult with a history of strabismic amblyopia who undertook self-directed visual rehabilitation. Historical records documented reduced visual acuity in the left eye, whereas subsequent optometric and ophthalmological assessments in 2025–2026 reported acuity approaching that of the fellow eye. The rehabilitation involved prolonged daily patching, visual activities and facial-muscle exercises, including deliberate blinking exercises. Because these interventions were undertaken together, their individual contributions cannot be determined. The observation motivates further investigation into adult visual plasticity and the potential role, if any, of eyelid-muscle function in visual rehabilitation. A mechanical hypothesis is proposed for future testing, but the case does not establish eyelid-muscle atrophy or demonstrate that eyelid exercises caused the observed improvement. Controlled studies and appropriate anatomical and physiological measurements would be needed to investigate this hypothesis.

Abstract: Agents based on large language models (LLMs) are increasingly entrusted with business decisions, yet their performance over long horizons is erratic. We examined whether coupling an agent with an external decision layer improves company management more than selecting a stronger model. On YC-Bench, a public benchmark in which an agent runs a start-up for one simulated year and is scored on final cash, eight LLMs were evaluated alone and with WhAI, a decision platform that estimates unobserved quantities from the history of the run and ranks candidate plans by Monte Carlo simulation of cash. In a paired test on four simulated worlds without published runs, all five tested models performed better with WhAI than alone in 48 of 48 pairs, with a mean gain of 1.72 million USD (95% CI 1.52–1.92; sign test p = 3.6 × 10⁻¹⁵). In additional analyses robust to clustering, the decision layer explained 72% of the variance in final cash, against 5% for the choice of model. On the published configuration, seven mid-size models with WhAI exceeded the best published model operating alone (3.45–3.82 versus 2.87 million USD) at up to one twentieth of its inference cost. In structured decision processes, the architecture surrounding a language model can matter more than the model itself.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Although continuing professional development (CPD) is important for nursing competence, participation does not guarantee use of learning in practice. This study explored organizational conditions shaping learning transfer across four nursing biographies. Methods: We conducted a qualitative secondary analysis of biographical interviews from a study of Greek public-hospital health professionals. Three participants were practicing as nurses; one had previous nursing experience. We analyzed nursing-career material using case-centered thematic narrative analysis and cross-case comparison. Results Three themes were developed: aligning learning with practice; distinguishing support for educational access from support for transfer; and compensating for organizational gaps through self-directed learning and knowledge exchange. Participants described learning as more usable when workplace adaptation, role relevance, professional autonomy and clinical trust supported its enactment. Educational access did not always lead to subsequent use, while informal peer learning helped address gaps in formal provision. A cross-case synthesis identified four organizational moments: access, integration, enactment and diffusion. Conclusions: Hospitals may strengthen the reported translation of professional learning into practice by aligning educational opportunities with roles, protected adaptation and knowledge sharing. Findings are interpretive and based on four retrospective accounts; they do not establish objectively measured competence, patient-safety or clinical outcomes.

Abstract: Quantifying fillers in medicinal plant powders supports quality control when grinding obscures visual identification. We evaluated near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for corn starch quantification in Chuanbei powder. Both modalities measured aliquots from the same blends, and the 20%, 30%, and 40% formulations were withheld in turn. Under matched calibration, mean absolute errors (MAEs) were 3.32 percentage points for HSI, 11.94 for LIBS, and 7.56 for prediction averaging. Expanding calibration reversed the HSI error at 40%, enabling partial cancellation with the LIBS error. Row-specific LIBS calibration reduced the mean within-formulation standard deviation of fused predictions from 6.97 to 3.83 percentage points, while formulation-mean MAE changed from 6.87 to 6.80. Of 28 joint settings screened, one local calibration yielded a lower MAE than the corresponding HSI and LIBS curves (1.79 versus 2.25 and 2.97 percentage points). HSI kernel regression achieved 0.98 on the same local grid. Spectral substitutions showed that the measured LIBS calibration and test spectra contributed to the improvement at 40%. These findings clarify how to evaluate fusion for medicinal powder quality control by distinguishing prediction repeatability from concentration accuracy.

Abstract: This paper reports a systematic literature review of planning and routing strategies for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in search and rescue (SAR). The review followed a documented protocol and is reported according to PRISMA 2020 and PRISMA-S. From 3,642 database records and 96 titles from exploratory searches and the research group's collection, 54 studies were assessed in full text, and 46 primary studies published from 2021 to 2026 were included. Each study was classified by its presence model, detection model, and objective, and by route structure, revisiting, energy, coordination, risk, and validation. Quality, risk of bias, and level of evidence were also assessed. Coverage routing is the largest strategy family (16 studies), and metaheuristics are the most common method class (13). Risk of bias is high in 26 studies, 23 studies are purely synthetic, and only three flew real aircraft. Eight studies build a cell-wise presence map but treat detection as certain, only two calibrate detection against empirical data, and no study places ground risk in the cost of travel. Seventeen studies report an optimality reference, but only six extend it to the application scale. A pooled effect cannot be computed, so 52 observations from 31 studies are synthesized by stratum. Of twelve tracked gaps, seven were narrowed, four were confirmed, and one was maintained. The main gap is the combination of modeling elements. The median study meets three of nine tracked requirements, and the closest study meets eight but keeps closed routes and unbounded revisiting. No multi-vehicle routing formulation has had its predicted detection probability compared with field measurements. This extended version reports the complete protocol and the per-study classifications.

Abstract: Photosensitized reactions at water plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry, but their microscopic mechanism are largely unknown. In this work, we explore computationally the photosensitized hydrogen-atom transfer reactions from nonanoic acid (NA) to the photo sensitizers 4-benzoylbenzoic acid (4BBA) and 4-imidazolecarboxaldehyde (4IC) in large water cluster. Excited-state ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations as the principal method used. The following main results are obtained, (i) The process occur preferentially at the air-water interface. Agreements with the experiments on the photo-excitation spectra is good, much better than for 4BBA-NA and 4IC-NA complexes computed in gas phase, (ii) Excited-state dynamics simulation shows ultrafsat hydrogen-atom transfer of the carboxylic O-H hydrogen of NA to the carbonyl oxygen of the photosensitizers for the lowest excited singlet state, (iii) No hydrogen-atom transfer is observed for the corresponding triplet trajectories. It is suggested that excited-state AIMD simulation for photosensitizer-reagent complex in large water cluster can be suitable for unraveling photosensitized reaction mechanism for other photosensitizers.

Abstract: Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction. Molecular hydrogen has been investigated as an adjunctive intervention, but clinical evidence for hydrogen–oxygen nanobubble (HHO) therapy in non-dialysis CKD remains limited. Methods: We describe a male patient with CKD G3b, hypertension, prediabetes, and previous long-term nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug exposure who presented on March 7, 2026. The records describe 12 HHO sessions (three weekly; reported volumes increasing from 5 to 25 mL) alongside standard care. Results: Historical estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 33.6 mL/min/1.73 m² in March 2025, compared with 39 mL/min/1.73 m² on March 28, 2026; both values are within G3b. Peripheral perfusion index changed from 2.1 to 5.4, and blood pressure from 138/76 to 113/72 mmHg. The patient also reported resolution of recurrent morning rhinorrhea. The treatment dates relative to kidney-function testing were incompletely documented, and concomitant medication and measurement variability limit causal inference. Peripheral perfusion index does not directly measure renal perfusion. Conclusions: This case provides descriptive observations but cannot establish renal efficacy or safety of adjunctive HHO therapy. Prospective studies with standardized interventions, longitudinal renal measurements, and safety monitoring are needed.

Abstract: Ensuring inclusive digital learning in higher education requires a shift from general principles of accessibility towards a systematic approach that addresses students’ individual educational needs and the barriers they encounter when interacting with digital learning environments. The aim of this study is to develop an empirically grounded conceptual model, INCLUDE-ADAPT, designed to systematically organize identified educational needs and determine potential approaches to adapting digital learning. The methodological framework is based on a problem-oriented analysis of survey responses from higher education students, complemented by descriptive statistical summaries of their responses concerning the organization of learning, digital accessibility, and educational support. The conceptualization of the findings involves systematically linking each identified barrier to the corresponding educational need, a potential adaptive solution, and a mechanism for pedagogical feedback. This approach makes it possible to view inclusivity not merely as the formal availability of digital tools, but as an ongoing process of aligning the characteristics of the educational environment with the diverse needs of its participants. The scientific contribution of this study lies in the conceptual integration of student needs assessment with a systematic approach to identifying and justifying adaptive educational solutions within a unified model. Artificial intelligence is considered a potential tool for supporting personalized learning rather than an empirically validated means of ensuring inclusivity. The proposed model provides a foundation for the further operationalization of its components, the development of evaluation criteria, and the empirical assessment of its applicability across diverse higher education contexts.

Abstract: UHF RFID technology is widely used for automatic identification and material-flow monitoring, but read reliability depends on the configuration of the reading system and transport conditions. This study evaluated RFID read reliability during passage of a transport trolley through an identification gate. Six factors were considered: antenna system configuration, identification target, tagged-item arrangement, load configuration, the presence of additional tags, and transmit power. Ninety-six experimental scenarios were tested in three repetitions, giving 288 trials. Complete system-level reads were obtained in 69.1% of trials. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) showed significant effects of antenna system configuration (p = 0.0132), transmit power (p = 0.0292), and load configuration (p = 0.0081). Relative to A1_1, configuration A1_2 increased the odds of a complete read 7.67-fold (95% CI: 1.78–33.08), whereas L2 reduced the odds to OR = 0.24 (95% CI: 0.084–0.691). Higher transmit power increased the odds approximately threefold (OR = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.12–8.35). Repetition agreement was high. The results indicate that RFID-gate performance should be evaluated at the system level because incomplete reads from individual antennas may complement one another.

Abstract: Research on K-pop fandom has grown rapidly, yet its literature on parasocial relationships, emotional attachment and social identity is dispersed across psychology, communication, marketing and tourism studies, which makes it hard to see what has been studied and how it is framed. This review applies text mining to a purposive corpus of 245 scholarly records on K-pop fandom and parasocial relationships, drawn from the reference list of this manuscript and not from a systematic database search. The scope is research on K-pop fans in any country; the review asks how the literature is framed, how often South Korea is named as a setting, and which topics key studies address on platforms, fan communities and local cultural contexts. Record titles and venues were analysed with term and n-gram frequencies, a ten-theme dictionary compared across three publication periods, non-negative matrix factorisation (NMF) topic modelling and a term co-occurrence network. These results describe how records are titled and grouped; they are not findings about fans. In this corpus, 70% of dated records appeared in 2024–2026 and journal articles make up 66%. Consumption and marketing (n = 75) and parasocial interaction (n = 59) are the most prevalent themes. Six topics and four network communities emerged (modularity = 0.34); terms for attachment and purchase intention co-occur in titles, but the relationship between these constructs can only be assessed from the studies themselves. South Korea is named in only a few titles or venues, whereas Indonesia is named most often, although study settings were not verified from abstracts or full texts. A narrative overview of key studies identifies research on platform-mediated intimacy, on fan communities as sites of both belonging and strain, and on local cultural contexts; individual study findings and settings were not verified against abstracts or full texts. We outline a research agenda for comparative, culturally grounded studies, including verified studies of Korean domestic fans.

Abstract: Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is a significant source of N in growing and filling grain legumes, but its contribution to the seed N economy and its possible links to seed longevity, germination ability, and vigour remain poorly understood. This narrative review discusses how reproductive-phase BNF affects seed nitrogen supply, remobilisation, N assimilation, storage protein accumulation, maturation, and seed quality. Isotope-based nitrogen partitioning studies show that reproductive BNF can contribute a significant amount of N to the N economy of developing legume seeds, and that vegetative N remobilisation is an important additional source. Nitrogen availability may influence seed development through the GS/GOGAT pathway for nitrogen assimilation and subsequent incorporation into storage proteins. Concurrently, ABA-induced maturation, LEA proteins, raffinose family oligosaccharides, redox balance and genome-protective mechanisms are known factors linked to seed desiccation tolerance, emergence and longevity. Direct evidence linking variation in reproductive BNF to these downstream seed-protection systems and mature-seed vigour remains limited. Therefore, we suggest a mechanistic model in which reproductive BNF affects the seed nitrogen pool and influences developmental and environmental cues during seed filling, and we propose that the BNF-to-seed-protection relationship is a major area for future research. This framework needs to be tested in future studies using multiple analyses of seed vigour and longevity, combined with molecular profiling, nitrogen partitioning and isotope tracing, across con-trasting BNF environments. This synthesis provides a framework for considering reproductive BNF as a potential component of seed quality and seedling establishment, with implications for future crop improvement strategies.