MDPI - Publisher of Open Access Journals

22 pages, 7286 KB

Open AccessArticle

Driving Land Green Use Efficiency Through Urban Digital Transformation: Mechanisms and Spatial Effects in China

by Ling Mei, Meiyi Yi, Ke Yan, Ting Wang and Sanwei He

Land 2026, 15(9), 1680; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15091680 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Digital technology has been recognized as a pivotal force in optimizing land use patterns, particularly in enhancing the green utilization efficiency of urban land. In this study, panel data from 219 cities across China covering the 2013–2023 period are used to investigate the [...] Read more.

Digital technology has been recognized as a pivotal force in optimizing land use patterns, particularly in enhancing the green utilization efficiency of urban land. In this study, panel data from 219 cities across China covering the 2013–2023 period are used to investigate the impact of urban digital transformation (UDT) on land green use efficiency (LGUE) and the underlying mechanisms involved. The spatiotemporal evolution of LGUE demonstrates a clear upward trend over time and hot spots of LGUE are mainly concentrated in coastal cities. The findings reveal that UDT significantly enhances LGUE, a conclusion that remains robust across multiple checks and an instrumental variable approach. Mechanism analyses indicate that a market-oriented allocation of data elements, green technological innovation, and optimization of the labor skill structure serve as plausible channels driving this improvement. Importantly, spatial Durbin model analysis confirms a significant positive spatial spillover effect, indicating that local digital transformation also radiates to benefit the green land utilization of neighboring cities. Finally, heterogeneity analyses reveal that the positive effects of digital transformation on LGUE are notably more pronounced in larger cities and those with advanced internet development. Furthermore, the impacts exhibit structural divergence across specific digital dimensions, with economic digitalization significantly driving LGUE, whereas social digitalization exerts a negative effect. Full article

20 pages, 18347 KB

Open AccessArticle

Laser Doppler Gas Flowmeter with Synchronous Three-Point Measurement

by Jian Zhou, Bolin Li, Shuang Zhang and Xiaoming Nie

Sensors 2026, 26(18), 5765; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26185765 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

To address the challenges of susceptibility to interference and limited accuracy inherent in conventional gas flow rate measurement methods, this paper proposes and investigates a laser Doppler gas flow rate measurement method based on synchronous three-point velocity measurement. This method simultaneously measures the [...] Read more.

To address the challenges of susceptibility to interference and limited accuracy inherent in conventional gas flow rate measurement methods, this paper proposes and investigates a laser Doppler gas flow rate measurement method based on synchronous three-point velocity measurement. This method simultaneously measures the flow velocities at three characteristic points within the pipeline cross-section, subsequently fits and reconstructs the velocity distribution across the entire profile, and ultimately achieves high-precision flow measurement. The feasibility of selecting the center point, the quarter-width point, and the near-wall point as the three characteristic measurement positions is analyzed through computational fluid dynamics simulations, and the full-profile velocity distribution is fitted accordingly. A three-point synchronous velocity-flow rate measurement system is designed and constructed, employing a transmitting optical path based on the “three beam splitters and two mirrors” scheme and a receiving optical path based on the “multi-lens independent reception” scheme, and experimental validation is conducted. Experimental results demonstrate that the system operates stably with good repeatability. In contrast to the flow calculation method using a single-point Pitot tube combined with an empirical formula, the proposed system, which directly fits the velocity profile and integrates it for flow calculation, effectively avoids the significant model errors caused by using fixed empirical coefficients in non-circular pipe flows, and is inherently more universally applicable in principle. Through comparison with the TSI reference standard (3D LDV), the measurement results of the proposed system are in close agreement with the reference values, with relative errors all below −0.8%. This paper provides an effective solution for high-precision gas flow measurement in square pipelines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Optical Sensors)

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28 pages, 994 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Unilateral Versus Bilateral Percutaneous Kyphoplasty for Single-Level Thoracolumbar Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Panagiotis Korovessis, Vasileios Syrimpeis, Georgios Vlachopoulos, Dimitrios Ntourantonis and George Sakellaropoulos

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(18), 7030; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15187030 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The optimal surgical approach for Percutaneous KyphoPlasty (PKP) in patients with recent single-level Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures (OVCFs) remains controversial. Most available previous meta-analyses included studies with variable heterogeneity, often mixing unilateral and bilateral MIS approaches, differing surgical techniques, and various fracture [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: The optimal surgical approach for Percutaneous KyphoPlasty (PKP) in patients with recent single-level Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures (OVCFs) remains controversial. Most available previous meta-analyses included studies with variable heterogeneity, often mixing unilateral and bilateral MIS approaches, differing surgical techniques, and various fracture patterns, which limited the reliability of their conclusions. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of unilateral versus bilateral PKP exclusively in patients with recent single-level OVCFs only. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect were searched for comparative studies published between 2000 and 2025. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), prospective, and retrospective comparative studies comparing unilateral and bilateral PKP for recent single-level OVCFs were included. Clinical and radiological outcomes as well as perioperative complications and safety outcomes were analyzed using random-effects meta-analysis. Predefined subgroup analyses according to study design and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Eleven studies involving 1374 patients (705 unilateral and 669 bilateral PKP) met the inclusion criteria. No significant differences were observed between the two surgical approaches regarding short- or long-term pain relief, cement leakage, number of adjacent vertebral fractures, or overall clinical outcomes. Bilateral PKP demonstrated statistically significant, but clinically negligible, advantages in anterior vertebral body height restoration and kyphosis correction. Unilateral PKP required an insignificantly lower cement volume. For operative time, the overall pooled estimate favored unilateral PKP by approximately 10 min but showed extreme heterogeneity (I² = 98.5%). Importantly, the two RCTs showed no statistically significant between-group difference (MD = +1.2 min, 95% CI −4.5 to +6.8), indicating that the apparent overall effect was largely driven by observational evidence. Similar discrepancies between randomized and retrospective studies were observed for several other outcomes, underscoring the importance of considering study design when interpreting the results. Conclusions: Current evidence does not demonstrate clinically meaningful superiority of either unilateral or bilateral PKP for the treatment of recent single-level OVCFs. Bilateral PKP may provide small advantages in selected radiographic outcomes, whereas unilateral PKP uses modestly less bone cement; however, the relevance of these differences remains clinically uncertain. Surgical approach selection may therefore be individualized according to vertebral morphology, pedicle anatomy, fracture characteristics, surgeon experience, and technical feasibility rather than expectations of superior clinical outcomes. Further adequately powered randomized trials with standardized outcome reporting and long-term follow-up are warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Orthopedics)

31 pages, 2447 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Batch Identity-Based Encryption Scheme for Object-Level Authorization of Smart Tourism Data

by Lixia Sun, Dengshuo Zhu, Changgen Peng, Chenran Xiong and Chuanda Cai

Cryptography 2026, 10(5), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryptography10050067 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

When smart tourism data are shared across scenic areas, hotels, transportation platforms, and regulatory authorities, existing access control schemes often struggle to simultaneously support batch authorization for data object sets, multi-authority collaboration, revocation-version binding, and low-latency online encryption. To address these challenges, this [...] Read more.

When smart tourism data are shared across scenic areas, hotels, transportation platforms, and regulatory authorities, existing access control schemes often struggle to simultaneously support batch authorization for data object sets, multi-authority collaboration, revocation-version binding, and low-latency online encryption. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a Threshold Distributed Batch Identity-Based Encryption scheme for object-level authorization of smart tourism data, termed TD-BIBE. The scheme jointly binds data object identities, batch labels, authorization periods, revocation versions, and authorization contexts to ciphertext access control. It employs Shamir secret sharing for threshold distributed key generation, preventing any single authorization authority from obtaining the complete master secret key. Set-polynomial digests and membership witnesses are used to support batch authorization over identity sets and object-level membership verification. A revocation-version binding mechanism restricts the validity scope of authorization materials, while an offline/online encryption structure reduces the online computational overhead of data providers. Formal security analyses are conducted in the random oracle model with respect to data confidentiality, object-level authorization, batch-label binding, revocation-version binding, resistance to unauthorized key-combination attacks, and threshold authorization security. Experimental results demonstrate that TD-BIBE is suitable for cross-departmental, multi-object, and on-demand data sharing in smart tourism scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Security and Privacy in Distributed and Trustless Systems)

22 pages, 715 KB

Open AccessReview

Representing Reuse in the Circular Economy: A Study of Circularity Indicators

by Justine Gloz, Stuart Walker and Rachael Rothman

Recycling 2026, 11(9), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling11090166 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Reuse is widely regarded as a primary strategy to mitigate plastic packaging waste, occupying a higher position than recycling in the waste hierarchy. However, most existing circularity indicators do not include reuse or include it only as an inferior circularity strategy. This paper [...] Read more.

Reuse is widely regarded as a primary strategy to mitigate plastic packaging waste, occupying a higher position than recycling in the waste hierarchy. However, most existing circularity indicators do not include reuse or include it only as an inferior circularity strategy. This paper evaluates how existing circularity indicators applicable to packaging integrate reuse in their calculation methods and results. A literature review identified 88 circularity indicators, which were filtered to 11 based on active usage and packaging relevance. These 11 indicators were analysed against the ISO 59004:2024 circularity framework using a scoring matrix. The four most relevant indicators (Material Circularity Indicator, Product Circularity Indicator (PCI), Eco-efficient Value Ratio and UP Scorecard) were evaluated using a comparative assessment of a reusable plastic container. Three key variables were tested: recycled content, recycling rate, and number of reuses. No single indicator performed best across all three assessment methods. While combining PCI and the UP Scorecard provides the most thorough assessment currently available, this combination still fails to fully capture sensitivity to varying levels of reuse. Future circularity indicators must evaluate both the level and operational feasibility of reuse, rather than relying on binary inclusion. Full article

34 pages, 6953 KB

Open AccessReview

Construction of a Long-Lived Hydrothermal Architecture for W, Au-Sb Deposits During Variscan Belt Thermal Collapse, French Massif Central (330–295 Ma)

by Michel Cathelineau and Marie-Christine Boiron

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(18), 9004; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16189004 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Since pioneering fluid-flow models for the Iberian and French Variscan belt, advances in geochronology, thermochronology, and geodynamic modeling have improved our understanding of late Variscan crustal evolution. New datasets suggest tungsten and gold mineralization do not represent distinct metallogenic events, but successive expressions [...] Read more.

Since pioneering fluid-flow models for the Iberian and French Variscan belt, advances in geochronology, thermochronology, and geodynamic modeling have improved our understanding of late Variscan crustal evolution. New datasets suggest tungsten and gold mineralization do not represent distinct metallogenic events, but successive expressions of a long-lived hydrothermal evolution linked to crustal melting, granite emplacement, exhumation, and thermal collapse. Fluid drainage along shear zones drove silicification and arsenic precipitation, building an efficient trap for later gold deposition. As the hot, rapidly exhumed crust evolved, it progressively became a gold-bearing hydrothermal system, its architecture developing from the mountain-range scale down to microfractures. The resulting metallogenic model is therefore hierarchical rather than episodic, built through progressive construction of efficient traps. Quartz first forms the mechanical trap, massive deposition creating competent bodies prone to repeated brittle reactivation. Arsenopyrite is then deposited along the same zones, within shear environments reactivated during exhumation, establishing the principal chemical trap for gold enrichment with a polymetallic signature (Ag, Sb, Pb, Cu, Zn, Bi, Te). This late stage results from repeated microfracturing, promoting remobilization and native gold enrichment. The economically significant gold stage thus culminates this hydrothermal evolution, reflecting the progressive self-organization of the system during orogenic collapse. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Review Papers in “Earth Sciences” Section)

29 pages, 1167 KB

Open AccessArticle

Rapeseed Price Volatility and Long-Term Forecasting in Poland: Implications for the Sustainability of EU Biofuel Policy

by Aneta Bełdycka-Bórawska

Sustainability 2026, 18(18), 9329; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18189329 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Rapeseed price stability is an important determinant of the long-term sustainability of biofuel production and the economic resilience of farms in the European Union. This study evaluates long-term rapeseed price dynamics in Poland and assesses their implications for biofuel production and agricultural resilience. [...] Read more.

Rapeseed price stability is an important determinant of the long-term sustainability of biofuel production and the economic resilience of farms in the European Union. This study evaluates long-term rapeseed price dynamics in Poland and assesses their implications for biofuel production and agricultural resilience. Annual data for 2005–2024 were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) test, while ARIMA models were used for forecasting and GARCH models were estimated from 778 daily MATIF observations for 18 February 2022–10 March 2025. The results show substantial price variability, with pronounced changes associated with international market conditions, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The ARIMA forecasts for 2025–2034 indicate a projected decline in the analyzed rapeseed and rapeseed-product prices; however, the widening forecast errors indicate increasing uncertainty over the longer horizon. The findings suggest that long-term price uncertainty should be considered in policies supporting the resilience of rapeseed producers and the stability of feedstock supply for renewable fuels. Full article

14 pages, 739 KB

Open AccessArticle

Physicians’ Judgments About Off-Label Medical Narcotic Use and Dose Reduction Responses: A South Korean Cross-Sectional Survey

by Yongsoo Lee, Yang-Ki Minn and Jung Eun Kim

Medicina 2026, 62(9), 1748; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62091748 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Off-label medical narcotic use may be classified as misuse and abuse, but this classification need not coincide with judgments about how broadly medical narcotic use should be permitted. We examined the association and discordance between these judgments, as well [...] Read more.

Background and Objectives: Off-label medical narcotic use may be classified as misuse and abuse, but this classification need not coincide with judgments about how broadly medical narcotic use should be permitted. We examined the association and discordance between these judgments, as well as how each was related to three dose-reduction-related responses. Materials and Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional web-based survey data from 300 physicians specializing in neurology, psychiatry, or anesthesiology and pain medicine in South Korea. Strict classification of all off-label use as misuse and abuse and a restrictive view of how broadly medical narcotic use should be permitted were entered simultaneously into logistic regression models for prior recommendation of dose reduction or discontinuation, belief that dose reduction would be helpful, and future intention to attempt dose reduction. Models were adjusted for age, sex, practice type, and specialty, with false-discovery rate (FDR) adjustment across six primary associations. Results: Strict classification was selected by 42 physicians (14.0%), and a restrictive view by 107 (35.7%). The two judgments were positively associated (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.38–10.46), but 92 of 297 physicians (31.0%) gave discordant responses. After FDR adjustment, strict classification was associated with prior recommendation (aOR, 3.06; 95% CI, 1.37–6.83) and the belief that dose reduction would be helpful (aOR, 4.51; 95% CI, 1.91–10.67). A restrictive view was associated with the same belief (aOR, 3.59; 95% CI, 2.12–6.10) and future intention (aOR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.55–5.40). Conclusions: These findings indicate that physicians’ broad judgments about off-label medical narcotic use and the permitted scope of medical narcotic use are related but distinct and show different patterns of association with three dose-reduction-related responses. They support the view that tapering decisions should be guided by individualized clinical assessment rather than by legal and regulatory frameworks alone. Full article

19 pages, 479 KB

Open AccessArticle

Data Fusion Scheme Based on the Intersection of Privacy Sets

by Xu Gu, Jiazheng Cui, Zhaowang Hu and Jun Ye

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(18), 9008; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16189008 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

In the field of public service data integration, government agencies are responsible for consolidating data from various industries and establishing big data platforms. Some achievements have been made in this direction, but there are still some issues related to privacy and security. In [...] Read more.

In the field of public service data integration, government agencies are responsible for consolidating data from various industries and establishing big data platforms. Some achievements have been made in this direction, but there are still some issues related to privacy and security. In this process, determining how a government agency can identify the “common data category” between different platforms without directly viewing the private data of each platform is a challenge. To address this issue, we propose a three-party data fusion method based on the intersection of marked privacy sets, in which two platforms privately compute their common data categories while a government agency acts as a keyless comparer. For the traditional privacy set intersection protocol, we designed a set of matrix mapping methods. By mapping the set elements to the matrix, we avoid direct access to the data. This protocol can confirm the “common data category” between the participants without exposing the private elements, thereby achieving the purpose of privacy protection. Experimental results show that our protocol can calculate the “common data category” of each platform under appropriate communication and computational volumes. Full article

23 pages, 2150 KB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Cadmium and Lead Exposure in Common Buckwheat: Metal Accumulation, Physiological Responses, and Compositional Changes

by Eryk Gadzała, Jacek Łuc, Rebecca Miszczak, Klaudia Sychta, Lucia Urbanová, Silvia Farkasová, Maria Pilarska, Joanna Sobolewska-Zielińska, Marek Kruczek, Justyna Żabicka, Natalia Zając, Paweł Dudzik, Agnieszka Płażek, Przemysław Kopeć, Jana Žiarovská and Aneta Słomka

Agronomy 2026, 16(18), 1781; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16181781 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) contamination may alter common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench cv. ‘Korona’) physiology and composition. The objective was to determine whether common buckwheat maintains physiological performance under controlled Cd and Pb exposure while assessing metal transfer to harvested achenes. [...] Read more.

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) contamination may alter common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench cv. ‘Korona’) physiology and composition. The objective was to determine whether common buckwheat maintains physiological performance under controlled Cd and Pb exposure while assessing metal transfer to harvested achenes. A 12-day in vitro phytotoxicity assay based on seed germination and root elongation and a six-week pot experiment were conducted. Cd had a stronger impact on in vitro seed germination and root growth than Pb. Under the highest metal treatments, soil concentrations reached 14,733.98 µg g⁻¹ DW for Cd and 5621.60 µg g⁻¹ DW for Pb; concentrations in leaves and achenes were substantially lower, although Cd transfer to the achenes remained relevant to food safety. Adult plants showed no consistent treatment-related changes in leaf water content, photosynthetic pigments, or F_v/F_m. Biochemical analyses detected treatment effects in proline, H₂O₂, SOD, CAT, and total phenolics. The treatment with 1000 mg L⁻¹ of Cd showed the highest leaf SOD activity and mature-achene total phenolic content. The largest observed compositional difference was the high lysine content under 5000 mg L⁻¹ of Cd in leaves and mature achenes, but this coincided with substantial Cd contamination and therefore cannot be interpreted as biofortification or a nutritional benefit. Overall, responses were non-monotonic and organ-specific, indicating substantial physiological adjustment during short-term exposure while confirming Cd transfer to mature achenes as a food-safety concern. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heavy Metal-Induced Plant Stress: Toxicity, Tolerance Mechanisms and Homoeostasis)

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35 pages, 2883 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Dual-Scale Collaborative Vision Framework for UAV-Based Drowning Behavior Recognition

by Jie Shen, Jiyan Yu, Rongxi Zhang and Nan Wang

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(18), 9007; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16189007 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

To support the early identification of potential drowning-risk states and improve rescue response efficiency, this paper proposes a UAV-oriented dual-scale detection-pose cascade for frame-level drowning-risk recognition. The framework first performs high-recall preliminary detection on wide-field input images to identify potential drowning targets. The [...] Read more.

To support the early identification of potential drowning-risk states and improve rescue response efficiency, this paper proposes a UAV-oriented dual-scale detection-pose cascade for frame-level drowning-risk recognition. The framework first performs high-recall preliminary detection on wide-field input images to identify potential drowning targets. The detected target regions are subsequently extracted and resized to construct localized inputs for the second-stage pose-based verification. This software-based target-region refinement simulates the localized high-resolution observation that could be provided by a telephoto camera in a future physical dual-camera UAV implementation. By focusing subsequent analysis on the localized target regions, the second-stage pose model can exploit finer-scale human structural information for drowning-risk state verification, thereby providing decision support for potential drowning detection. To address the challenges of small target scales and severe background interference in wide-field images, a lightweight YOLOv8n-based detection model is developed. An enhanced edge-feature-guided residual convolutional block attention module (EGRCBAM) is introduced, together with a recall-oriented FPIoU loss function designed for hard sample optimization, improving the recall of the drowning category by 17%. For localized target verification, an enhanced YOLOv8n-Pose model is constructed by incorporating a coordinate-aware pose head, spatial attention mechanism, and skeletal structure constraints to enhance human-region localization and pose-based drowning-versus-swimming recognition. The model improves Box mAP@0.5 from 0.768 to 0.816. Comparative experiments on the self-collected dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed detection and pose-based verification framework. The proposed framework provides a lightweight vision-based solution or UAV-oriented frame-level drowning-risk recognition and offers a potential algorithmic basis for future integration with physical dual-camera UAV platforms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Computing and Artificial Intelligence)

28 pages, 3559 KB

Open AccessArticle

pH-/Temperature-Triggered Gel Transition of Hyperbranched PEI-g-PDMAEMA as a Dual-Responsive Inhibitor for Clay Hydration Control

by Ming Zhong and Yang Xiong

Gels 2026, 12(9), 830; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12090830 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

To mitigate clay hydration and wellbore instability during deepwater drilling, a pH/temperature dual-responsive graft copolymer, hyperbranched polyethylenimine-g-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (HPEI-g-PDMAEMA), was designed and synthesized via free radical polymerization. Optimized synthesis at an HPEI/DMAEMA mass ratio of 1:2 with 2.4% AIBN at 70 °C for [...] Read more.

To mitigate clay hydration and wellbore instability during deepwater drilling, a pH/temperature dual-responsive graft copolymer, hyperbranched polyethylenimine-g-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (HPEI-g-PDMAEMA), was designed and synthesized via free radical polymerization. Optimized synthesis at an HPEI/DMAEMA mass ratio of 1:2 with 2.4% AIBN at 70 °C for 10 h yielded a grafting ratio of 35.2% and a molecular weight of 84.3 kDa. The copolymer exhibits a tunable lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of approximately 48 °C at pH 8, decreasing with increasing pH due to tertiary amine deprotonation. Zeta potential measurements confirm that the polymer retains a positive charge (+5 mV at pH 8) under weakly alkaline conditions, enabling strong electrostatic anchoring onto negatively charged clay surfaces. Above the LCST, dynamic light scattering reveals a sharp increase in hydrodynamic diameter from ~30 nm to >200 nm, confirming a hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic transition of PDMAEMA segments that drives the formation of a hydrophobically associated gel barrier. This thermally triggered gelation is fully reversible, as evidenced by repeated heating–cooling cycles with almost complete transmittance recovery. The gel barrier drastically reduces water uptake, with inhibition performance against clay swelling at 60 °C being 18.5 percentage points higher than that at 25 °C. Hot-rolling tests demonstrate that with only 1.5 wt% inhibitor, shale recovery reaches 94.1% at 150 °C (8.8 percentage points higher than unmodified HPEI) and remains above 60% even in 20 wt% CaCl₂ or MgCl₂ brines, highlighting exceptional resistance to divalent cations. Water contact angle on treated clay surfaces increases from 18.5° to 52.6°, confirming effective surface hydrophobization. This work provides a molecular-level gel-engineering strategy where pH governs electrostatic anchoring and temperature triggers reversible hydrophobic gelation, enabling on-demand switching of clay wettability and hydration resistance under high-temperature, high-salinity conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Gel Applications)

37 pages, 2087 KB

Open AccessReview

An Integrative Multidimensional Conceptualization of Telework Behavior: A Systematic Review and Grounded Theory Approach

by Sahar Babaei, Saeed Nosratabadi, Thabit Atobishi and Sahar Abu Bakir

Adm. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci16090441 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Telework has expanded rapidly, and understanding the behaviors employees enact under it has become correspondingly important. This study develops an integrative conceptual framework specifying the multidimensional nature of telework behavior. A systematic literature review following PRISMA identified 114 review articles, which were analyzed [...] Read more.

Telework has expanded rapidly, and understanding the behaviors employees enact under it has become correspondingly important. This study develops an integrative conceptual framework specifying the multidimensional nature of telework behavior. A systematic literature review following PRISMA identified 114 review articles, which were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. Six behavioral dimensions were identified, covering performance, communication, environmental, task, policy, and well-being conduct. Antecedents were grouped into individual factors, job characteristics, organizational norms, technological factors, and work environment factors. Outcomes were grouped into job satisfaction, productivity, turnover, health and well-being, work–life balance, and social isolation. Three contextual moderators were identified, namely telework modality, telework preference, and cultural and national context. Fourteen propositions link these categories and are advanced as testable claims rather than established findings, since they are derived from published review evidence and have not been empirically tested. The framework proposes telework behavior as the construct through which the conditions of remote work are translated into employee and organizational outcomes, and it specifies a content domain from which measures of the construct can be developed. It also indicates where organizations can direct policy, training, and intervention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Organizational Behavior)

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13 pages, 985 KB

Open AccessArticle

FCA-Transformer: A Feature Pyramid Time Series Forecasting Model Driven by Cross-Attention Mechanism

by Linli Wu, Jiyong Zhang, Zhimin Zhang, Weiwei Cao, Yu Jiao and Zhangyi Shen

Electronics 2026, 15(18), 4114; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15184114 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Multivariate time series forecasting requires modeling both hierarchical temporal dynamics and complex inter-variable dependencies, a dual requirement that often degrades predictive performance and incurs high computational costs in standard Transformer architectures. Unlike current channel-independent models that ignore vital cross-variable synergies, or dense-attention frameworks [...] Read more.

Multivariate time series forecasting requires modeling both hierarchical temporal dynamics and complex inter-variable dependencies, a dual requirement that often degrades predictive performance and incurs high computational costs in standard Transformer architectures. Unlike current channel-independent models that ignore vital cross-variable synergies, or dense-attention frameworks that suffer from quadratic computational noise, our approach extracts structurally sparse dependencies. To address these specific limitations, this study introduces the FCA-Transformer. The proposed framework integrates a Feature Pyramid Network (FPN) to isolate macroscopic trends from high-frequency localized fluctuations via hierarchical downsampling. Concurrently, a structured Transformer-based Cross-Attention (TCA) mechanism employs Dimensional Segmentation with Weighting (DSW) and a Two-Stage Attention (TSA) layer to map topological variable interactions, effectively extracting robust cross-variable pathways and mitigating distributional noise. Extensive empirical evaluations across three real-world multivariate benchmarks (ETTh1, Electricity, and Exchange Rate) demonstrate that the FCA-Transformer achieves an average reduction of up to 4.39% in MSE and 5.11% in MAE compared to leading baselines. These findings indicate that the proposed architecture successfully reconciles multi-scale feature extraction with lightweight dependency modeling, enhancing structural generalization and providing a scalable framework for real-time temporal analysis in complex industrial environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Artificial Intelligence)

21 pages, 3642 KB

Open AccessArticle

by Nipakorn Nanta, Pongthorn Chanlearn, Kriengkrai Srithanaviboonchai, Arunrat Tangmunkongvorakul, Suchada Thaweesit, Sulaiporn Chonwilai, Niwat Suwanphatthana, Karoline Soerensen, Patchara Benjarattanaporn and Lucy R. Stackpool-Moore

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(9), 1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23091201 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background: HIV-related stigma and discrimination remain barriers to equitable HIV prevention, treatment, and well-being in Thailand despite their longstanding inclusion in the national HIV response. This study examined contemporary experiences of stigma and discrimination among people living with HIV. Methods: The people living [...] Read more.

Background: HIV-related stigma and discrimination remain barriers to equitable HIV prevention, treatment, and well-being in Thailand despite their longstanding inclusion in the national HIV response. This study examined contemporary experiences of stigma and discrimination among people living with HIV. Methods: The people living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0 was a community-led mixed-methods study conducted from August 2022 to January 2023. The quantitative survey enrolled 2508 people living with HIV from 24 provinces covering all 13 health regions, including general adults living with HIV, four key population groups, migrant workers, and young people. A nested qualitative study included 174 in-depth interviews across six population groups. Results: Sixteen percent of participants reported HIV-related discrimination in healthcare services in the previous 12 months, 4.7% reported community stigma in the past 12 months, 39.0% reported internalized stigma, and 2.7% experienced rights abuse in the past 12 months. Younger people living with HIV reported significantly higher levels of healthcare discrimination, community stigma, internalized stigma, and rights abuse than older participants and the general people living with HIV reference group. Compared with general people living with HIV, sex workers and people who use drugs reported significantly higher levels of community stigma; men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who use drugs, and migrant workers reported significantly higher internalized stigma; and transgender people and sex workers reported significantly higher levels of rights abuse. Qualitative findings highlighted anticipated and enacted stigma, confidentiality concerns, internalized stigma, intersecting identities, rights violations, and resilience. Conclusions: HIV-related stigma remains evident in healthcare, community, and personal domains. Younger people living with HIV and key populations were particularly vulnerable to HIV-related stigma, discrimination, and rights abuse. Responses should combine updated public communication, stigma-free and person-centered healthcare, protection of privacy and rights, support for internalized stigma and mental well-being, and sustained leadership of people living with HIV. Full article

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24 pages, 1367 KB

Open AccessArticle

Metadata Compressibility and Evaluation Bias in Malicious Package Detection for NPM and PyPI

by Hanan Moufid, Mohamed El Ghazouani and Moulay Ahmed El Kiram

J. Cybersecur. Priv. 2026, 6(5), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcp6050160 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Malicious packages in open source-software supply chains are a growing security concern, yet machine learning detectors built on registry metadata are difficult to interpret and are typically evaluated under protocols susceptible to data leakage. We construct a dataset of 3330 package versions from [...] Read more.

Malicious packages in open source-software supply chains are a growing security concern, yet machine learning detectors built on registry metadata are difficult to interpret and are typically evaluated under protocols susceptible to data leakage. We construct a dataset of 3330 package versions from NPM and PyPI in which every attribute is reconstructed at its exact publication timestamp, and we partition the data so that all versions of a package, all packages of a maintainer, and all members of a name-similarity family reside within a single fold. The primary analysis is restricted to NPM, where 18 of 456 point-in-time attributes attain an AU-PR of 0.9972 against a positive-class baseline of 0.8755 and an AUC-ROC of 0.9828 on 763 held-out versions. A secondary pooled analysis over both ecosystems is reported: the class priors differ by nearly a factor of nine, a classifier using only the ecosystem of origin attains an AUC-ROC of 0.8036, and the pooled figures should be read with that composition in mind. Confidence intervals are obtained by cluster-bootstrap resampling at the composite-group level and are 3.7-times wider than version-level intervals in AU-PR (0.0201 against 0.0055); at that scale, none of the differences between feature subsets, selection-stage orderings, or metadata families reported here is distinguishable from sampling variation. At an operational prevalence of 0.1%, the positive predictive value is 4.3% and recall at the selected threshold is 0.537, indicating that metadata-based detection functions as a triage filter rather than a definitive verdict. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Security Engineering & Applications)

18 pages, 6153 KB

Open AccessArticle

Bronchiectasis Evaluation of Adjunctive Therapy with Erdosteine and Nebulized Amikacin for Chronic Cough and Healthcare Outcomes (BEAT-COUGH Study): A Two-Centre Experience

by Patil Shital, Rajesh Patil and Gajanan Gondhali

J. Respir. 2026, 6(3), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/jor6030024 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background: Chronic cough is a major determinant of impaired quality of life and recurrent exacerbations in bronchiectasis. The BEAT-COUGH Study evaluated the effectiveness of adjunctive oral erdosteine plus nebulized amikacin during acute exacerbation and long-term maintenance in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Methods: [...] Read more.

Background: Chronic cough is a major determinant of impaired quality of life and recurrent exacerbations in bronchiectasis. The BEAT-COUGH Study evaluated the effectiveness of adjunctive oral erdosteine plus nebulized amikacin during acute exacerbation and long-term maintenance in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Methods: The BEAT-COUGH Study was a prospective, two-center observational study (VCC:37/2023) with a 52-week follow-up. A total of 164 adults with HRCT-confirmed bronchiectasis, a Modified Reiff Score > 10, acute exacerbation, and positive sputum microbiology were enrolled. Eighty-two patients received standard care alone, and 82 received standard care plus oral erdosteine and nebulized amikacin (250 mg twice daily during exacerbation, followed by once daily during maintenance). A total of 144 patients completed maintenance follow-up. Cough severity was assessed using a 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), with VAS < 20 mm defining a satisfactory response. Secondary outcomes included exacerbation frequency, duration, time to first exacerbation, exacerbation-free days, sputum rheology, microbiology, hospitalization, antibiotic use, and healthcare costs. Results: Adjunctive therapy produced significantly higher satisfactory cough responses during both acute exacerbation and maintenance (both p < 0.001). Combination therapy reduced the duration of mild, moderate, and severe exacerbations by 39.97%, 37.30%, and 30.26%, respectively (all p < 0.0001); prolonged time to first exacerbation and exacerbation-free days (all p < 0.0001); and reduced moderate and severe exacerbations while increasing the proportion of exacerbation-free patients (p = 0.00019). Significant improvements were observed in sputum viscosity and clearance (90.3% vs. 19.4%), sputum volume (94.4% vs. 13.9%), and sputum color (91.7% vs. 13.9%) (all p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Adjunctive erdosteine plus nebulized amikacin significantly improved cough control, sputum rheology, exacerbation outcomes, and healthcare utilization, supporting its role as an effective adjunctive strategy for exacerbation-prone non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bronchiectasis: Advancing into the Future)

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16 pages, 288 KB

Open AccessArticle

Shared Experiences with Caregiving for Loved Ones Living with Dementia in an Adult Day Health and Resource Center: A Thematic Analysis

by Michelle D. Hand, Megumi Inoue, Li-Mei Chen, Naoru Koizumi, Emma Booker, Sarah Nosrat, Samreen Mehak and Eyesha Shaikh

Geriatrics 2026, 11(5), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics11050129 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background: Slowing the progression of dementia and maintaining mental and social health and well-being are important aspects of health and healthcare for people living with dementia (PLwD). Relationships with family caregivers and unique caregiver insights are also important aspects of the health and [...] Read more.

Background: Slowing the progression of dementia and maintaining mental and social health and well-being are important aspects of health and healthcare for people living with dementia (PLwD). Relationships with family caregivers and unique caregiver insights are also important aspects of the health and well-being of PLwD. Methods: A group-based gaming system was developed to promote health and well-being for PLwD through movement, cognitive exercises, and social interaction. Included were family caregivers of clients living with mild- or moderate-stage impairment in an adult day center selected for the gaming intervention. Prior to implementing the intervention, three separate focus groups were conducted with 21 caregivers of PLwD, divided into each of the three focus groups based on their availability, to explore what it is like to care for someone living with dementia, their loved ones’ mood, and their questions or concerns regarding the gaming intervention. Responses were thematically analyzed. Results: In total, 21 caregivers participated in the focus groups. Six themes were identified: mutuality and strategies for coping with varying emotions; new challenges and successes with connecting and relating; multidimensional challenges with adjusting to decline, help-seeking, and providing care; community, social support, and resilience; technology and community resources as tools to ease caregiving burdens, and interest in digital gaming for PLwD. Conclusions: Our results suggest that group-based digital gaming interventions may be useful to both caregivers and PLwD, by offering meaningful opportunities for social engagement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Care, Connection and Equity: Advancing the Science of Caregiving in Aging)

37 pages, 8329 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Knowledge Graph-Augmented Large Language Model Framework for Context-Aware Question-Answering and Intelligent Feedback Generation

by Bihter Das, Pınar Gokcimen, Tunahan Gokcimen and Muzeyyen Bulut Ozek

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(18), 9003; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16189003 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study proposes EQAS (Empowered Question-Answering System), a hybrid framework designed to support context-aware question-answering and intelligent feedback generation in domain-specific knowledge environments. EQAS integrates fine-tuned transformer-based models, instruction-guided large language models, domain-specific knowledge graphs, and LangChain-based vector retrieval to improve contextual relevance, [...] Read more.

This study proposes EQAS (Empowered Question-Answering System), a hybrid framework designed to support context-aware question-answering and intelligent feedback generation in domain-specific knowledge environments. EQAS integrates fine-tuned transformer-based models, instruction-guided large language models, domain-specific knowledge graphs, and LangChain-based vector retrieval to improve contextual relevance, response quality, and feedback consistency. To evaluate the proposed framework, a benchmark dataset consisting of 10,000 real-world question–answer pairs was constructed from authentic user interactions and domain-related information resources. Experimental evaluation across established transformer-based architectures and recent instruction-tuned large language models showed that the Llama-3.3-70B-Instruct baseline achieved the highest standalone QA performance (F1: 77.42; EM: 44.60), while the EQAS transformer-based configuration achieved an F1 score of 75.48 and an Exact Match score of 41.80. A controlled ablation analysis using Llama-3.3-70B-Instruct as the fixed QA backbone further showed that incorporating knowledge graph enhancement increased the F1 score from 77.42 to 79.93 and the Exact Match score from 44.60 to 46.82, corresponding to absolute improvements of 2.51 and 2.22 points, respectively. A complementary human-centered evaluation of 1000 generative responses by three NLP researchers yielded an overall quality score of 4.34/5 across correctness, clarity, sufficiency, and helpfulness, with an overall Krippendorff’s

α

of 0.80. Furthermore, the framework provides context-sensitive explanatory feedback that can support user understanding and knowledge acquisition during information-seeking interactions. The findings suggest that EQAS offers a scalable solution for intelligent question-answering, feedback support, and knowledge assistance in complex information environments. The proposed framework highlights the potential of combining large language models with structured knowledge representations to support context-aware question-answering and explanatory feedback generation in domain-specific information environments. Full article

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9 pages, 493 KB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analysis of Cadmium Profiles in Liver, Kidney, and Muscle of Bovines, Equines, and Cervids

by Stefania Squadrone, Alessandra Griglione, Paolo Palmegiano, Stefania Gavinelli, Anna Riva, Leo Costa, Diana Giuffrida, Marcello Gigliotti, Chiara Marchese, Rosa Avolio and Maria Cesarina Abete

Toxics 2026, 14(9), 806; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14090806 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Understanding interspecies physiological variability, toxicokinetic pathways, and bioaccumulation dynamics is fundamentally essential for veterinary diagnostics, food safety assurance, and wildlife conservation management. This ten-year toxicological study (2015–2025) analyzed cadmium (Cd) concentrations in liver, kidney, and muscle tissues of bovines, cervids, and equines from [...] Read more.

Understanding interspecies physiological variability, toxicokinetic pathways, and bioaccumulation dynamics is fundamentally essential for veterinary diagnostics, food safety assurance, and wildlife conservation management. This ten-year toxicological study (2015–2025) analyzed cadmium (Cd) concentrations in liver, kidney, and muscle tissues of bovines, cervids, and equines from northwestern Italy using ICP-MS. Cadmium distribution varied significantly by species and tissue. Bovines and cervids exhibited low, homogeneous burdens (bovine mean liver: 0.14 mg/kg, kidney: 0.60 mg/kg; cervid mean liver: 0.13 mg/kg, kidney: 0.72 mg/kg), and cervids showed wider ranges due to environmental exposure. Conversely, equines accumulated drastically higher concentrations in hepatorenal tissues, averaging 10 mg/kg in the liver and 53 mg/kg in the kidney. Muscle tissue concentrations remained minimal across all species (0.017 to 0.078 mg/kg). Principal Component Analysis explained 90.4% of total variance, cleanly separating equines from bovines and cervids based on hepatic and renal loads. Liver and kidney proved to be robust biomarkers for monitoring Cd exposure. These findings support the integration of comparative tissue metal profiling into comprehensive veterinary toxicology, veterinary public health, and wildlife health assessment frameworks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Impacts of Cadmium and Trace Elements)

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30 pages, 4617 KB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Gas-Phase Pyrolysis of N-Aryl-3-Oxobutanamides and the 2-Aryl Hydrazone Derivatives: A Novel Computational Approach Including DFT with Multivariant Analysis

by Rosalinda Ipanaque-Chávez, Marcos Loroño, Tania Cordova-Sintjago, José L. Paz and Cecilio Julio Alberto Garrido Schaeffer

Molecules 2026, 31(18), 3201; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31183201 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

In this work, we carried out a computational study of the gas-phase thermal decomposition of N-aryl-3-oxobutanamides (β-ketoamides) and the 2-arylhydrazone derivatives. We performed calculations using density functional theory (DFT) at the B97D-GD3BJ/deft2tzvp level, with multivariant analysis including descriptors of global reactivity, [...] Read more.

In this work, we carried out a computational study of the gas-phase thermal decomposition of N-aryl-3-oxobutanamides (β-ketoamides) and the 2-arylhydrazone derivatives. We performed calculations using density functional theory (DFT) at the B97D-GD3BJ/deft2tzvp level, with multivariant analysis including descriptors of global reactivity, e.g., ionization energy (I), electron affinity (A), molecular hardness (η) and electrophilicity (ω). The objective was to elucidate the reaction mechanism. To this end, we modeled the structures of reactants, transition state structures (TSs) and products and studied the effect of substituents on the N-aryl and the 2-aryl aromatic ring on the energy of activation. The synchronicity of the process and the nature of non-covalent interactions were studied to gain insight into the reactivity and selectivity of these molecules. We examined the reactivity of 2-arylhydrazone derivatives, which show reaction rates about three orders of magnitude slower than the parent β-ketoamide. We evaluated two competing mechanisms involving cyclic TSs of six and four members. This study included electronic descriptors, e.g., NBO analysis, IGM/IBSI, Wiberg bond indexes, and intrinsic reaction coordinate calculations (IRCs). We introduce a new descriptor, Dynamic Synchronicity, SyD, for mechanistic and kinetic characterization. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first comprehensive theoretical study of the system ketoamide/aryl hydrazone. Multivariate statistical methods, i.e., principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), are useful tools for the selection of the atoms involved in the TSs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Approaches to Reaction Mechanisms)

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20 pages, 1026 KB

Open AccessArticle

Blood Metabolic Profile and Hemogram across Lactation in an Extensively Managed Flock of Dalmatian Pramenka Ewes: Influence of Stage of Lactation and Litter Size

by Zvonko Antunović, Lucija Bronić, Željka Klir Šalavardić, Mislav Đidara, Luka Šramek and Josip Novoselec

Metabolites 2026, 16(9), 668; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo16090668 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Determination of blood metabolic profile and hemogram are particularly valuable in animals kept in extensive and semi-intensive farming systems, as within those systems, it is not possible to properly monitor animals. This research investigated changes in the hemogram indicators and blood [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Determination of blood metabolic profile and hemogram are particularly valuable in animals kept in extensive and semi-intensive farming systems, as within those systems, it is not possible to properly monitor animals. This research investigated changes in the hemogram indicators and blood metabolic profile of Dalmatian Pramenka ewes by comparing different lactation stage and litter size. Methods: This study investigated changes in the hemogram indicators and blood metabolic profile of 33 Dalmatian Pramenka ewes during lactation as influenced by the lactation stage (taken on the 40th, 70th and 100th day of lactation) and the litter size (1 or 2 lambs in litter). Referring to the litter size, 11 ewes had twins, and 22 ewes had one lamb in litter. Results: This study confirmed the significant influence of stage of lactation on the blood metabolic profile (minerals: Ca, P-inorganic, Mg, Fe, metabolites: urea, glucose, triglycerides, ALB, GLOB and A/G ratio, and ALT enzyme) and most of the hemogram indicators (RBC and WBC content of HGB and HCT and portion of monocytes) in the blood of lactating ewes. The influence of litter size on the hemogram and blood metabolic profile was insignificant, yet its only statistically significant effect was determined for urea concentrations in the blood of ewes. Conclusions: When planning quality monitoring procedures of a herd, a blood metabolic profile and hemogram of the animals should be implemented as routine herd-monitoring tools for indigenous sheep breeds raised under extensive production systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolomics Studies in Ruminant Models: Unraveling Nutritional Physiology and Health)

22 pages, 1393 KB

Open AccessArticle

User Priorities for Station Facilities and Related Attributes at Regional Rail Stations in Rural Peripheral Areas: A Seasonal Comparison from Austria

by Dino Bakula, Marcel Weber and Bernhard Rüger

Future Transp. 2026, 6(5), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/futuretransp6050192 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Rural peripheral regional rail stations are important access points within everyday travel chains, yet their on-site facilities are often limited. This study examines the perceived importance of station facilities and related attributes and investigates seasonal and user-group differences. The dataset comprises 1820 questionnaires [...] Read more.

Rural peripheral regional rail stations are important access points within everyday travel chains, yet their on-site facilities are often limited. This study examines the perceived importance of station facilities and related attributes and investigates seasonal and user-group differences. The dataset comprises 1820 questionnaires from 16 stations in Lower Austria and Upper Austria: 562 summer station-based responses, 868 winter station-based responses, and 390 winter household responses. To avoid confounding recruitment mode with season, the primary seasonal analysis compares only station-based respondents, while the household sample is analysed separately as a wider catchment area perspective. Weather shelter, toilets and reliable passenger information are the highest-rated attributes. The like-for-like seasonal comparison indicates a largely stable functional baseline, whereas selected supplementary attributes show only small tomodest seasonal differences. Women assign higher importance to several supportive facilities, while the importance of several optional offers declines with age. The household sample differs substantially in station-use frequency from the station-based samples and therefore complements, rather than directly extends, the seasonal comparison. The findings support a planning hierarchy in which essential baseline facilities are secured before context-dependent comfort, supply and optional services are considered. This evidence is analytically transferable to comparable smaller regional stations in rural and peripheral settings beyond Austria. Full article

17 pages, 424 KB

Open AccessReview

Opening a Rural Maternity Care Center Amid Nationwide Closures: A Case Study of Implementation and Opportunities

by Dana Iglesias, Jesus Ruiz, Emily C. Sheffield and Margaret R. Helton

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(9), 1200; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23091200 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Rural maternity care in the United States faces an unprecedented crisis. As of 2022, more than half of rural hospitals lacked obstetric services, leaving many rural communities without local maternity care. This descriptive case study documents the implementation of maternity services at a [...] Read more.

Rural maternity care in the United States faces an unprecedented crisis. As of 2022, more than half of rural hospitals lacked obstetric services, leaving many rural communities without local maternity care. This descriptive case study documents the implementation of maternity services at a 25-bed rural critical access hospital in North Carolina. We reviewed and coded data derived from the following sources from 2020–2025: institutional planning documents, clinical protocols, standard workflows, operational procedures, administrative records, meeting minutes, presentations and summaries, and published commentaries, manuscripts and articles related to the new maternity unit. We identified six critical domains for sustainability: (1) hospital and community engagement, (2) stable multidisciplinary staffing models, (3) emergency preparedness, (4) anesthesia service delivery, (5) financial sustainability, and (6) risk-appropriate scope of care. Successful implementation required integrated approaches across organizational dimensions facilitated by committed institutional leadership; community advocacy; innovative staffing models with family physicians, certified nurse-midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists; competency-based emergency training; Medicaid-based financial sustainability; and explicit risk stratification with clear interfacility communication protocols. Workforce sustainability emerged as the most significant ongoing challenge. Rural maternity service sustainability requires multifaceted, evidence-based approaches integrating workforce development, organizational infrastructure, financial mechanisms, and clear scope definitions. This case study demonstrates a model of perinatal regionalized and risk-appropriate care with replicable strategies that can inform efforts to address maternal health equity and strengthen rural health care systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Access and Utilization of Maternal Health Services in Rural Areas)

28 pages, 360 KB

Open AccessArticle

Agricultural Industrial Agglomeration and Agricultural Eco-Efficiency: Theoretical Mechanisms and Empirical Analysis

by Hesi Pan, Jing Wen and Hongzhi Liu

Sustainability 2026, 18(18), 9328; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18189328 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Addressing the structural contradiction between “large country with small-scale farming” and “ecological constraints” in the process of Chinese-style agricultural modernization necessitates a reexamination of the interactive relationship between industrial spatial organization and eco-efficiency. Based on provincial panel data from 2004 to 2023, this [...] Read more.

Addressing the structural contradiction between “large country with small-scale farming” and “ecological constraints” in the process of Chinese-style agricultural modernization necessitates a reexamination of the interactive relationship between industrial spatial organization and eco-efficiency. Based on provincial panel data from 2004 to 2023, this paper constructs an analytical framework encompassing four dimensions—scale, technology, structure, and society—and employs double/debiased machine learning models to systematically examine the effects of agricultural industrial agglomeration on agricultural eco-efficiency. The findings are as follows: (1) The impact exhibits a U-shaped dynamic pattern of “initial suppression followed by later promotion.” (2) The mechanism analysis identifies four transmission pathways—economies of scale, technological innovation, industrial structure, and agricultural socialized services. Among these, technological innovation, agricultural socialized services, and industrial structure rationalization exhibit significant positive transmission effects, whereas economies of scale generate a negative net effect due to over-intensive factor inputs, and the mediating effect of industrial structure sophistication has not yet materialized. (3) Agricultural technological innovation exhibits a significant double-threshold effect and serves as the key variable for unlocking the eco-efficiency benefits of agglomeration. (4) Agricultural industrial agglomeration exerts significant negative spatial spillover effects on neighboring regions, with this effect being more pronounced in western China, low-agglomeration areas, and non-major grain-producing regions. This study elucidates the nonlinear dynamics and spatial externalities of agglomeration’s ecological effects, providing a basis for differentiated agricultural environmental policies and cross-regional ecological collaborative governance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Environment and Sustainable Management)

29 pages, 4140 KB

Open AccessArticle

An Exact Continuous-Time Markov Chain Framework for Modeling and Performance Evaluation of Multi-Product Push–Pull Production Systems

by Angelos Kourepis, Alexandros C. Diamantidis, Stelios Koukoumialos, Nikolaos Kladovasilakis and Michael A. Madas

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(18), 9006; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16189006 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

Multi-product production systems require effective coordination among production, intermediate storage, downstream processing, and customer demand, particularly under stochastic operating conditions and finite capacity. Unlike existing analytical studies that mainly examine either single-product push–pull systems or multi-product manufacturing systems separately, this work develops an [...] Read more.

Multi-product production systems require effective coordination among production, intermediate storage, downstream processing, and customer demand, particularly under stochastic operating conditions and finite capacity. Unlike existing analytical studies that mainly examine either single-product push–pull systems or multi-product manufacturing systems separately, this work develops an exact CTMC framework that jointly captures product variety, shared buffering, downstream parallelization, sequence-dependent setups, and machine unreliability. The system comprises an unreliable upstream machine with sequence-dependent setup changes, a finite intermediate buffer, a distribution center modeled as a pooled processing resource with (M) identical reliable channels, and dedicated finished-goods buffers serving product-specific demand. A high-dimensional continuous-time Markov chain is formulated, and a systematic algorithm is developed to construct the infinitesimal generator matrix and compute steady-state performance measures. Numerical experiments examine intermediate buffer capacity, downstream processing capacity, priority rules, and upstream machine reliability. Increasing buffer capacity from 0 to 20 increases total throughput from 0.5937 to 1.0988, whereas further expansion to 100 yields only 1.1606, while average work-in-process reaches 19.8524. Downstream capacity exhibits similar diminishing performance gains, while priority rules and machine reliability affect product-level and overall throughput. These findings highlight throughput–inventory trade-offs and demonstrate the framework’s applicability for evaluating alternative configurations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Artificial Intelligence in the Logistics Industry and Supply Chain)

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23 pages, 8893 KB

Open AccessArticle

Field Measurement and Thermal Comfort Evaluation of Window-Type Direct Evaporative Cooling (DEC) Across 50 Dormitory Rooms in a University Residential Building in Beijing Temperate Climate Zone

by Wentao Liu and Qingbo Hu

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3623; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183623 (registering DOI) - 10 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study employs a multi-method, high-precision research approach to evaluate the thermal comfort performance of a window-based direct evaporative cooling (DEC) air conditioning system installed in a university dormitory building (50 rooms) in Beijing. To compensate for the insufficiency of single-day test data, [...] Read more.

This study employs a multi-method, high-precision research approach to evaluate the thermal comfort performance of a window-based direct evaporative cooling (DEC) air conditioning system installed in a university dormitory building (50 rooms) in Beijing. To compensate for the insufficiency of single-day test data, the study was conducted continuously for 30 days from 1 June to 30 June 2026 (00:00–23:59 daily). Eight calibrated sensor sets were deployed in each of the 50 rooms (that is, eight fixed sensor sets per room × 50 rooms = 400 synchronously logged spatial measurement points, each integrating a fixed SHT35 temperature/humidity sensor with a matched hot-wire anemometer probe; this unusually dense, building-scale simultaneous deployment is uncommon in previous dormitory studies), recording data simultaneously across all rooms throughout the test period with the DEC units continuously operating. The research integrates field physical measurement data, standardized subjective questionnaire surveys (200 within-person paired questionnaires, each pairing a student’s retrospective recall of the pre-DEC condition with an in situ vote collected during DEC operation), and advanced computational thermophysiological modeling results based on the frameworks of ISO 7730–2021 and ASHRAE Standard 55–2023. Environmental parameters, including dry-bulb temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH), and air velocity (Va), were monitored at eight spatially distributed points per room with a 10 Hz sampling frequency and a one-hour median resolution. The mean radiant temperature (Tr) was approximated as equal to Ta due to the absence of globe temperature measurements, and this simplification is discussed as a limitation. Simultaneously, through a single-session questionnaire (June 24–30) compliant with ISO 10551 and the Appendix B requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55, which paired each respondent’s retrospective recall of the early-June pre-DEC (non-cooled) condition with a concurrent vote collected during DEC operation—a recalled-pre/concurrent-post design rather than two separate real-time pre-/post-intervention surveys—data on clothing ensembles, activity levels, and subjective thermal sensation votes (TSV) were collected. The acquired data were input into a customized simulation platform developed in the Fortran language (which was debugged and cross-validated against the ISO 7730/ASHRAE Standard 55 reference implementation to within 0.01 PMV scale units), which employs the Fanger two-node thermoregulation model to accurately calculate and predict the predicted mean vote (PMV), predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD) occupants, new effective temperature (ET*), and standard effective temperature (SET*). The results indicate that the DEC unit achieved a stable outlet temperature reduction of Δt = 3.87 °C (inlet temperature 31.72 °C, outlet temperature 27.85 °C), with an average wet-bulb air temperature of 18.66 °C and an average outlet relative humidity of 58.3% (inlet RH: 42.1%), confirming the expected humidifying effect of direct evaporative cooling while maintaining an average indoor relative humidity of 42.07%—a result particularly relevant to Beijing’s dry-to-semi-humid summer environment, where evaporative cooling is thermodynamically favorable. Because no DEC-off baseline period was monitored, the measured indoor conditions are reported as observational associations with DEC operation rather than as effects attributable exclusively to the unit; the pre-DEC satisfaction level was recalled retrospectively within the same single session and is therefore subject to recall/contrast bias; and all energy-saving figures are theoretical nameplate estimates rather than metered energy consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems)

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