Search Results (3,117)

The construction sector accounts for 39% of GHG emissions, being the main contributor to embodied carbon emissions of building materials, and operational energy consumption for indoor thermal comfort. Cereal straw, an agricultural by-product, is emerging as a low-carbon alternative due to its thermal performance and negative embodied carbon. This paper aims to review recent advances of cereal straw as a building material for decarbonization of construction, analyzing its thermal properties, embodied carbon, and large-scale applications. A literature review focused on European-certified straw-based materials, grouped into four categories: straw bales, blown-in insulation, modular systems, and bio-composites. Twelve Product Environmental Declarations (EPDs) and technical specifications were examined to evaluate manufacturing processes, material properties, and Global Warming Potential (GWP) for cradle-to-gate stages (A1–A3), as well as their use in large-scale projects over the past five years. Thermal conductivity ranged from 0.043 to 0.068 W/m·K, while embodied carbon varied between –101.2 and –146.5 kg CO₂ eq/m³. Straw bales remain prevalent in small-scale housing, blown-in insulation supports retrofitting, and modular systems offer the most balanced performance, enabling high-rise or extensive built surfaces. The study concludes that straw products have the potential to decarbonize opaque elements of the envelope, reducing operational and embodied energy of buildings. Full article

The study presents a comprehensive assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the carbon footprint (CF) of high-percentage spirit production in a Polish distillery. The analysis followed the GHG Protocol and ISO 14067:2018 standards, covering direct and indirect emissions across three Scopes. Using life cycle assessment (LCA) with a gate-to-gate boundary, emissions were across key technological processes. Verified operational data for 2022–2024 included detailed records of energy and fuel consumption. Electricity use was identified as the dominant emission source, accounting for 70–93% of total GHG emissions, followed by natural gas and transport fuels. The integration of renewable energy sources, including biomass and photovoltaic installations, resulted in a significant decrease in GHG emissions. The average carbon footprint of spirit production declined from 1.02 kg CO_2eq/L in 2022 to 0.12–0.15 kg CO_2eq/L in 2023–2024, representing an over 85% reduction in emission intensity. Production increased, but the company implemented better practices, including the use of biomass and photovoltaics as energy sources, which translated into a reduction in its carbon footprint. Scenario analysis showed that implementing the replacement of conventional fuels with renewables could lower total GHG emissions by up to 35%. The results confirm that renewable energy implementation and energy-efficiency improvements are effective decarbonization strategies for the spirits industry, supporting compliance with European Green Deal objectives and the transition toward climate-neutral production. Full article

This study presents an integrated framework for lifecycle assessment (LCA) and lifecycle costing (LCC) of buildings and districts that combines machine learning-based temporal disaggregation, physics-based simulation, and holistic environmental evaluation. The methodology addresses a key limitation of conventional LCA practice: the reliance on temporally aggregated energy data, which obscures daily and seasonal variability affecting environmental and economic indicators. A hierarchical disaggregation algorithm was used to reconstruct hourly electricity profiles from monthly totals and was coupled with the INTEMA building energy performance simulator and the VERIFY LCA/LCC platform. The disaggregation algorithm was validated on an office building in Cardiff, UK, supported by cross-validation across multiple UK office buildings, and achieved strong agreement with measured hourly consumption (R² = 0.81, RMSE = 3.71 kWh). In the Cardiff case, the reconstructed hourly profiles reproduced lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions and costs within 0.5% of the reference hourly measurement approach, compared with deviations of 44.1% and 2.9% under conventional monthly aggregation. The complete hybrid framework was then applied to a district in Massagno, Switzerland, encompassing eight buildings with heterogeneous typologies, for which only aggregated energy data were available (monthly for the office building and annual for the others). Over a 20-year horizon, total emissions reached 9429 tCO₂-eq and primary energy demand approached 226 GWh, equivalent to 41 kgCO₂-eq·m⁻²·yr⁻¹. The results illustrate the framework’s applicability to multi-building systems and its ability to support LCA and LCC in contexts with limited temporal data availability. Full article

Background/Objectives: The extent to which compression or inflammation contribute to the development of cervical radiculopathy and its associated symptoms remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate whether herniated disc size correlates with baseline symptom severity and/or clinical outcome in patients with cervical radiculopathy, treated surgically or conservatively. Methods: This multi-centre retrospective cohort study included 206 patients with cervical radiculopathy due to a herniated disc. MRI scans from 108 patients in the NECK trial (surgical treatment, evaluating disc replacement) and 98 from the CASINO trial (surgical versus conservative treatment), were used to classify herniation size. Clinical outcome was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale for arm and neck pain, the Neck Disability Index and the EuroQol VAS at baseline and one year after treatment. Binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between herniation size and clinical outcome, adjusting for treatment type, gender, Body Mass Index and age. Results: A total of 107 patients presented with a small herniation, and 99 had a large herniation. Baseline mean NDI scores were 39.1 ± 15 (surgical group, n = 165) and 32.9 ± 16 (conservative group, n = 41). No association was observed between herniation size and clinical condition (OR 1.010, p = 0.323). After one year, mean NDI scores were 16.2 ± 15 (surgical group) versus 19.6 ± 22 (conservative group), with no significant associations between herniation size and outcome in either group. Similar findings were found for VAS arm and neck pain and EQ-VAS. Conclusions: Disc herniation size on baseline MRI showed no correlation with symptom severity or one-year clinical outcomes, suggesting that inflammatory mechanisms, rather than mechanical compression alone, play a key role in cervical radiculopathy. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cruciate-retaining (CR) and posterior-stabilized (PS) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are both widely used in primary knee osteoarthritis (KOA), but evidence in younger patients remains limited. This study compared functional outcomes, pain, range of motion, quality of life, and psychological status between CR and PS implants in an Eastern European cohort. Methods: A prospective comparative cohort study was conducted in patients aged 40–64 years undergoing primary cemented TKA. The primary outcome was change in the Lower-Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, EQ5D5L index, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, PROMIS Depression score, active knee flexion, and patient satisfaction. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Between-group comparisons used Welch t-tests and results are reported as mean differences with 95% confidence intervals. Results: A total of 147 patients were included (CR n = 71; PS n = 76). The prespecified primary endpoint, 12-month change in LEFS, was very similar between groups (mean difference 0.14 points, 95% CI −3.80 to 4.08; p = 0.94). LEFS improved from 49.1 ± 14.8 to 66.8 ± 11.6 in the CR group and from 47.9 ± 14.6 to 65.8 ± 12.4 in the PS group at 12 months. Lysholm scores increased to 88.5 ± 11.4 (CR) and 86.2 ± 10.6 (PS) (p = 0.21). EQ-5D-5L improved in both groups, with a non-significant difference at 12 months (p = 0.077). VAS pain decreased from 7.39 ± 1.19 to 1.59 ± 0.84 (CR) and from 7.55 ± 1.46 to 1.75 ± 0.90 (PS) (p = 0.27). Active flexion increased to 117.5 ± 10.5° (CR) and 115.0 ± 11.3° (PS) (p = 0.15). PROMIS Depression improved similarly in both groups, and satisfaction levels at 12 months were comparable. Conclusions: Both CR and PS TKA produced comparable improvements in pain, function, quality of life, mental health, and knee flexion in KOA patients aged 40–64 at one year. Implant design did not influence clinical benefit or PROMs in this cohort. Full article

This paper presents new types of PCM composites proposed and analyzed for cooling applications in buildings. The composites (n-octadecane-Al-long/n-octadecane-Al-short) were made of n-octadecane with 7% and 7.5% vol. of recycled aluminum added as a thermal conductivity enhancer to avoid sinking during the melting phase and to improve thermal conductivity. Recycled aluminum chips are inexpensive, abundant, and generate a lower environmental impact during composite production. The effect of the chip content was found to increase the thermal conductivity values of the composites by 100% (n-octadecane-Al short) and by 600% (n-octadecane-Al-long) compared to n-octadecane. The percentage of mass increase remained low. The latent heat of n-octadecane-Al-long decreased from 245 kJ/kg to 195 kJ/kg, the melting time shortened from 990 s to 850 s, and the CO₂ emission reduction was by 150 kg CO₂eq/year. The volume of the PCM composites varied from 0.083 m³ (n-octadecane) to 0.091 for n-octadecane-Al-long, which represents an increase of up to 11% needed to absorb the solar heat gained by the optimized PCM composite. Full article

Economic and technological factors necessitate the use of alternative fuels during oil shale combustion, a process that generates substantial amounts of solid waste with varying ash compositions. This study evaluates the potential of two such waste materials: (i) fly ash derived from the combustion of oil shale (a fine particulate residue from burning crushed shale rock, sometimes combined with biomass), and (ii) short carbon fibres recovered from the pyrolysis (a process of decomposing materials at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen) of waste wind turbine blades. Oil shale ash from two different sources was investigated as a partial cement replacement, while recycled short carbon fibres (rCFs) were incorporated to enhance the functional properties of mortar composites. Results showed that carbonate-rich ash promoted the formation of higher amounts of monocarboaluminate (a crystalline hydration product in cement chemistry), leading to a refined pore structure and increased volumes of reaction products—primarily calcium silicate hydrates (C–S–H, critical compounds for cement strength). The findings indicate that the mineralogical composition of the modified binder (the mixture that holds solid particles together in mortar), rather than the fibre content, is the dominant factor in achieving a dense microstructure. This, in turn, enhances resistance to water ingress and improves mechanical performance under long-term hydration and freeze–thaw exposure. Life cycle assessment (LCA, a method to evaluate environmental impacts across a product’s lifespan) further demonstrated that combining complex binders with rCFs can significantly reduce the environmental impacts of cement production, particularly in terms of global warming potential (−4225 kg CO₂ eq), terrestrial ecotoxicity (−1651 kg 1,4-DCB), human non-carcinogenic toxicity (−2280 kg 1,4-DCB), and fossil resource scarcity (−422 kg oil eq). Overall, the integrative use of OSA and rCF presents a sustainable alternative to conventional cement, aligning with principles of waste recovery and reuse, while providing a foundation for the development of next-generation binder systems. Full article

Background: We report UK findings from Music Interventions for Depression and Dementia in Elderly care (MIDDEL), a cross-national, clustered, randomised trial undertaken in 2018–2023 to evaluate the effectiveness of music interventions for depression symptoms in care home residents living with dementia (NCT03496675, clinicaltrials.gov (accessed on 1 December 2024)). The trial compared the effects of Group Music Therapy (GMT) with Recreational Choir Singing (RCS); GMT and RCS combined; and treatment as usual (TAU). Methods: In the intervention arms, the protocolized music interventions were delivered in care home units twice per week for three months, then once per week for three months. The primary outcome was depressive symptoms after six months, measured by MADRS. Secondary outcomes included well-being—EQ-5D-5L, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS); quality of life—QOL-AD; symptoms of dementia—SIB-8, NPI-Q; and caregiver distress—NPI-Q. The change in MADRS score from baseline to 6 months was assessed using a linear mixed-effects model. We report the multivariate model having both treatments as predictors, both unadjusted and adjusted, for the interaction between the treatments. Results: The UK trial started in 2022 after the pandemic lockdown, when 16 care home units were recruited and randomised, four per arm; 192 residents aged over 65 with depression and dementia participated. An ITT analysis of 146 participants retained at 6 months found neither intervention had a significant positive effect on any outcome. Significant unfavourable effects were found for RCS participants on MADRS, NPI symptom severity, and EQ-VAS. The combination of RCS + GMT had a detrimental effect on caregiver distress. Conclusions: MIDDEL UK findings do not support the use of GMT or RCS to alleviate depression in care home residents with dementia. Full article

Due to their sustainability, lightweight qualities, and simplicity of installation, wood slab systems have gained increasing attention in the building industry. Cross-laminated timber (CLT), an engineered wood product (EWP), improves structural strength and stability, offering a good alternative to conventional reinforced concrete (RC) slab systems. Conventional CLT, however, contains adhesives that pose environmental and end-of-life (EOL) disposal challenges. Adhesive-free CLT (AFCLT) panels have recently been introduced as a sustainable option, but their environmental performance has not yet been thoroughly investigated. In this study, the environmental impacts of five slab systems are evaluated and compared using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The investigated slab systems include a standard CLT slab (SCLT), three different AFCLT slabs (AFCLT1, AFCLT2, and AFCLT3), and an RC slab. The assessment considered abiotic depletion potential (ADP), global warming potential (GWP), ozone layer depletion potential (ODP), human toxicity potential (HTP), freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity potential (FAETP), marine aquatic ecotoxicity potential (MAETP), terrestrial ecotoxicity potential (TETP), photochemical oxidation potential (POCP), acidification potential (AP), and eutrophication potential (EP), covering the entire life cycle from production to disposal, excluding part of the use stage (B2-B7). The results highlight the advantages and drawbacks of each slab system, providing insights into selecting sustainable slab solutions. AFCLT2 exhibited the lowest environmental impacts across the assessed categories. On the contrary, the RC slab showed the highest environmental impact among the studied products. For example, the RC slab had the highest GWP of 67.422 kg CO₂ eq, which was 1784.3% higher than that of AFCLT2 (3.779 kg CO₂ eq). Additionally, the simulation displayed that the analysis results vary depending on the electricity source, which is influenced by geographical location. Using the Norwegian electricity mix resulted in the most sustainable outcomes compared with Sweden, Finland, and Saudi Arabia. This study contributes to the advancement of low-carbon construction techniques and the development of building materials with reduced environmental impacts in the construction sector. Full article

Factory announcements for battery production are increasing in number as European demand for battery cells grows. Using a Monte Carlo simulation (108 projects as of October 2025) with risk factors for individual projects, the predicted theoretical production capacity for lithium-ion batteries in Europe will rise to 1.1–1.5 TWh, enabling a real production output of 0.8–1.0 TWh by 2030. Our analysis suggests necessary cumulative investments in battery cell gigafactories of 36–139 billion euros by 2030. The industrial output of LIB cells in 2030 will have a value of 35–99 billion euros, of which the market size of battery production is around 6–17 billion euros. Furthermore, 43,000–174,000 direct jobs could be created, with the strongest impacts seen in Eastern Europe by the end of the decade. The raw material demand generated by this industry rises steeply: lithium will rise from 14 kt in 2025 to 47–133 kt, and nickel from 83 kt to 226–640 kt by 2030, implying continued import dependencies. The energy demand of European cell production will be 8.4–19.9 TWh in 2030. Furthermore, CO₂ emissions of cell production will be 1.6 to 3.7 Mt CO₂-eq in 2030. The volume of production scrap is estimated at 160–398 kt in 2030, creating near-term demand for recycling capacities. Full article

Background/Objectives: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of recombinant tumor necrosis factor receptor Fc fusion protein compared with methotrexate as first-line therapy for active rheumatoid arthritis in China using evidence from a Chinese head-to-head randomized trial. Methods: A Markov model with 6 months per cycle was developed to estimate costs and health utilization in the lifetime of patients with RA from the Chinese healthcare system. The analysis data were derived from the randomized clinical trial in China. The primary cost includes drug and other medical costs. The health utilities quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were derived using EQ-5D-5L mapping from disease-specific health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) scores obtained in clinical trials. The cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted by calculating the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) values for rhTNFR:Fc and MTX. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the base-case result. Results: In the base case, rhTNFR:Fc yielded 8.20 QALYs versus 7.46 with methotrexate, resulting in an ICER of CNY 12,783.56 per QALY. Scenario ICERs for bDMARD group combination treatment were 11,776.31 per QALY. Scenario ICERs were CNY 8079.04 per QALY for the patient perspective and CNY 7630.34 per QALY for the medical insurance perspective. One-way analysis highlighted utility inputs as the main drivers, and probabilistic analysis indicated a high probability of cost-effectiveness across common willingness-to-pay thresholds. Conclusions: The fusion protein strategy achieved an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio far below the 2024 China per capita gross domestic product threshold of CNY 95,749 per quality-adjusted life year. As first-line therapy for active rheumatoid arthritis, it is cost-effective relative to methotrexate in the Chinese setting. Full article

Accurate real-time dosimetry is key in megavoltage radiotherapy; however, many detectors require external biasing or complex instrumentation. This study evaluated thin-film CdTe solar cells operating in photovoltaic (zero-bias) mode as medical dosimeters. Superstrate ITO/CdS/CdTe/Cu/Au devices were fabricated and irradiated with 6-MV photons from a clinical linear accelerator to 20 kGy cumulative dose. Electrical and dosimetric properties were assessed based on AM 1.5 current–voltage measurements, external quantum efficiency (EQE), dose linearity, dose-rate dependence, field-size dependence, percentage depth dose (PDD), and one-month reproducibility. With increasing dose (5–20 kGy), the open-circuit voltage and fill factor decreased by ~2–3%, the short-circuit current density by ~10%, retaining ~87% initial efficiency. Series and shunt resistances were stable, while EQE decreased uniformly (~5%), indicating degradation mainly from increased nonradiative recombination. Dose–signal linearity remained intact, and post-irradiation sensitivity loss was corrected with a single calibration factor. Dose-rate dependence was minor; low reverse bias (~3–7 V) enhanced response without nonlinearity. Field-size and PDD responses agreed with ionization chamber data within ~1%, and weekly stability was within ~1%. Parallel stacking of two cells increased signal nearly linearly. CdTe solar-cell detectors thus enable zero-bias, real-time, stable, and scalable dosimetry and strongly agree with reference standards. Full article

External fixation is widely used in trauma care for managing bone and soft tissue injuries. These devices are often associated with psychological challenges and are often not followed up with sufficient psychological support for the patient. The specific psychological impact of external fixation following traumatic injuries remains underexplored. This scoping review aimed to synthesize the current literature on the psychological impact of external fixation in trauma patients. A systematic search of CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and EBSCO identified ten studies (2006–2024), from the USA, Europe, Asia, and Oceania to be included based on inclusion criteria of using the device for traumatic injuries (excluding limb lengthening procedures) and assessing psychological outcomes using validated tools. Data extracted included injury type, fixator application, survey type, and mental health outcomes. Common measures included HADS, SF-36/SF-12, PedsQL, CRIES-13, EQ-5D-5L, and patient-reported questionnaires. The findings showed that elevated psychological distress was greatest during early recovery (~1 month). Body image concerns were frequently reported with the fixator in place; however, partial recovery of mental health scores was seen by 12–24 months. These findings emphasize the need for additional research and a greater integration of mental health resources in trauma care protocols involving external fixation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Long COVID (LC) is characterized by persistent symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and reduced quality of life, often lasting months after acute infection. Exercise-based interventions have shown promise, but evidence for non-aerobic programs remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week motor control exercise program on body composition and fatigue in women with LC and to explore associations with physical activity and psychosocial factors. Methods: An exploratory pre–post non-controlled intervention study was conducted in 17 women with LC symptoms persisting for over one year. Participants completed 24 individualized sessions of a non-aerobic therapeutic exercise program focused on trunk stabilization. Outcomes included body composition (bioimpedance analysis), fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale), health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L), physical activity (IPAQ), and kinesiophobia (TSK-11). Paired t-tests, effect sizes, correlations, and regression models were applied. Results: The intervention significantly reduced total body fat (37.09% to 35.41%, p < 0.001) and trunk fat (35.82% to 33.82%, p < 0.001), with large effect sizes. Physical and psychosocial fatigue improved markedly (MFIS physical: 29.71 to 21.06, p < 0.001; psychosocial: 6.00 to 4.29, p = 0.001), while cognitive fatigue showed non-significant change. Pain/discomfort scores decreased substantially (2.86 to 1.79, p < 0.001). Vigorous activity and walking time increased, and sedentary time decreased. No significant changes were observed in muscle mass or kinesiophobia. Conclusions: A structured, non-aerobic exercise program can effectively reduce body fat, alleviate fatigue, and improve pain perception in women with LC, supporting its role in rehabilitation. Multimodal strategies may be required to address cognitive symptoms and fear of movement. Full article

The agricultural industry and corresponding waste materials represent a potential research area for applying circular economy strategies. This research is a life cycle assessment of the addition of different mass percentages (0.47%W, 1.52%W and 2.27%W) of biochar made from vine pruning waste to mortar mixes. The research involves two scenarios. Scenario I is an attributional approach, aligned with the Environmental Product Declaration and Carbon Footprint standards. Scenario II takes a consequential approach, including biochar removals, as well as products and materials avoided as a result of the decision to start using this additive in mortar. The key findings differ substantially. For instance, under the impact category of Potential Global Warming compared to the reference mortar (without biochar additive) (0.58 kg CO₂ eq), Scenario I yields a 56.85% increase in emissions (+2.21 kg CO₂ eq) for the 1.52%W mix. By contrast, under Scenario II, the same alternative mixture yields an environmental benefit with a 76.83% decrease in emissions (−0.45 kg CO₂ eq). This research highlights the environmental benefits of reusing agricultural waste specifically in the construction sector and provides an example of a circular economy study. Full article