Search Results (647)

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) can affect microbial abundance and activity, likely by damaging cell membrane components. While their effects on anaerobic digestion are known, less is understood about their impact on microbes involved in contaminant bioremediation. Chlorinated volatile organic contaminants (CVOCs) such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and explosives like hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) are common in the environment, and their bioremediation is a promising cleanup strategy. This study examined how polystyrene (PS) and polyamide 6 (PA6) MPs and NPs influence CVOC and RDX biodegradation. PS particles did not inhibit the CVOC-degrading community SDC-9, but PA6 MPs impaired the reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene (TCE) to cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE), causing a “cis-DCE stall” with no further conversion to vinyl chloride (VC) or ethene. Only 45% of TCE was dechlorinated to cis-DCE, and Dehalococcoides mccartyi abundance dropped 1000-fold in 35 days with PA6 MPs. In contrast, neither PA6 nor PS MPs and NPs affected RDX biotransformation. These results highlight the significant impact of PA6 MPs on CVOC biodegradation and the need to consider plastic pollution in environmental management. Full article

This study investigates the short- and long-run drivers of natural gas consumption in the European Union using an ARDL bounds testing approach. The analysis incorporates GDP per capita, liquid fuel use, and solid fuel use as explanatory variables. Augmented Dickey–Fuller tests confirm mixed integration orders, allowing valid ARDL estimation. The results reveal a statistically significant long-run relationship (cointegration) between gas consumption and the energy–economic system. In the short run, the use of liquid fuel exerts a strong positive influence on gas demand, while the effects of GDP materialise only after a two-year lag. Solid fuels show a delayed substitutive impact, reflecting the ongoing transition from coal. An error correction model confirms rapid convergence to equilibrium, with 77% of deviations corrected within one period. Recursive residual and CUSUM tests indicate structural stability over time. These findings highlight the responsiveness of EU gas demand to both economic and policy signals, offering valuable insights for energy modelling and strategic planning under the European Green Deal. Full article

Automated parcel lockers (APLs) are transforming urban last-mile delivery by reducing failed distributions, decoupling delivery from recipient availability, optimizing carrier routes, reducing carbon foot-print and mitigating traffic congestion. The paper investigates the optimal design of APLs systems under stochastic demand and operational constraints, formulating the problem as a resource allocation optimization with service-level guarantees. We proposed a data-driven discrete-event simulation (DES) model implemented in ARENA to (i) determine optimal locker configurations that ensure customer satisfaction under stochastic parcel arrivals and dwell times, (ii) examine utilization patterns and spatial allocation to enhance system operational efficiency, and (iii) characterize inventory dynamics of undelivered parcels and evaluate system resilience. The results show that the configuration of locker types significantly influences the system’s ability to maintain high customers service levels. While flexibility in locker allocation helps manage excess demand in some configurations, it may also create resource competition among parcel types. The heterogeneity of locker utilization gradients underscores that optimal APLs configurations must balance locker units with their size-dependent functional interdependencies. The Dickey–Fuller GLS test further validates that postponed parcels exhibit stationary inventory dynamics, ensuring scalability for logistics operators. As a theoretical contribution, the paper demonstrates how DES combined with time-series econometrics can address APLs capacity planning in city logistics. For practitioners, the study provides a decision-support framework for locker sizing, emphasizing cost–service trade-offs. Full article

Species have different strategies for implantation and placentation. Much can be learned about general molecular and cellular biology through the examination and comparison of these differences. To varying degrees, implantation in all species includes alterations in epithelial polarity, the transformation of the endometrial stroma, the differentiation of the trophoblast, cell-to-cell and tissue-to-tissue signaling through hormones, cytokines, and extracellular vesicles, and the alteration of the maternal immune system. This review focuses on implantation in pigs, sheep, and cows. These species share with mice/rats and humans/primates the key events of early embryonic development, pregnancy recognition, and the establishment of functional placentation. However, there are differences between the pregnancies of livestock and other species that make livestock unique biomedical models for the study of pregnancy and cell biology in general. Pig, sheep, and cow conceptuses (embryo/fetus and associated placental membranes) elongate prior to implantation, displaying central implantation, extended periods of conceptus attachment to the uterus, and epitheliochorial (pigs) and synepitheliochorial (sheep and cows) placentation. This review will discuss what is understood about how the trophoblast and extraembryonic endoderm of pig, sheep, and cow conceptuses elongate, and how a major goal of current in vitro models is to achieve conceptus elongation. It will then examine the adhesion cascade for conceptus implantation that initiates early placental development in pigs, sheep, and cows. Finally, it will conclude with a brief overview of early placental development in pigs, sheep, and cows, with a listing of some important “omics” studies that have been published. Full article

Background/Objectives: A 2-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) with vomiting and abdominal discomfort following ingestion of multiple magnets from a sibling’s bracelet. This case highlights the risks associated with magnet ingestion and the need for coordinated multidisciplinary care and public health intervention. Methods: Radiographs revealed magnets in the oropharynx, stomach, and small bowel. Emergency physicians coordinated care with otolaryngology, gastroenterology, and general surgery. Results: Laryngoscopy successfully removed two magnets from the uvula, and endoscopy retrieved 30 magnets from the stomach. General surgery performed a diagnostic laparoscopy, identifying residual magnets in the colon. Gastroenterology attempted a colonoscopy but was unable to retrieve magnets due to formed stool, leading to bowel preparation and serial imaging. The patient eventually passed 12 magnets per rectum without surgical intervention. Conclusions: This case emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in managing magnet ingestion, a preventable cause of serious gastrointestinal injury. Recent studies highlight the increasing incidence and severity of such cases due to accessibility and inadequate regulation. These findings underscore the need for public awareness and adherence to management protocols to mitigate morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients. Full article

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic intensified stress among students, though its impact on burnout symptoms remains mixed. Previous research emphasized examining both study-related behavior such as academic engagement and burnout for a fuller understanding of students’ well-being in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study we examined stress, burnout, study-related behavior, and typical coping patterns among three cohorts of university students before (2016), at the start of (2020), and after (2024) the pandemic, with 1016 students participating. Results: Perceived stress was significantly higher during the pandemic but returned to pre-COVID-19 levels afterward. Depression scores remained stable across cohorts. Burnout symptoms, particularly cynicism and academic efficacy, were significantly lower in the COVID-19 cohort. Study commitment, including subjective importance of studying, academic goals/ambition, willingness to exert oneself, and striving for perfection were lower during and after the pandemic than before. Emotional distancing peaked in 2020, suggesting disengagement as a coping strategy. Pre-COVID-19 students exhibited higher active coping scores than the COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 cohorts, while satisfaction with studies was highest post-pandemic, likely due to the return of in-person academic and social experiences. Conclusions: These findings reveal fluctuations in students’ stress, burnout, and study-related behavior over time. While stress-levels have normalized, study commitment and typical coping patterns such as active coping remain altered, indicating the pandemic’s lasting impact on students’ academic behavior and mental health. Full article

Trinitarian ontology represents a dynamic and fast-evolving field of research in the scope of philosophical theology with a focus on the influence of Trinitarian doctrine on the development of the Western philosophical tradition. Within this framework, this article aims to make a probe into the specific question of freedom within the Christian tradition and Trinitarian teaching. For this purpose, it examines the notion of freedom as it is presented in the work of American philosopher and theologian David C. Schindler. It pursues two lines of argumentation. Firstly, it analyses Schindler’s notion of Christian freedom (as presented in Freedom from Reality and Retrieving Freedom) and brings them into dialogue with other authors grounded in Trinitarian ontology. The key concepts of this part of the paper are the metaphysics of the gift and the primacy of actuality over potency, which both acquire their true meaning in the context of the Trinitarian mystery. The final part of the essay analyses the implications of the Trinitarian ontology of freedom for the life of the political community (as presented in The Politics of the Real and in other texts) and shows how it calls us to the inner of transformation of thought not only at the personal but also at the social level. Here, the full Christian notion of freedom is contrasted with the reductive liberal approach. It analyses the limits of political life based on the autonomy and self-determination of the modern subject and also shows how Schindler’s more original and fuller notion of freedom might contribute to the further development of the project of a Trinitarian ontology and its social and political implications. Full article

Glycine has the greatest rate of deposition in whole-body proteins among all amino acids in neonates, but its provision from sow’s milk meets only 20% of the requirement of suckling piglets. The results of our recent studies indicate that piglets with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) have a reduced ability to synthesize glycine. The present study determined the role of glycine in the growth of sow-reared IUGR piglets. In Experiment 1, 56 newborn piglets (postnatal day 0) with a low birth weight (<1.10 kg) were selected from 14 litters, providing 4 IUGR piglets/litter that were allotted randomly into one of four treatment groups (14 piglets/group). Piglets received oral administration of either 0, 0.1, 0.2 or 0.4 g glycine/kg body weight (BW) twice daily (i.e., 0, 0.2, 0.4 or 0.8 g glycine/kg BW/day) between 0 and 14 days of age. L-Alanine was used as the isonitrogenous control. The BWs of all piglets were recorded each week during the experiment. Two weeks after the initiation of glycine supplementation, blood and tissue samples were collected for biochemical analyses. In Experiment 2, rates of muscle protein synthesis in tissues were determined on day 14 using the ³H-phenylalanine flooding dose technique. Compared with piglets in the control group, oral administration of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 g glycine/kg BW/day did not affect their milk intake (p > 0.05) but increased (p < 0.05) concentrations of glycine in plasma by 1.52-, 1.94-, and 2.34-fold, respectively, and body weight by 20%, 37%, and 34%, respectively. The dose of 0.4 g glycine/kg BW/day was the most cost-effective. Consistent with its growth-promoting effect, glycine supplementation stimulated (p < 0.05) the phosphorylation of mechanistic target of rapamycin (MTOR), eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), and ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1 (p70^S6K) as well as protein synthesis in skeletal muscle, compared with the control group. Collectively, oral administration of glycine activated the MTOR signaling pathway in skeletal muscle and enhanced the growth performance of IUGR piglets. These results indicate that endogenous synthesis of glycine is inadequate to meet the needs of IUGR piglets during the suckling period and that oral supplementation with glycine to these compromized neonates can improve their growth performance. Full article

This paper presents a conceptual framework for strategic approaches to embedding sustainability in the curriculum at a large research-intensive university. Due to the evolving nature of universities and technology, this journey is never complete, and this paper presents a case study of our approach to driving the work forward. This ambition is part of the institution’s Environmental Policy to ‘monitor and increase the integration with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across our operations, research, and education programmes.’ Our conceptual framework to support embedding in the curriculum guides operationalisation across five key domains: 1. strategy, policy, and principles; 2. institution-wide curriculum change; 3. active and authentic education activities; 4. staff development; and 5. community building. For example, an institution-wide curriculum initiative to redesign the Queen Mary graduate attributes framework was developed to include the attribute ‘Promote socially responsible behaviour for a global sustainable future.’ To gain this attribute means that our graduates are exposed to discussions and knowledge concerning sustainability. Across these five areas, we argue that a strategic approach is necessary for successful and impactful embedding of sustainability in the curriculum. Work across each domain needs to be closely linked and interconnected, and to build links with existing policy, strategy, and frameworks. This approach needs to combine high-level leadership together with support for grass-roots initiatives. Full article

The growing demand for natural anti-aging ingredients necessitates scientific validation of traditional cosmetic materials. Multani Mitti (MM), a clay widely used in South Asian traditional skincare, lacks comprehensive chemical and biological characterization. This study employed a multi-analytical approach to investigate MM’s anti-aging potential through chemical analysis, enzyme inhibition studies, and in silico evaluations. Five commercial MM samples were pooled and analyzed using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). INAA revealed silicon as the predominant inorganic constituent (169.3742 mg/g), while GC-MS identified 13 bioactive compounds, with Beta-sitosterol (15.45% area), Docosanamide (12.36% area), and Cyclohexasiloxane (9.80% area) being the most abundant. MM demonstrated significant enzyme inhibition against key aging-related enzymes, with notably strong effects on hyaluronidase (IC₅₀: 18 μg/mL) and tyrosinase (IC₅₀: 27 μg/mL), outperforming standard inhibitors. The antioxidant activity showed moderate effectiveness (IC₅₀: 31.938 μg/mL) compared to ascorbic acid (IC₅₀: 8.5 μg/mL). Molecular docking studies of identified compounds against hyaluronidase (PDB: 1FCV) and tyrosinase (PDB: 3NQ1) revealed Beta-sitosterol and Benzyl-piperazine-carboxamide as the most promising candidates, showing strong binding affinities (−8.5 and −8.6 kcal/mol, respectively) and favorable ADMET profiles. This comprehensive characterization provides the first scientific evidence supporting MM’s traditional use in skincare and identifies specific compounds that may contribute to its anti-aging properties, warranting further investigation for modern cosmetic applications. Full article

Objectives: Survival from lung cancer is worse in the UK than in some other countries, with late stage at diagnosis implicated in poor prognosis. The route and referral urgency by which patients obtain a diagnosis influence outcomes. This study investigated whether socio-demographic factors are associated with lung cancer routes to diagnosis in England. Materials and Methods: A total of 181,763 primary invasive lung cancers (ICD-10 C34.0-C34.9) diagnosed from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2016 were abstracted from the English National Cancer Registration Database. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between patients’ socio-demographic characteristics and likelihood (adjusted odds ratios) of (i) emergency presentation versus all primary care-initiated routes and (ii) urgent (“two-week wait”/2WW) versus standard primary care-initiated referral. Models included the following factors: deprivation quintile of area of residence at diagnosis (IMD income domain); sex; age; ethnic group; rural/urban residence; and (in the emergency model) region. Results: Socio-demographic variations in diagnosis routes were observed. Patients presenting as emergencies (35.2%) were more likely to be 80 years of age or older, female, of non-White ethnicity, and resident in areas of greater deprivation or the London region. In contrast, 2WW patients (28.3%) were more likely to be aged between 50 and 69 years old, of White ethnicity, and resident in an area of greater deprivation or resident outside of an urban centre; diagnosis through 2WW did not vary by sex. Conclusions: Routes to diagnosis are subject to distinct socio-demographic patterning. Action is needed to ensure that new referral guidelines and lung cancer screening roll-out do not widen socio-demographic inequalities in diagnosis. Full article

We propose an auto regressive integrated moving average Markov model (ARIMAMKM) for predicting annual energy consumption in China and enhancing the accuracy of energy consumption forecasts. This novel model extends the traditional auto regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA($p,\mathrm{d},\mathrm{q}$)) model. The stationarity of China’s energy consumption data from 2000 to 2018 is assessed, with an augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) test conducted on the $\mathrm{d}$-order difference series. Based on the auto correlation function (ACF) and partial auto correlation function (PACF) plots of the difference time series, the optimal parameters $\mathrm{p}$ and $\mathrm{q}$ are selected using the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC), thereby determining the specific ARIMA configuration. By simulating real values using the ARIMA model and calculating relative errors, the estimated values are categorized into states. These states are then combined with a Markov transition probability matrix to determine the final predicted values. The ARIMAMKM model is validated using China’s energy consumption data, achieving high prediction accuracy as evidenced by metrics such as mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE), $\mathrm{S}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{D}$, and ${\mathrm{R}}^2$. Comparative analysis demonstrates that the ARIMAMKM model outperforms five other competitive models: the grey model (GM(1,1)), ARIMA(0,4,2), quadratic function model (QFM), nonlinear auto regressive neural network (NAR), and fractional grey model (FGM(1,1)) in terms of fitting performance. Additionally, the model is applied to Guangdong province’s resident population data to further verify its validity and practicality. Full article

To ensure safe navigation, ship operators must not only meet the criteria defined in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) maneuverability standards but also understand maneuvering characteristics in restricted waters. This study numerically analyzed the hydrodynamic lateral forces and yaw moments acting on a stern trawler, a container ship, and a very large crude carrier (VLCC) with different hull forms as they navigated near a semi-circular bank wall. The effects of varying bank radius, lateral clearance, and water depth were examined. The results showed that the VLCC experienced the strongest attractive lateral force, while the stern trawler exhibited the most significant yaw moment. The hydrodynamic interaction patterns of the stern trawler and container ship were similar, whereas the VLCC displayed distinct behavior due to its fuller hull and greater inertia. These findings demonstrate that hull geometry significantly influences hydrodynamic interactions near boundaries, and the degree of response varies by ship type. The results provide valuable reference data for improving navigation safety in confined waters and preventing marine accidents such as collisions and groundings. This study contributes to a better understanding of ship–bank interaction and offers a theoretical basis for maneuvering assessments of various ship types in restricted maritime environments. Full article

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is closely tied to CO₂ emissions and energy consumption issues. This initiative aims to modernize the country’s economy, diversify its energy sources, and enhance sustainability. This paper examines the relationships among CO₂ emissions, Renewable Energy Consumption (REC), and Non-Renewable Energy Consumption (NREC) in Saudi Arabia, from 1990 to 2019. To assess the stationarity of the panel time-series data, the Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) and Phillips–Perron (PP) tests were initially used. Given that the data exhibited a mixed order of integration, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) framework was employed. Three different lag selection criteria were applied for cointegration, using CO₂ emissions as the dependent variable. Additionally, the direction and significance of causality were analyzed within the ARDL framework. Robust tests were conducted to evaluate the generalizability of the study’s findings. We demonstrated a significant long-term relationship between climate change and both REC and NREC in Saudi Arabia. The findings indicate that in the long run, a 1% increase in REC leads to a 0.21% decrease in CO₂ emissions. Furthermore, a 1% increase in NREC corresponds to a substantial 53.4% reduction in CO₂ emissions. Finally, policy recommendations were proposed in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Full article

Exploring the secular tendency to intensification of short-interval rainfall intensities, such as those associated with convective storms, requires rainfall data having sufficient accuracy and temporal resolution. Light rainfalls also exhibit secular change, and documenting these imposes considerable demands on data quality. Tipping-bucket rain gauges are the most widely deployed globally for data collection, but they cannot record rainfall amount or rainfall rate instantaneously. Both require data to be collected over some finite time interval, the accumulation time (AT), during which one or more buckets must fill and tip. Relatively short ATs, such as when analysing 15 min rainfall amounts and rates, are associated with increased uncertainty in TBRG data. Quantifying the resulting uncertainty forms the subject of the present work. Worst-case rainfall depth and rainfall rate errors that would arise in TBRG data for constant rainfall rates of 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mm h⁻¹ are determined for ATs from 5 min to 50 min. Errors frequently considerably exceed the 1–2% accuracy levels claimed by many manufacturers of TBRGs. The errors found pose challenges for the detection of secular change in rainfall rates. The present results point to the need for fuller analysis of errors in TBRG data for short-duration rainfalls and for gauge specifications to specify uncertainty separately for rainfall depth and rainfall rate. Full article