Search Results (464)

This article presents an academic literature analysis of 75 Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and Industry 5.0 (I5.0) maturity models published between 2020 and 2024, examining their empirical validation, sectoral scope, geographical origin, and stated applicability to developing-country contexts. The study combines descriptive profiling, contingency-table analyses with exact tests and effect sizes, and a large-scale synthesis of 562 research gaps reported by model authors. Knowledge production is highly concentrated in single-country studies (77.3%) and in developed economies, while most models do not explicitly or implicitly document applicability to developing-country settings (approximately 83%). Empirical validation practices are uneven, with multiple-case studies (33.3%) and surveys (24.0%) dominating, and sectoral coverage is strongly skewed toward manufacturing, limiting transferability to other sectors relevant for emerging economies. A statistically detectable association is observed between the development level of the model’s country of origin and the presence of applicability statements (${\chi }^2$ = 17.13, $p<0.05$, moderate effect size), whereas authorship configuration shows no substantive association. Thematic analysis of reported gaps highlights persistent deficits in empirical rigor, sectoral breadth, SME orientation, operationalization of human-centric and sustainability dimensions associated with Industry 5.0, availability of implementation tools, and longitudinal or predictive evidence. The article concludes by outlining a research agenda focused on context-aware validation designs, broader sectoral grounding, and greater transparency and reproducibility, supported by open access to all underlying data, codebooks, and taxonomies. Full article

In the last decade, the interdisciplinary field of neuroarchitecture has grown significantly, revealing measurable links between architectural features and human neural processing. This review synthesizes current research at the nexus of neuroscience and architecture, with a focus on how emerging virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are being utilized to understand and enhance human spatial experience. We systematically reviewed literature from 2015 to 2025, identifying key empirical studies and categorizing advances into three themes: core components of neuroarchitectural research; the use of physiological sensors (e.g., EEG, heart rate variability) and virtual reality to gather data on occupant responses; and the integration of neuroscience with AI-driven analysis. Findings indicate that built environment elements (e.g., geometry, curvature, lighting) influence brain activity in regions governing emotion, stress, and cognition. VR-based experiments combined with neuroimaging and physiological measures enable ecologically valid, fine-grained analysis of these effects, while AI techniques facilitate real-time emotion recognition and large-scale pattern discovery, bridging design features with occupant emotional responses. However, the current evidence base remains nascent, limited by small, homogeneous samples and fragmented data. We propose a four-domain framework (somatic, psychological, emotional, cognitive-“SPEC”) to guide future research. By consolidating methodological advances in VR experimentation, physiological sensing, and AI-based analytics, this review provides an integrative roadmap for replicable and scalable neuroarchitectural studies. Intensified interdisciplinary efforts leveraging AI and VR are needed to build robust, diverse datasets and develop neuro-informed design tools. Such progress will pave the way for evidence-based design practices that promote human well-being and cognitive health in built environments. Full article

Introduction: Rectal colonization by carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CP-CRE) is a risk factor for subsequent infections, which are associated with high mortality rates. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Rectal swabs were collected from 297 patients within 48 h of admission to eight high-prevalence CP-CRE hospital departments, with follow-up swabs taken weekly for up to 4 weeks. Species identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and genetic detection of carbapenemases were performed. The genetic relationship among isolates was assessed using ERIC-PCR, combined with epidemiological data, to investigate subsequent infections. Results: Fecal carriage of CP-CRE was detected in 15.5% (46/297) of patients- All carbapenemases were metallo-betalactamases, with dominance of NDM-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. NDM + VIM-producing Escherichia coli were also detected. Among carriers, 26.1% were colonized by two different CRE species, and 86.9% had a history of prior hospitalization. Molecular analysis revealed clonal expansion, suggesting outbreaks among colonized patients. Additionally, 17.4% (8/46) of colonized patients developed an infection, which was significantly associated with urinary catheter use (p = 0.040), mechanical ventilation (p = 0.044), and surgical procedures (p = 0.040). Conclusions: rectal colonization by CP-CRE in hospitalized patients is a serious epidemiological concern, with evidence of clonal spread and subsequent infection in colonized patients. NDM-producing K. pneumoniae was also predominant, detecting co-production of NDM + VIM in E. coli. These findings underscore the urgent need to implement epidemiological surveillance cultures to improve the prevention and control of CP-CRE infections in Cuban hospitals. Full article

African Swine Fever is a lethal hemorrhagic disease caused by a DNA virus that affects domestic and wild pigs, causing serious economic losses in the swine industry. African Swine Fever virus (ASFV) is maintained in a sylvatic cycle that includes wildlife and Ornithodoros tick species. A huge investigation about ASFV structure and its infection process in pigs has been carried out in recent years, and although these studies have increased our knowledge about its pathogenesis, there are still many unclear aspects about which immune responses protect swine hosts against the disease caused by this virus. The mechanisms of ASFV infection in ticks are even less well understood. This infection is long term and persistent, with relatively high levels of virus replication in different tick tissues. According to specific infected tissues, the Ornithodoros tick species that are ASFV-competent vectors show transstadial, transovarial and/or venereal transmissions. This review is focused on the main process taking place at the virus–vector interface, summarizing the latest findings about the molecular and cellular aspects of ASFV infection in ticks, which could constitute the basis for developing novel strategies to interrupt the arthropod transmission cycle. Full article

Marine invertebrates are a prime source of biologically active peptides due to their role in humoral immunity. These peptides typically exhibit broad-spectrum functions, including antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, and immunomodulatory activities. In this report, we describe the identification and biological characterization of five novel bioactive peptides from the marine mollusk Pisania pusio. An extract of P. pusio was analyzed using nanoLC-ESI-MS-MS, and five peptides (PP1–5) were selected via bioinformatic screening as potential antimicrobial and anticancer peptides and subsequently validated experimentally. Among these, PP1, PP2, and PP4 were identified as cryptides derived from the proteolytic cleavage of actin, while PP3 and PP5 are novel peptides with no known protein precursors. All peptides exhibited moderate activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) predominantly at 100 µM. In contrast, only PP1 and PP5 were active against cancer cells, with PP1 being the most effective against A375 melanoma cells (IC₅₀ = 17.08 µM). This experimental validation confirmed the utility of the integrated in silico/peptidomic pipeline for lead identification. None of these peptides showed significant hemolytic activity or toxicity on fetal lung fibroblasts over 800 μM, demonstrating promising in vitro selectivity. These results highlight the multifunctional nature of P. pusio-derived peptides and their potential as lead compounds for further optimization and development into therapeutic agents against microbial infections and cancer, subject to more comprehensive safety evaluations in relevant models Full article

Aquaculture has been established as a sustainable alternative to traditional fisheries, which face challenges such as overexploitation and environmental degradation. However, disease outbreaks, often caused by poor farming conditions, pollution, and environmental stress, remain a major concern, leading to economic losses and increasing the risk of antibiotic resistance due to the overuse of antibiotics. Therefore, it is crucial to seek new strategies that improve fish health and well-being, preventing drug resistance and promoting sustainable practices. GHRP-6, a synthetic growth hormone-releasing peptide that mimics ghrelin, has shown potential immunostimulatory properties and feed efficiency in fish. In this study, we evaluated the effects of orally administered GHRP-6 in an oil-based formulation on juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) challenged or unchallenged with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We assessed its influence on immune gene expression and digestive enzyme activity. The results demonstrated that GHRP-6 treatment significantly enhanced growth performance (weight and length), reduced in vivo bacterial load after infection, and modulated key genes related to innate and adaptive immunity in the gills, intestine and head kidney. In addition, our results demonstrated, for the first time, a direct link between a growth hormone secretagogue in fish and the modulation of specific enzyme activity in the gut following a bacterial challenge. These findings highlight the potential of GHRP-6 as a dietary immunomodulator and growth promoter in fish farming, offering a promising strategy to reduce antibiotic usage and promote more sustainable aquaculture practices. Full article

The commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and the need for increasing the circularity of industrial processes call for the exploitation of byproducts to generate value-added chemicals in cost- and energy-advantageous processes. In this process simulation-based research, two technologies were evaluated for the synthesis of isoamyl acetate from fusel oil: (A) an indirect process, and (B) a direct process using reactive distillation. Aspen Hysys v14.0 was used for simulation. A sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the influence of operating parameters on product purity, isoamyl acetate recovery and productivity, and energy consumption. Technology B was found to be the most favorable, obtaining 22.27 kg/h of isoamyl acetate with a purity of 98%. The total consumption values of cooling water and heating were 24.33 kW and 24.50 kW, respectively. Based on the best conditions, a technical–economic analysis was performed that demonstrated the viability of the process, obtaining a net present value (NPV) of US$3,587,110/year, an internal rate of return (IRR) of 38.95% and a payback period (PP) of 5.05 years. If acid recirculation is considered in the process, an NPV of US$7,232,950, an IRR of 56.34%, and a PP of 3.56 years are obtained. Full article

This study conducts an Academic Literature Analysis of 75 maturity models to clarify how Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 are being conceptualized and assessed. We map model scope, level structures, evaluated dimensions, and enabling technologies and complement descriptive statistics with exploratory non-parametric tests on the relationship between level structure and dimensional breadth. Results show a persistent dominance of Industry 4.0 models (≈92%), alongside a recent but steady emergence of Industry 5.0 and hybrid approaches in the latest models. Structurally, five-level schemes prevail, balancing diagnostic granularity and comparability. Content-wise, Technology and Digitalization, Processes and Operations, and Management and Strategy remain core, while People and Competencies and Innovation gain relevance; Sustainability and Social Responsibility and Human–Machine Interaction appear with the rise of Industry 5.0. We contribute (i) an operational definition of “hybrid” maturity models to make the I4.0→I5.0 transition measurable, (ii) a meta-typology of maturity levels explaining the five-level preference, and (iii) an evidence-based technology cartography across models. The findings suggest that future designs should retain the digital backbone of I4.0 while integrating explicit indicators for human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience with transparent weighting and scenario-based validation. Full article

Group decision-making is an inherently collaborative process that can become increasingly complex when addressing the uncertainty associated with linguistic assessments from experts. A crucial principle for achieving a solution of superior quality lies in the acknowledgment that the same word may bear divergent meanings among different experts. Regrettably, a significant number of existing methodologies for computing with words presuppose a uniformity of meaning for linguistic assessments across all participating individuals. In response to this limitation, we propose an innovative methodology based on the 2-tuple linguistic model in conjunction with the granular computing paradigm. Given that the individual interpretations of words, when articulating preferences, are closely linked to the consistency of each expert, our proposal places particular emphasis on the modification of the symbolic translation of the 2-tuple linguistic value with the overarching objective of maximizing the consistency of their assessments. This adjustment is implemented while preserving the original linguistic preferences communicated by the experts. We address a real-world building refurbishment problem and conduct a comparative analysis to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposal. Focusing on consistency enhances group decision-making processes and outcomes, ensuring both accuracy and alignment with individual interpretations and preferences. Full article

Background: With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-variants exhibiting increased transmissibility and immune escape, booster immunization is recommended. Ideally, vaccination across all age groups, including children and adolescents, is critical to control viral spread and reduce variant emergence. The heterologous scheme consisting of two doses of SOBERANA^® 02 followed by a third dose of SOBERANA^® Plus, which are recombinant protein subunit vaccines constructed from the ancestral RBD, has proven safety, immunogenicity, and effectiveness in pediatric populations as primary series. This study evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a SOBERANA^® Plus booster dose administered six months after primary vaccination in individuals aged 3–18 years. Methods: In this follow-up analysis of a phase I/II trial, 244 participants received the booster. Safety was monitored via active surveillance at 1 h, 24 h, and over 28 days post-vaccination. Humoral responses were assessed 28 days post-booster. Antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein were assessed in all collected serum samples. Results: Adverse events occurred in 18% of participants, predominantly local (85.2%) versus systemic (14.8%); no serious or severe adverse events were reported. All humoral response parameters increased significantly post-booster, including neutralizing antibodies against D614G (24.7-fold increase) and Omicron BA.1 (55.9-fold increase), with similar responses in N-negative and N-positive individuals. Importantly, cross-neutralizing activity against recent Omicron sub-variants (XBB.1.5 and EG.5.1) was also detected. Conclusions: A SOBERANA^® Plus booster is safe and significantly enhances cross-neutralizing immunity against evolving Omicron sub-variants in children and adolescents. These results highlight the potential of first-generation RBD-based vaccines to maintain broad immunity despite viral evolution. Full article

Pulmonary cryptococcosis is an invasive fungal infection usually linked to severe immunosuppression, particularly HIV/AIDS, but is increasingly reported in immunocompetent hosts, including those with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM). We describe a 51-year-old woman with poorly controlled type 2 DM and no other immunosuppressive conditions who developed pulmonary cryptococcosis. Diagnosis was made by microscopy, India ink, cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay (CrAg LFA), and ITS sequencing; culture was negative. Despite treatment with deoxycholate amphotericin B and fluconazole, the patient died 36 days after admission. A systematic literature review (2000–2025) identified 40 cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis, with 17.5% occurring in patients whose only comorbidity was DM. Cryptococcus neoformans was the most frequent species. Non-culture-based methods, especially CrAg detection, were widely used, underscoring their value for rapid and sensitive diagnosis. Pulmonary cryptococcosis should be considered in diabetic patients even without classical immunosuppression. Broader use of non-culture-based diagnostic tools may enable earlier intervention, which is particularly relevant in resource-limited settings such as Honduras. Full article

Accelerated water erosion is a major soil degradation process that affects soil and water quality. In Cuba, specifically, more than 40% of agricultural lands are affected by severe erosion problems. Estimating accurate erodibility values is a crucial step for the calibration and proper application of erosion models. Several equations have been developed to estimate erodibility from soil properties; however, these are often soil- or site-specific, limiting their application. This study aims to (1) identify soil properties governing the erodibility of tropical soils from western Cuba, (2) find suitable regression models to estimate erodibility from these properties, and (3) test widely applied erodibility equations. To achieve these goals, rainfall simulation experiments were conducted on runoff plots, and erosion-related physical, chemical, and mechanical soil properties were determined for 19 different soils. The main results indicated that good correlations between erodibility and certain soil properties were achieved after clustering soils based on their cation exchange capacity (CEC) values and clay content. Soils characterized by more than 30% of clay and 40 cmol+ kg⁻¹ of CEC were excluded from the main analysis. Generally, clay content controls the erodibility of these tropical soils, exhibiting an inverse relationship. However, in the excluded soils, the clay fraction showed a positive relationship with erodibility. Soil water retention at the lowest matric potentials demonstrated the strongest correlation with soil erodibility, as this variable encompasses compound information related to clay, mineralogy, and organic matter. A new regression model to estimate erodibility based solely on the volumetric water content at 1500 kPa is presented. The optimal fitted logarithmic model accounts for 64% of the predictand variability in the studied soils. When testing known erodibility models, the nomograph was found to best mimic the erodibility trend of these soils, although it exhibited marked uncertainty and underestimation biases. Full article

Microbial growth in food represents a public health problem that requires immediate attention. In Ecuador, 8924 cases of foodborne illness (FBD) were reported in 2020, most of them caused by bacteria. It is estimated that Escherichia coli causes 2,801,000 acute illnesses per year and results in 3890 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, 270 cases of end-stage renal disease and 230 deaths. Under this context, in this work, alginate capsules containing bioactive compounds from Lactobacillus plantarum GP108 were developed and their antimicrobial effect against E.coli was measured. The formulation of the capsules was carried out using a completely randomized experimental design with three formulations: maximum, average and minimum. The antimicrobial activity was measured by in vitro tests based on the increase in optical density during 7 days of exposure of E. coli with the capsules. By analysis of variance (ANOVA), it was found that the percentage inhibition of the capsules depended only on the formulation (p-value < 0.05), but not on the number of exposure capsules (p-value > 0.05). Tukey’s test indicated that the average formulation is the best at inhibiting the growth of E. coli, maintaining an average of 11.66% inhibition for 7 days. These findings show that bioactive compounds produced by L. plantarum GP108 encapsulated in alginate could be of potential use for food biopreservation. Full article

Background: There is a need to develop comprehensive guidelines to encourage the promotion of oral hygiene care among older adults and to assist caregivers in this endeavor, taking into consideration the specific challenges that arise from aging, comorbidities and caregiving. Methods: This review was conducted by searching across relevant literature from meta-databases including Academic Google, PubMed, Scielo and Scopus for studies published from 2020 to 2024. PRISMA guidelines were followed. We included articles that described oral hygiene methods, caregiver education and mechanization status of older adults. Common themes, best practices, and gaps in current guidelines were tracked using extracted and analyzed data. Results: The review revealed multiple factors affecting the oral hygiene of older adults, with themes relating to physical impairment, cognitive dysfunction, and caregiver involvement. Highlighted between the approaches are individualized therapy for oral hygiene, caregiver education, and the use of technology to improve adherence to oral hygiene. Barriers like dental care access, underlying medical conditions complicating dental treatments, and cost considerations were identified. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the necessity of clear recommendations that can help caregivers and advance dental care for older adults. Full article

In agile, adaptive, and hybrid project management, the Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) technique is increasingly being used to prioritize the most relevant business opportunities for organizations. However, this decision-making process often involves the evaluation of multiple interconnected factors whose interactions can influence outcomes in unforeseen ways. Traditional decision-making models tend to assume independence between variables for the sake of simplicity and tractability. In real-world contexts, however, variables rarely operate in isolation; their interdependence introduces complexities that challenge the validity, robustness, and practical applicability of conventional decision-making tools. The objective of this research is to address the problem of interdependence among WSJF variables. To achieve this, Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) was applied to evaluate the impact and influence of interdependencies during the decision-making process. The findings demonstrate that incorporating FCM into WSJF yields a 76% correlation in prioritization order with the best outcomes, compared to linear WSJF, while revealing a 24% variation that highlights areas for further study. This evidence indicates that accounting for interdependence leads to more efficient and reliable decision-making than traditional approaches. Full article