Search Results (162,792)

Ferronickel slag and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) are solid waste by-products from the metallurgical industry. When incorporated into concrete, they help promote resource utilization, reduce hydration heat, and lower both solid waste emissions and the carbon footprint. To facilitate the application of ferronickel slag–GGBFS concrete in 3D printing, this study examines how aggregate size and nozzle diameter affect its performance. The investigation involves in situ printing, rheological characterization, mechanical testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Results indicate that excessively large average aggregate size negatively impacts the smooth extrusion of concrete strips, resulting in a cross-sectional width that exceeds the preset dimension. Excessively small average aggregate size results in insufficient yield stress, leading to a narrow cross-section of the extruded strip that fails to meet printing specifications. The extrusion performance is closely related to both the average aggregate size and nozzle diameter, which can significantly influence the normal extrusion stability and print quality of 3D printed concrete strips. The thixotropic performance improves with an increase in the aggregate size. Both compressive and flexural strengths improve with increasing aggregate size but decrease with an increase in the printing nozzle size. Anisotropy in mechanical behavior decreases progressively as both parameters mentioned increase. By examining the cracks and pores at the interlayer interface, this study elucidates the influence mechanism of aggregate size as well as printing nozzle parameters on the mechanical properties of 3D printed ferronickel slag–GGBFS concrete. This study also recommends the following ranges. When the maximum aggregate size exceeds 50% of the nozzle diameter, smooth extrusion is not achievable. If it falls between 30% and 50%, extrusion is possible but shaping remains unstable. When it is below 30%, both stable extrusion and good shaping can be achieved. Full article

Background: The long-term success of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is often compromised by stress shielding, which can lead to bone resorption and even implant loosening. This study employs finite element analysis (FEA) to compare the stress-shielding effects of a knee prosthesis made from polyether ether ketone (PEEK) with a traditional titanium Ti6Al4V implant on an osteoporotic tibial bone model. Methods: Stress distribution and the stress-shielding factor (SSF) were evaluated at seven critical points in the proximal tibia under physiological loading conditions. Results: Results indicate that the PEEK prosthesis yields a more uniform stress transmission, with von Mises stress levels within the optimal 2–3 MPa range for bone maintenance and consistently negative or near-zero SSF values, implying minimal stress shielding. Conversely, titanium implants exhibited significant stress shielding with high positive SSF values across all points. Additionally, stress concentrations on the polyethylene liner were lower and more evenly distributed in the PEEK model, suggesting reduced wear potential. Conclusions: These findings highlight the biomechanical advantages of PEEK in reducing stress shielding and preserving bone integrity, supporting its potential use to improve implant longevity in TKA. Further experimental and clinical validation are warranted. Full article

Workplace violence (WV) is a ubiquitous risk in healthcare settings where it has been associated with physical and mental health problems. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the violence experienced by healthcare workers (HCWs) and the presence of eating disorders (EDs). During routine health surveillance, 1215 HCWs were questioned about their experience of WV and the short version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-QS) was used to assess their eating behaviors. Sleep quality, stress, and the presence of common mental illnesses and metabolic disorders were also evaluated. HCWs who had experienced one or more assaults in the previous year had a significantly higher EDE score than their colleagues. In a multivariate model, WV doubled the risk of EDs (odds ratio 2.33, confidence intervals 95% 1.30; 4.18, p < 0.01). A very significant association was observed between common mental disorders and EDs (OR 1.13, CI 95% 1.04; 1.23, p < 0.01), while low sleep quality almost reached a significant level (OR 1.09, CI 95% 0.99; 1.20). The higher frequency of EDs among workers subjected to violence may result from maladaptive coping mechanisms used when stress and mental health problems caused by WV lead to compensatory overeating. However, reverse causation, where WV is induced by stigmatization, cannot be ruled out. Because of the considerable impact EDs have on physical and mental health, productivity, and patient care, healthcare organizations should adopt programs designed to prevent these disorders in HCWs. Full article

Every year, a billion tires are discarded worldwide, with only a small percentage being recycled. This leads to significant environmental hazards, such as fire risks and improper disposal. Silty sand also presents technical challenges due to its poor shear strength, susceptibility to erosion, and low permeability. This study explores the incorporation of crumb rubber derived from waste tires into silty sand to enhance its mechanical properties. Crumb rubber particles of varying sizes (3–6 mm, 5–10 mm, and 10–20 mm) were mixed with silty sand at 0%, 3%, 6%, and 9% percentages, respectively. Triaxial compression tests of unconsolidated and consolidated undrained tests with cell pressures of 100, 300, and 500 kPa were conducted. The deviatoric stress, shear stress, and stiffness modulus were investigated. The results revealed that the addition of crumb rubber significantly increased the deviatoric and shear stresses, especially at particle sizes of 5–10 mm, with contents of 3%, 6%, and 9%. Additionally, the stiffness modulus was notably reduced in the mixture containing 6% crumb rubber tire. These findings suggest that incorporating crumb rubber tires into silty sand not only improves silty sand performance but also offers an environmentally sustainable approach to tire waste recycling, making it a viable strategy for silty sand stabilization in construction and geotechnical engineering performance. Full article

Direct copper-plated ceramic (DPC) substrates have emerged as a favored solution for power device packaging due to their unique technical advantages. AuSn, characterized by its high hermeticity and environmental adaptability, represents the optimal sealing technology for DPC substrates. Through the application of vacuum sintering techniques and adjustment of peak temperatures (325 °C, 340 °C, and 355 °C), the morphology and composition of interfacial compounds were systematically investigated, along with an analysis of their formation mechanisms. A gradient aging experiment was designed (125 °C/150 °C/175 °C × oxygen/argon dual atmosphere × 600 h) to elucidate the synergistic effects of environmental temperature and atmosphere on the growth of intermetallic compounds (IMCs). The results indicate that the primary reaction in the sealing weld seam involves Ni interacting with Au-Sn to form (Ni, Au)₃Sn₂ and Au₅Sn. However, upon completion of the sealing process, this reaction remains incomplete, leading to a coexistence state of (Ni, Au)₃Sn₂, Au₅Sn, and AuSn. Additionally, Ni diffuses into the weld seam center via dendritic fracture and locally forms secondary phases such as δ(Ni) and ζ’(Ni). These findings suggest that the weld seam interface exhibits a complex, irregular, and asymmetric microstructure comprising multiple coexisting compounds. It was determined that Tpeak = 325 °C to 340 °C represents the ideal welding temperature range, where the weld seam morphology, width, and Ni diffusion degree achieve optimal states, ensuring excellent device hermeticity. Aging studies further demonstrate that IMC growth remains within controllable limits. These findings address critical gaps in the understanding of the microstructural evolution and interface characteristics of asymmetric welded joints formed by multi-material systems. Full article

Hydrotreated ester and fatty acids to jet (HEFA-tJ) is presently the most developed and economically attractive pathway to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). An ongoing systematic study of the critical variables of different pathways to SAF has revealed significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential for the HEFA-tJ pathway compared to competing markets using the same resources for road diesel production. Moderate yield variations between air and road pathways lead to several hundred thousand tons less GHG reduction per project, which is generally not evaluated thoroughly in standard environmental assessments. This work demonstrates that, although the HEFA-tJ market seems to have more attractive features than biodiesel/renewable diesel, considerable viability risks might manifest as HEFA-tJ fuel market integration rises. The need for more transparent data and effort in this regard, before envisaging making decisions regarding the volume of HEFA-tJ production, is emphasized. Overall, reducing the carbon intensity of road diesel appears to be less capital-intensive, less risky, and several times more efficient in reducing GHG emissions. Full article

Metagenomic studies have provided deeper insights into the complex interactions between the skin and its microbiota. However, limited research has been conducted on the skin microbiota of Brazilian women. Given that Brazil ranks as the fourth-largest consumer of cosmetics worldwide, the development of new tools to analyze skin microbiota is crucial for formulating cosmetic products that promote a healthy microbiome. Skin samples were analyzed using the Illumina platform. Biometrology assessments were applied. The results showed pH variations were more pronounced in the older age group, along with higher transepidermal water loss values. Metagenomic analysis showed a predominance of Actinobacteria (83%), followed by Proteobacteria (7%), Firmicutes (9%) and Bacteroidetes (1%). In the older group (36–45 years old), an increase in Actinobacteria (87%) was observed and a decrease in Proteobacteria (6%). Moreover, the results differ from the international literature, since an increase in proteobacteria (13.9%) and a decrease in actinobacteria (46.7%) were observe in aged skin. The most abundant genus identified was Propionibacterium (84%), being the dominant species. Interestingly, previous studies have suggested a decline in Cutibacterium abundance with aging; although there is no significant difference, it is possible to observe an increasing trend in this genus in older skin. These studies can clarify many points about the skin microbiota of Brazilian women, and these findings could lead to the development of new cosmetics based on knowledge of the skin microbiome. Full article

Helminth parasites of wild animals represent a major threat to the health of these animals, leading to significant losses in performance, health, and zoonotic implications. In some zoos, anthelmintics have traditionally been used to control these parasites, many of which are also zoonotic. Other actions, such as the removal of organic waste, have also been adopted. Few or no control measures are applied to free-ranging wild animals. Helminthophagous fungi are a promising biological alternative. When animals ingest fungal spores, they are excreted in their feces, where they trap and destroy helminth larvae and eggs, preventing and reducing the parasite load in the environment. Another alternative is to administer fungi by spraying them directly into the environment. This review aims to examine the use of helminthophagous fungi in the control of helminthiases in wild animals, highlighting their potential to minimize dependence on chemical treatments and promote sustainable animal breeding and production. There are many challenges to making this viable, such as environmental variability, stability of formulations, and acceptance of this new technology. These fungi have been shown to reduce parasite burdens in wild animals by up to 75% and can be administered through the animals’ feeding troughs. To date, evidence shows that helminthophagous fungi can reliably curb environmental parasite loads for extended periods, offering a sustainable alternative to repeated anthelmintic dosing. Their use has been linked to tangible gains in body condition, weight, and overall welfare in various captive and free-ranging wildlife species. Full article

This study aimed to develop an innovative resin composite with anti-biofouling properties, tailored to prosthesis fabrication in dentistry using a digital light processing (DLP) 3D-printing technique. The resin composite was formulated using a blend of dental monomers, with the integration of 2-methacryloyloxylethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) with anti-biofouling behavior and γ-MPS-treated silica-zirconia powder for simultaneous mechanical reinforcement. The overall characterization of the resin composite was carried out using various contents of MPC incorporated into the resin (0–7 wt%) for examining the rheological behavior, photopolymerization, flexural strength/modulus, microstructure and anti-biofouling efficiency. The resin composite demonstrated a significant reduction in bacterial adhesion (97.4% for E. coli and 86.5% for S. aureus) and protein adsorption (reduced OD value from 1.3 ± 0.4 to 0.8 ± 0.2) with 7 wt% of MPC incorporation, without interfering with photopolymerization to demonstrate potential suitability for 3D printing without issues (p < 0.01, and p < 0.05, respectively). The incorporation and optimization of γ-MPS-treated silica-zirconia powder (10–40 vol%) enhanced mechanical properties, leading to a reasonable flexural strength (103.4 ± 6.1 MPa) and a flexural modulus (4.3 ± 0.4 GPa) at 30 vol% (n = 6). However, a further increase to 40 vol% resulted in a reduction in flexural strength and modulus; nevertheless, the results were above ISO 10477 standards for dental materials. Full article

With the globalized deployment of cross-border vehicle location services and the trajectory data, which contain user identity information and geographically sensitive features, the variability in privacy regulations in different jurisdictions can further exacerbate the technical and compliance challenges of data privacy protection. Traditional static differential privacy mechanisms struggle to accommodate spatiotemporal heterogeneity in dynamic scenarios because of the use of a fixed privacy budget parameter, leading to wasted privacy budgets or insufficient protection of sensitive regions. This study proposes a reinforcement-learning-based dynamic noise optimization method (DNO-RL) that dynamically adjusts the Laplacian noise scale by real-time sensing of vehicle density, region sensitivity, and the remaining privacy budget via a deep Q-network (DQN), with the aim of providing context-adaptive differential privacy protection for cross-border vehicle location services. Simulation experiments of cross-border scenarios based on the T-Drive dataset showed that DNO-RL reduced the average localization error by 28.3% and saved 17.9% of the privacy budget compared with the local differential privacy under the same privacy budget. This study provides a new paradigm for the dynamic privacy–utility balancing of cross-border vehicular networking services. Full article

The integration of a real-time image processing system using multiple webcams with a variable rate spraying system mounted on the back of an unmanned tractor presents an effective solution to the labor shortage in agriculture. This research aims to design and fabricate a low-cost, variable-rate, remote-controlled sprayer specifically for use in sugarcane fields. The primary method involves the modification of a 15-horsepower tractor, which will be equipped with a remote-control system to manage both the driving and steering functions. A foldable remote-controlled spraying arm is installed at the rear of the unmanned tractor. The system operates by using a webcam mounted on the spraying arm to capture high-angle images above the sugarcane canopy. These images are recorded and processed, and the data is relayed to the spraying control system. As a result, chemicals can be sprayed on the sugarcane accurately and efficiently based on the insights gained from image processing. Tests were conducted at various nozzle heights of 0.25 m, 0.5 m, and 0.75 m. The average system efficiency was found to be 85.30% at a pressure of 1 bar, with a chemical spraying rate of 36 L per hour and a working capacity of 0.975 hectares per hour. The energy consumption recorded was 0.161 kWh, while fuel consumption was measured at 6.807 L per hour. In conclusion, the development of the remote-controlled variable rate sprayer mounted on an unmanned tractor enables immediate and precise chemical application through remote control. This results in high-precision spraying and uniform distribution, ultimately leading to cost savings, particularly by allowing for adjustments in nozzle height from a minimum of 0.25 m to a maximum of 0.75 m from the target. Full article

This work investigates the behavior of the coefficients of analytic functions within certain subclasses characterized by inherent symmetric structures. By leveraging deep connections with functions exhibiting positive real part properties, the approach introduces a modern analytical framework that links the studied coefficients to those of auxiliary functions with regulated behavior. This connection allows for the derivation of sharp estimates and facilitates computational treatment. The proposed method builds upon certain classical and modern coefficient inequalities. The study focuses on obtaining precise bounds for specific determinant expressions associated with initial, inverse, and inverse logarithmic coefficients, all within a subclass of starlike functions exhibiting internal symmetry aligned with a recently introduced canonical structure. This symmetric perspective reveals how geometric properties can lead to refined quantitative outcomes that enhance contemporary analytic theory. Full article

Automated surface defect detection in steel manufacturing is pivotal for ensuring product quality, yet it remains an open challenge owing to the extreme heterogeneity of defect morphologies—ranging from hairline cracks and microscopic pores to elongated scratches and shallow dents. Existing approaches, whether classical vision pipelines or recent deep-learning paradigms, struggle to simultaneously satisfy the stringent demands of industrial scenarios: high accuracy on sub-millimeter flaws, insensitivity to texture-rich backgrounds, and real-time throughput on resource-constrained hardware. Although contemporary detectors have narrowed the gap, they still exhibit pronounced sensitivity–robustness trade-offs, particularly in the presence of scale-varying defects and cluttered surfaces. To address these limitations, we introduce MBY (MBDNet-Attention-YOLO), a lightweight yet powerful framework that synergistically couples the MBDNet backbone with the YOLO detection head. Specifically, the backbone embeds three novel components: (1) HGStem, a hierarchical stem block that enriches low-level representations while suppressing redundant activations; (2) Dynamic Align Fusion (DAF), an adaptive cross-scale fusion mechanism that dynamically re-weights feature contributions according to defect saliency; and (3) C2f-DWR, a depth-wise residual variant that progressively expands receptive fields without incurring prohibitive computational costs. Building upon this enriched feature hierarchy, the neck employs our proposed MultiSEAM module—a cascaded squeeze-and-excitation attention mechanism operating at multiple granularities—to harmonize fine-grained and semantic cues, thereby amplifying weak defect signals against complex textures. Finally, we integrate the Inner-SIoU loss, which refines the geometric alignment between predicted and ground-truth boxes by jointly optimizing center distance, aspect ratio consistency, and IoU overlap, leading to faster convergence and tighter localization. Extensive experiments on two publicly available steel-defect benchmarks—NEU-DET and PVEL-AD—demonstrate the superiority of MBY. Without bells and whistles, our model achieves 85.8% mAP@0.5 on NEU-DET and 75.9% mAP@0.5 on PVEL-AD, surpassing the best-reported results by significant margins while maintaining real-time inference on an NVIDIA Jetson Xavier. Ablation studies corroborate the complementary roles of each component, underscoring MBY’s robustness across defect scales and surface conditions. These results suggest that MBY strikes an appealing balance between accuracy, efficiency, and deployability, offering a pragmatic solution for next-generation industrial quality-control systems. Full article

Background/Objectives: Breast cancer was the leading cause of malignant tumors among women in 2022. About two-thirds of breast cancer cases are hormone-receptor-positive. In these patients, aromatase inhibitors are a mainstay of treatment, but associated musculoskeletal symptoms can negatively affect patient compliance. Aromatase-inhibitor-induced carpal tunnel syndrome represents one of the main causes of aromatase inhibitor discontinuation, with a non-compliance rate of up to 67%, potentially leading to increased cancer mortality. This study investigates estrogen receptor expression in aromatase-inhibitor-induced carpal tunnel syndrome tissues, in order to better define its etiopathogenesis and derive preventive or therapeutic measures that can improve aromatase inhibitor patient compliance. To our knowledge, there is no study on this subject in the literature. Methods: Between 2023 and 2024, we recruited 14 patients at the Jewish Hospital of Rome, including seven patients with aromatase-inhibitor-induced carpal tunnel syndrome (study group) and seven with postmenopausal idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (control group). Each patient was evaluated based on a clinical visit, a questionnaire, instrumental exams, and serum hormone dosages and were treated with open carpal tunnel release surgery, during which transverse carpal ligament and flexor tenosynovium samples were collected. For immunohistochemical experiments, sections were treated with anti-estrogen receptor α and anti-estrogen receptor β antibodies. Results: The immunohistochemical features in the study and control groups were similar, demonstrating that tissues affected by aromatase-inhibitor-induced carpal tunnel syndrome are targets of direct estrogen action and that estrogen deprivation is correlated with disease etiogenesis. Surgery was effective in patient treatment. Conclusions: Aromatase-inhibitor-induced carpal tunnel syndrome represents a newly defined form of the disease. This syndrome represents one of the main causes of aromatase inhibitor discontinuation, due to its negative impact on the patient’s quality of life. The identification by clinicians of aromatase inhibitor use as a possible risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome development is of essential importance, as early diagnosis and prompt management can improve patient compliance and overall breast cancer treatment outcomes. Full article

Fat embolism is a critical medical emergency often resulting from long bone fractures or amputations, leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a key regulator of innate immunity, is activated by reactive oxygen species and tissue damage, contributing to inflammatory responses. This study examines the role of NLRP3 in fat embolism-induced ARDS and evaluates the therapeutic potential of MCC950, a selective NLRP3 antagonist. Fat embolism was induced by fatty micelle injection into the tail vein of Sprague Dawley rats. Pulmonary injury was assessed through lung weight gain as an edema indicator, NLRP3 expression via Western blot, and IL-1β levels using ELISA. Histological damage and macrophage infiltration were evaluated with hematoxylin and eosin staining. Fat embolism significantly increased pulmonary NLRP3 expression, lipid peroxidation, IL-1β release, and macrophage infiltration within four hours, accompanied by severe pulmonary edema. NLRP3 was localized in type I alveolar cells, co-localizing with aquaporin 5. Administration of MCC950 significantly reduced inflammatory responses, lipid peroxidation, pulmonary edema, and histological damage, while attenuating MAPK cascade phosphorylation of ERK and Raf. These findings suggest that NLRP3 plays a critical role in fat embolism-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome, and its inhibition by MCC950 may offer a promising therapeutic approach. Full article