Search Results (10,023)

Heavy-duty vehicles cause a significant percentage of the harmful gas emissions from the automotive industry. This article presents the development of a compression system for hydrogen as part of the H2REF-DEMO hydrogen refueling station, joining the European efforts to promote hydrogen (H₂) as a fuel that can play a key role in the energy transition of these types of vehicles. The H2REF-DEMO project, co-funded by the European Union’s “Horizon. Europe” programme under the “Clean Hydrogen Partnership” (grant agreement no. 101101517), involves a partnership between companies and research centers that aims to investigate the possibility of compressing hydrogen through hydraulic power to handle large vehicle refueling applications, such as bus fleet depots, trucks, or trains. The basic principle is the exploitation of hydraulic power to compress hydrogen through hydro-pneumatic bladder accumulators. The hydraulic power units, in fact, pump oil into the accumulators, causing a deformation of the bladder containing H₂ and thus a consequent gas compression. In this article, we focus on the development of the compression system, from the theoretical starting point to the core final layout of the refueling station for large vehicles. We also exploit a lumped parameter numerical model to both support the system design and virtually test its first control logic. The latter, in particular, allows the system to operate in three modes—Bypass, Parallel, and Serial modes—thus leaving room for testing basic and more complex control strategies. The results of numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of this innovative compression technology and its considerable efficiency in terms of refueling time and energy consumption, especially when compared to the standard systems used for this application. These are thus encouraging results that can support the development of an actual H2REF-DEMO hydraulic test rig for hydrogen compression. Full article

Methods: Currently available randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) reporting on the adjunctive clinical effects of biomaterials, grafting materials, and grafting techniques on immediate implant placement (IIP) were systematically assessed. Data were qualitatively analyzed and, when appropriate, meta-analysis was performed. Risk of bias and quality of evidence were evaluated using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool and the GRADE framework, respectively. Results: A total of 12 RCTs (484 implants, 6–36 months of follow-up) were included and consistently reported high implant survival rates (96–100%). Data on the use of xenografts, alloplastic and mixed grafts, connective tissue grafts and socket shield technique seem, to different extents, to demonstrate favorable results in terms of peri-implant hard and soft tissue dynamics and esthetic outcomes. Quantitative synthesis conducted on four RCTs demonstrated significantly higher short-term patient-reported postoperative pain, assessed on a 0–100 Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (weighted mean difference 19.45 mm; 95% CI 0.55–38.36; p = 0.04). Most RCTs were rated at moderate to high risk of bias, and certainty of evidence was low to moderate. Conclusions: Regardless of the use of adjunctive materials/approaches, IIP guarantees high implant survival rates. Although different adjunctive strategies to IIP may favor hard and soft tissue stability, they appear to increase short-term patient-reported morbidity. Currently available evidence lacks standardized and patient-centered outcome reporting. Full article

Geospatial–statistical integration remains a persistent bottleneck for official statistics and applied spatial analysis. The GISINTEGRATION R package provides a modular, reproducible workflow for preprocessing, harmonizing, and linking heterogeneous GIS and non-GIS datasets, with export utilities that are compatible with common desktop GIS. This paper outlines the package architecture and demonstrates its use in two applications. The first integrates population statistics with newly introduced statistical output geographies for Northern Ireland, enabling rapid preparation of analysis-ready layers such as all usual residents and population density at Super Data Zones. The second links daily PM_2.5 measurements from the U.S. EPA Air Quality System with county boundaries for California (July 2020) to produce policy-relevant indicators; spatial aggregation yielded valid monthly means for 46 of 58 counties (79.31%) and reduced variance from 40.716 (monitor level) to 5.777 (county means), improving signal stability and comparability. Across both cases, the workflow standardizes variable names, supports user-controlled overrides, identifies common keys, and performs quality checks, thereby reducing manual effort while increasing transparency and reproducibility. The results illustrate how standardized integration facilitates official statistical production, environmental monitoring, and evidence-based decision-making. Full article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia, still lacks a clearly defined pathogenesis and effective disease-modifying therapies, prompting growing interest in peripheral drivers of neurodegeneration. Among these, chronic oral dysbiosis has emerged as a potential risk factor. Disruption of the oral ecosystem in periodontitis promotes systemic inflammation and the circulation of bacterial products capable of influencing brain homeostasis. By integrating molecular findings with epidemiological data linking periodontitis, tooth loss, and poor oral health to increased AD risk, this review examines how oral dysbiosis contributes to systemic inflammation as part of a broader network of interacting factors involved in AD pathophysiology. It describes how inflammatory, gut-microbial, genetic, and barrier-related processes intersect with oral dysbiosis and jointly contribute to the acceleration of AD progression. Building on this systemic perspective, the review highlights emerging oral biomarkers and oral–gut microbiota-targeted therapies as potential tools to address current gaps in early diagnosis and intervention. Overall, this work advances current understanding by integrating previously fragmented evidence and highlighting the key conceptual and methodological gaps that must be addressed to clarify causality and to guide the development of preventive and therapeutic approaches targeting oral health in the context of AD. Full article

Reflecting on the digital unconscious may mean proposing a reflection on non-mastery in a field—digital creation of images and sounds, or the use of the digital in audiovisual creation—where resides the idea that digital machinery gives immense power to the artist who can now, thanks to calculation and data storage, surpass the usual limitations that human capacities have otherwise imposed on creation. On the contrary, we should take into account not only what digital machines reveal about us or from which unconscious patterns our work with them emerges, but how we deal with them as machines. Are we so aware of what we expect from technologies, or of what we project onto them? Pierre Schaeffer (the inventor of musique concrète but also a media theorist in his own right), who wrote on that topic 50 years ago can be of help here. This paper mainly relies on his text “Le machinisme artistique” (“Artistic Machinism”), published as a chapter at the beginning of Machines à communiquer in 1970 (his book on media theory and practice, not yet translated into English) and proposes, with this approach in mind, an examination of several uses and conceptions of the digital image today, with particular reference to the movie Oppenheimer. Full article

This study presents an analytical and multiscale investigation of the degradation of elastic properties in ordinary Portland cement (OPC) paste subjected to calcium leaching. Eight representative microstructures and three homogenization schemes (Mori–Tanaka, Hashin–Shtrikman, and Voigt) were evaluated to determine the most suitable configuration for predicting stiffness evolution. Model validation against benchmark experimental data at 14 and 56 days demonstrated good agreement, with prediction errors within 10%. Simulation results reveal that progressive decalcification leads to significant reductions in both bulk and shear moduli, with the calcium hydroxide (CH) phase being the most sensitive, followed by low-density (LD) and high-density (HD) calcium silicate hydrate (CSH). The overall stiffness loss increases with the water-to-cement ratio ($w/c$), exceeding 90% at $w/c=0.5$ under complete decalcification. A sensitivity analysis further shows that the rate of modulus degradation decreases with increasing $w/c$, reflecting a mechanical normalization effect rather than improved chemical stability. These findings highlight the dominant role of calcium preservation in maintaining mechanical integrity and provide a robust theoretical framework for predicting the chemo-mechanical degradation and long-term durability of cement-based materials in aggressive environments. Full article

Background: Participation in soccer imposes high physical, mechanical, and cognitive demands. Recent evidence suggests that cognitive load, often overlooked in injury prevention, interacts with biomechanical factors and injury risk, resembling a dual-task paradigm where players must adapt motor responses while processing unpredictable game situations. This cross-sectional observational study examined how adding a dual-task during single-leg countermovement-jumps (SLCMJ) affects neuromotor control and performance in elite soccer players. Methods: Players performed SLCMJ on the injured leg while muscle activation, kinematics, and kinetics were measured, with and without a dual-task requiring color identification, via repeated-measures ANOVA; three injured groups (Chondropathy, n = 10, ACL, n = 15, Muscle Injury, n = 15) and a healthy control group (n = 22, followed the same protocol during final-rehabilitation stage. Results: Specific main outcomes were kinetics, kinematics, and EMG variables. Kinetic performances were significantly higher (p < 0.001, d > 0.6) with dual-task: eccentric rate-of-force-development, jump-height, reactive-strength-index-modified, and shorter for time-to-peak of ground-reaction-force (p < 0.05, d > 0.6). Muscle activation increased with dual-task in rectus femoris and biceps femoris during pushing (eccentric and concentric phases) (p < 0.01, d = 0.7) and for medial gastrocnemius during landing (p < 0.05, d = 0.7). Kinematic analyses showed greater pushing knee flexion, while pushing and landing trunk flexion was lower (p < 0.01, d > 0.8). Kinetic values in the three injured groups were lower than those of controls (p < 0.01, d > 0.8). Conclusions: Injured elite soccer players appeared disinhibited in dual-task conditions that improved SLCMJ performance but altered neuromotor control, underscoring the importance of a neurocognitive approach in return-to-play assessments to evaluate reinjury risk. Full article

Background/Objectives: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequent skin cancer in Caucasian populations. While dermoscopy supports diagnosis, accurate subtype classification requires histopathology. Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) offers high resolution, adequate penetration, and three-dimensional imaging, bridging the gap between dermoscopy and histopathology. This study assessed the concordance between LC-OCT and histopathology for BCC criteria and subtypes. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 127 histopathologically confirmed BCCs from the Departments of Dermatology and Pathology, Hôpital Erasme, Brussels. LC-OCT images and corresponding histopathological slides were evaluated. Objective analysis used a predefined checklist of LC-OCT criteria compared with histopathology. Subjective analysis consisted of independent side-by-side assessments of global resemblance by three observers with varying expertise. Concordance rates and κ statistics were calculated. Results: The objective analysis showed the highest concordance (≥80%) for lobules, blood vessels, bright cells, lobule location, and dermal-epidermal junction disruption. Intermediate concordance (50–80%) was found for hemispheric morphology, outer bright rim, stromal stretching, and parakeratosis. Inner dark rim and palisading showed low concordance (<50%). Subjective evaluations demonstrated strong resemblance between LC-OCT and histopathology (overall concordance 81.1%), ranging from 86.6% to 98.4% across observers. Interobserver agreement was slight overall (κ = 0.10, p = 0.02), with one moderate pairwise κ (0.41). Conclusions: LC-OCT demonstrates good concordance with histopathology for key diagnostic and subtype-discriminating BCC features. Despite variability in subtle criteria, the findings support LC-OCT as a clinically relevant tool for non-invasive diagnosis and management of BCC. Full article

Reliable land surface temperature (LST) data are required for monitoring climate variability, hydrological processes, and land–atmosphere interactions. Yet existing satellite-derived LST products, such as those from thermal infrared (TIR) sensors, are limited by gaps due to clouds, while passive microwave (PMW) observations, though less affected by atmospheric interference, suffer from coarse resolution and larger uncertainty. This study presents the first validated clear-sky merged LST product for the USA and combines downscaled PMW data from AMSR-E and AMSR2 with MODIS TIR observations, using a modified U-Net deep learning network. The merged dataset covers 2004–2021 at 5 km resolution, providing a compromise between spatial detail and robustness. The model performs well, with low mean squared errors and $R^2$ values of 0.80 (day) and 0.75 (night). The merged time series captures seasonal trends and shows a marked reduction in cloud-contamination artefacts compared to MODIS and AMSR signals. Spatially, the product is consistent across sensor transitions and reduces artefacts from TIR cloud contamination. Validation against ground stations shows results between those of TIR and PMW, with better accuracy at night and moderate positive biases influenced by land cover and terrain. Although the merged product does not match the fine resolution of TIR data by choice, it enhances spatial coverage over AMSR alone and temporal completeness over MODIS alone, where single-sensor products are limited. Residual temporal and seasonal biases are moderate, with systematic warm and cold deviations linked to land cover, propagation of emissivity errors, and sampling differences. Strong positive biases remain over terrain with complex surface properties as the downscaled AMSR is closer to MODIS temperatures. Results demonstrate the combined benefits of PMW’s broader coverage and cloud tolerance with TIR’s spatial detail. Overall, results demonstrate the potential of sensor fusion for producing spatially consistent LST records suitable for long-term environmental and climate monitoring. Full article

Background/Objectives: To perform a physicochemical characterization of urine and sediment in intermittent catheterization (IC) users and evaluate the impact of IC with micro-hole zone catheters (MHZC) and conventional two-eyelet catheters (CEC). Methods: Analysis of anonymized urine samples collected from four IC user groups with lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD): Newly diagnosed individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) from an inpatient SCI clinic (A), and community-based IC users with SCI (B), multiple sclerosis (MS) (C), or other conditions than SCI or MS (D). Urine analysis included physicochemical properties, bacterial load, and sediment size, both after collection and following passage through MHZC and CEC. Results: Urine samples from 53 participants were analyzed (groups A: 11, B: 11, C: 9, D: 22). The physicochemical properties of urine were similar to reference values despite the prevalence of bacteriuria ranging from 54.5% to 77.3%. The median [99th percentile] sediment size in the total group was 8.6 µm [50.7 µm] and 8.5 µm [54.1 µm] for group A, 9.2 µm [40.3 µm] for group B, 7.9 µm [48.3 µm] for group C, and 8.9 µm [50.3 µm] for group D. Following catheter passage, the median sediment size for the total group was 8.9 µm with the MHZC and 8.9 µm with the CEC. Conclusions: This two-part study initially presented a novel approach to characterizing urine samples, including sediment from IC users, and, thereafter, an in vitro experiment using the samples to test sediment passage through MHZC and CEC. The results indicated similar urine properties and sediment sizes across groups and did not suggest differences or issues relating to urine and sediment passage through these IC technologies for these groups. Full article

Machine learning approaches are commonly used to model physical phenomena due to their adaptability to complex systems. In general, a substantial number of samples must be collected to create a model with reliable results. However, collecting numerous data points is often costly. Moreover, high-dimensional problems inherently require large amounts of data due to the curse of dimensionality. That is why new approaches based on smart sampling techniques are being investigated to optimize the acquisition of training samples, such as active learning methods. Initialization is a crucial step in active learning as it influences both performance and computational cost. Moreover, the scenarios used to select the next sample, such as classic pool-based sampling, can be highly resource- and time consuming. This study focuses on optimizing active learning methods through a comprehensive analysis of initialization strategies and scenario design, proposing and evaluating multiple approaches to determine the optimal configurations. The methods are applied to high-dimensional industrial problems with dimensions ranging from 5 to 15, where challenges associated with high dimensionality are already significant. To address this, the proposed study uses an active learning criterion that combines Sparse Proper Generalized Decomposition with Fisher information theory, specifically tailored to high-dimensional industrial settings. We illustrate the effectiveness of these techniques through examples on theoretical 5D and 15D functions, as well as a practical industrial crash simulation application. Full article

Zoonotic influenza viruses, including highly pathogenic avian influenza and swine-origin variants, continue to cause sporadic human infections with, in some cases, high case fatality rates and potential for sustained human-to-human transmission. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored both the possibilities of rapid vaccine innovation and the persistent challenges in equitable access and public trust. This paper synthesizes the vaccine-related priorities from the 2024 update of the World Health Organization Public Health Research Agenda for Influenza, integrating evidence from systematic literature reviews commissioned, expert consultations, and analysis of lessons learned from recent health emergencies, to outline a research and policy roadmap for zoonotic and pandemic influenza vaccine preparedness. Key research priorities identified include development of broadly protective animal and human vaccines; improved understanding of correlates of protection; rapid and scalable manufacturing platforms; predictive modelling for strain selection; and targeted communication strategies to strengthen uptake. Experts have considered that implementing these priorities will require One Health integration, sustained investment, harmonized regulatory frameworks, and proactive community engagement to ensure that advances in vaccine science translate into timely, equitable public health protection. Full article

Atmospheric turbulence degrades long-range imaging and free-space optical performance, yet conventional measurement systems such as large-aperture scintillometers require active transmitters, precise alignment, and dedicated deployment. This study investigates whether a passive neuromorphic event camera can provide reliable estimates of the refractive-index structure parameter $C_n^2$ along a 300 m horizontal path. We conducted a week-long field experiment using a Prophesee EVK-4 HD event camera (Prophesee, Paris, France), a Basler acA2040-120um HD CMOS video camera (Basler AG, Ahrensburg, Germany), and a Scintec BLS900 scintillometer (Scintec AG, Rottenburg, Germany) as ground truth. A compact set of 19 statistical event-stream features was extracted over multiple integration times (2–50 s), and machine learning regression models were trained to predict the corresponding scintillometer-measured turbulence. Across the full turbulence range ${10}^{-14}–{10}^{-12} {\mathrm{m}}^{-2/3}$, the best-performing model (XGBoost) achieved a Pearson correlation of 0.93 and a mean absolute relative error of 35%, with longer integration times and higher-contrast regions yielding improved accuracy. The results also quantify, for the first time in field conditions, how integration time, target contrast, and feature stability influence event-based turbulence estimation. These findings demonstrate that passive event-driven sensing can approximate scintillometer-level turbulence measurements without active illumination, enabling compact, low-power alternatives for real-time atmospheric monitoring. Full article

In recent years, porous carbon-based materials have demonstrated their potential as electrode materials, particularly as supercapacitors for energy storage. The specific capacitance of a carbon-based material is strongly influenced by its porosity. Herein, activated biochar (BCA) from millet was prepared using ZnCl₂ as an activator at temperatures of 400, 700, and 900 °C. Activation was achieved through wet and dry impregnation of millet bran powder particles. The porosity of BCAs was assessed by determining the iodine and methylene blue numbers (N_I and N_MB, respectively), which provide information on microporosity and mesoporosity, respectively. Characterization of the BCAs was carried out using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The data show that the BCA prepared at 700 °C following dry impregnation, P700(p), has the highest N_I and the highest geometric mean value ($ñ=\sqrt{N_I\times N_{MB}}$), a descriptor we introduce to characterize the overall porosity of the biochars. P700(p) biochar exhibited remarkable electrochemical properties and a maximum specific capacitance of 440 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 0.5 A g⁻¹, in the three-electrode configuration. This value drops to 110 F g⁻¹, in the two-electrode configuration. The high specific capacitance is not due to ZnO, but essentially to the textural properties of the biochar (represented by ñ descriptor), and possibly but to a lesser extent to small amounts of Zn₂SiO₄ left over in the biochar. Moreover, the capacitance retention increases with cycling, up to 130%, thus suggesting electrochemical activation of the biochar during the galvanostatic charge-discharge process. To sum up, the combination of pyrolysis temperature and the method of impregnation permitted to obtaining of a porous biochar with excellent electrochemical properties, meeting the requirements of supercapacitors and batteries. Full article

Cracks were found at the gate of the 430Cb ferritic stainless steel exhaust system jet base produced by investment casting. In this paper, the cracks of failed stainless steel castings were comprehensively analyzed by means of macroscopic inspection, laser confocal microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, X-ray diffractometer, ProCAST (version 2018, ESI Group, Paris, France) simulation and Thermo-Calc (TCFE10 database, 2022a, Thermo-Calc Software AB, Solna, Sweden) thermodynamic calculation. It can be concluded that all the cracks originate from the gate on the surface of the casting, and the fracture surface shows brittle intergranular characteristics, which can be determined as cold cracks. The formation of cold cracks can be attributed to the fact that the local stress generated during cooling after the casting solidifies exceeds the strength limit of the material itself. As the gate is the final solidification zone, shrinkage is limited and stress is concentrated. The grains are coarse, and the microstructure defects such as shrinkage porosity, pores and needle-like NbC further weaken the plasticity of the grain boundaries, promoting the crack to propagate along the direction of the maximum principal stress. The uneven cooling rate and shell constraint during the investment casting process make it difficult to release stress, and the existence of microstructure defects are the fundamental causes of crack generation. Full article