Search Results (275)

Purpose: The aim of this study is to describe a slit-modified 23-gauge infusion trocar designed to enable early postoperative hypotony-free sclerotomy closure by allowing scleral suturing prior to complete trocar removal, and to report initial clinical outcomes in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy with or without vitreous hemorrhage (PDR + H and PDR). Methods: A standard 23-gauge metallic (titanium) trocar was modified by creating a longitudinal slit that permitted passage of a suture needle while the trocar remained partially engaged within the scleral tunnel. At the end of pars plana vitrectomy, a transscleral suture was placed through the slit with the knot prepared prior to trocar removal, followed by simultaneous trocar extraction and suture tightening. Eighteen consecutive patients undergoing vitrectomy for PDR (fourteen with vitreous hemorrhage [PDR + H]; four without) were included. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was recorded preoperatively, immediately after sclerotomy closure (postoperative baseline), and at 8 and 24 h postoperatively. The study was designed as an exploratory pilot feasibility and safety evaluation of a slit-modified infusion trocar in 23-gauge vitrectomy. The primary outcomes were postoperative IOP stability and wound leakage. Secondary outcomes included early hypotony, postoperative hemorrhage, choroidal effusion, and the need for additional suturing. Results: All procedures were completed without intraoperative complications. The mean IOP was 14.83 ± 2.50 mmHg preoperatively, 13.33 ± 1.53 mmHg immediately after closure, 14.17 ± 3.01 mmHg at 8 h, and 15.17 ± 1.79 mmHg at 24 h. No cases of wound leakage or early postoperative hypotony were observed in either subgroup. One eye exhibited a transient IOP increase at 8 h; no choroidal effusion, postoperative hemorrhage, or need for secondary suturing occurred. Endotamponade consisted of balanced salt solution (BSS) in eight eyes, SF6 in seven eyes, silicone oil in two eyes, and air in one eye. Conclusions: The slit-modified infusion trocar enables secure, hypotony-free closure of the infusion sclerotomy by eliminating the open-wound interval during trocar removal. This simple biomedical device modification provides stable early postoperative IOP across different tamponade agents and appears safe and feasible in high-risk eyes with PDR. Full article

Modern agriculture faces major challenges due to rapid population growth, climate change, and environmental constraints. Advanced polymeric systems for controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) are essential to address these challenges. Urea is one of the most widely used nitrogen fertilizers; however, its agronomic efficiency is limited by volatilization and losses. In this study, we report a sustainable strategy to encapsulate urea using a matrix derived from industrial sulfur waste and vegetable oil, improving agronomic efficiency while valorizing industrial residues and renewable resources. Through inverse vulcanization, a sponge-like polymer (Bp-SF) was synthesized. Two urea-loaded bio-composites (Bp-SF25U and Bp-SF32U) were also prepared. FT-IR analysis confirmed urea encapsulation and the formation of polymeric structures from sunflower oil. SEM revealed a porous morphology, while contact angle measurements confirmed the hydrophobic nature of the polymer matrix. Release kinetics showed sustained nitrogen release for more than 77 days, reaching approximately 60% cumulative release, governed by diffusion, with a fraction of urea retained within the matrix, potentially enabling prolonged nutrient availability. Pot experiments with maize showed that a lower dose of encapsulated urea (79 mg) produced similar plant growth responses to a higher dose of free urea (92 mg), indicating improved nitrogen use efficiency. These sulfur cross-linked biopolymers represent a promising strategy to enhance urea efficiency while supporting greener fertilization strategies aligned with circular economy principles. Full article

Sulfur fumigation, as a highly effective method for preservation and appearance enhancement, has been widely applied in fruits, vegetables, and food products. However, excessive sulfur fumigation can pose safety risks. Currently, there is limited research on the bound sulfites produced by sulfur fumigation, and no consensus has been reached regarding their structure and toxicity. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS), a total of 34 compounds were identified in 12 lily bulb samples subjected to different sulfur fumigation durations. These derivatives were all hypothesized to form via nucleophilic addition to carbon–carbon double bonds. Based on multivariate statistical analysis, 9 characteristic markers were established to rapidly differentiate between non-fumigated (NF) and sulfur-fumigated (SF) samples. The practicality of this strategy was validated using 18 commercial batches. Molecular docking simulations predicted that the modifications might enhance toxicity toward liver injury-related targets, both by altering the spatial conformation of the compounds and because the sulfonic acid group itself serves as an ideal hydrogen-bond acceptor. Overall, mild fumigation led to a gradual accumulation of free sulfur dioxide in lily bulbs, increased the total content of phenolic components and antioxidant capacity, and did not generate excessive bound sulfur dioxide. However, with further extension of fumigation time, the content of sulfur-containing derivatives rose rapidly, accompanied by a noticeable decline in antioxidant activity. This study elucidates the sulfur-driven chemical transformation mechanisms in lily bulbs and establishes a targeted methodology for the quality control and safety assessment of processed herbal products. Full article

To investigate how the content of silica fume (SF) influences the performance of foam concrete (FC) after high-temperature exposure and the underlying mechanisms, this study prepared standard FC cube specimens with SF contents of 0%, 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25%, and 0.3%. The working properties of the material at room temperature were systematically tested, and the mass loss, residual compressive strength, failure mode, microstructure and acoustic emission (AE) data at different temperatures (100 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C and 400 °C) were analyzed. The test results indicate that increasing the SF content reduces the fluidity of the fresh paste yet significantly enhances the compressive strength and lowers the water absorption of FC at room temperature. After high-temperature exposure, the effect of SF exhibits a dual character: at 200 °C and below, SF effectively mitigates the performance degradation of FC. However, when the temperature reaches 300–400 °C, specimens with an excessively high SF content (e.g., 0.3%) experience rapidly built-up internal steam pressure that cannot escape in time, which triggers the formation and propagation of a microcrack network and leads to a sharp drop in strength. Based on AE detection and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image analysis, the failure process of silica fume foam concrete (SFFC) proceeds through three stages: free water evaporation at low temperatures, dehydration shrinkage of the C-S-H gel at medium temperatures, and finally, structural failure marked by the collapse of the C-S-H gel network at high temperatures. This study indicates that an SF content of 0.25% allows FC to achieve an optimal balance between mechanical properties and high-temperature stability. The findings provide a theoretical basis for optimizing FC mix proportions and enhancing fire prevention design. Full article

Background and Objective: Iron overload remains a significant clinical concern in patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (TDT). This study aims to characterize the iron load and endocrine profile of adult transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia patients and to evaluate their correlation with growth retardation. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at PIMS Hospital, Islamabad, involving 62 adult patients with homozygous or HbE beta-thalassemia receiving regular blood transfusions. Iron overload was assessed using serum ferritin (SF) and transferrin saturation (TS), while endocrine function was evaluated through measurements of thyroid-stimulating hormone-sensitive (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Data was analyzed using SPSS v26.0 and R v4.3.1, which included Pearson correlation, chi-square testing, and multivariable regression to explore associations between iron indices and endocrine dysfunction. Results: Serum ferritin demonstrated significant negative correlations with FT4 (r = −0.348, p = 0.005) and IGF-1 (r = −0.302, p = 0.015). MRI T2* pancreas values correlated positively with FT4 (r = 0.268, p = 0.037) and IGF-1 (r = 0.312, p = 0.015). Patients with ferritin > 5000 ng/mL exhibited a higher prevalence of low IGF-1 levels (89.2% vs. 64.0%, p = 0.018). No significant gender-based differences were observed in endocrine parameters. Conclusion: Pancreatic iron burden and elevated serum ferritin were significantly associated with impaired thyroid and growth axis function, highlighting the value of integrating MRI T2* and biochemical markers for early endocrine risk stratification in adult TDT patients. Full article

In complex traffic environments, image degradation caused by haze, low illumination, and occlusion significantly undermines the reliability of vehicle and pedestrian detection. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an aerial vision framework that tightly couples multi-level image enhancement with a lightweight detection architecture. At the image preprocessing stage, a cascaded “dehazing + enhancement” module is constructed, where a learning-based dehazing method is employed to restore long-range details affected by scattering artifacts. Additionally, structural fidelity is enhanced in low-light regions, while global brightness consistency is achieved. On the detection side, a lightweight yet robust detection architecture, termed GDEIM-SF, is designed. It adopts GoldYOLO as the lightweight backbone and integrates D-FINE as an anchor-free decoder. Moreover, two key modules, CAPR and ASF, are incorporated to enhance high-frequency edge modeling and multi-scale semantic alignment. Through evaluation on the VisDrone dataset, the proposed method achieves improvements of approximately 2.5 to 2.7 percentage points in core metrics such as mAP@50-90 compared to similar lightweight models, while maintaining a low parameter count and computational overhead. This ensures a balanced trade-off among detection accuracy, inference efficiency, and deployment adaptability, providing a practical and efficient solution for UAV-based visual perception tasks under challenging imaging conditions. Full article

The rapid synthesis of high-performance silicalite-1 membranes was systematically investigated by examining the effects of seed size, solution volume, and reactor configuration on membrane growth, microstructure, and gas separation performance. Silicalite-1 seeds (~100 nm and ~1 µm) were dip-coated onto capillary α-alumina supports, followed by secondary growth under controlled conditions. Small seeds (~100 nm) produced high nucleation density, uniform intergrowth, and defect-free membranes, yielding consistently high ideal separation factor for H₂/SF₆ (181–295) and low SF₆ permeance (~10⁻⁹ mol m⁻² s⁻¹ Pa⁻¹) after only 45 min of synthesis. In contrast, larger seeds (~1 µm) enabled faster growth but resulted in less uniform layers with inferior selectivity. Furthermore, a novel reactor design with enhanced heat transfer enabled the rapid silicalite-1 membrane synthesis on conventional large-diameter tubular supports, producing well-intergrown and uniform membranes with high H₂ permeance (4.7 × 10⁻⁶ mol m⁻² s⁻¹ Pa⁻¹) and high ideal separation factors of up to 349 for H₂/SF₆ and 223 for N₂/SF₆. Overall, this study demonstrates that optimization of seed properties, synthesis parameters, and reactor design enables rapid and scalable fabrication of silicalite-1 membranes with robust molecular sieving performance, highlighting their strong potential for SF₆ purification applications. Full article

Traditional macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD)-based traffic perimeter metering control strategies rely on full knowledge of vehicle accumulation and inter-regional flow dynamics, assumptions that seldom hold in heterogeneous and highly variable real-world networks. Classical data-driven reinforcement learning methods face similar constraints, often converging slowly and exhibiting low sample efficiency when confronted with such complexities. Motivated by these limitations, this paper proposes a Parameterized Deep Q-Network perimeter control (P-DQNPC) scheme designed for multi-region urban road networks. The framework jointly optimizes discrete actions (regional routing choices) and continuous actions (signal-timing or flow-duration regulation) within a model-free learning structure. The approach is first trained and validated on synthetic MFD data to establish stable and interpretable policy behavior under controlled conditions. It is then transferred and further evaluated using real-world measurements from the Performance Measurement System—San Francisco Bay Area (PeMS-SF), a dataset collected from 18,954 loop detectors across the California State Highway System. PeMS-SF is selected due to its high spatial and temporal resolution, broad network coverage, and strong ability to capture realistic and diverse congestion patterns qualities that support both rigorous validation and generalization to other metropolitan regions. Experimental results show that P-DQNPC consistently outperforms state-of-the-art baselines, including deep deterministic policy gradient, deep Q-network, and No-Control schemes. The proposed method achieves superior regulation of regional accumulations and demonstrates enhanced robustness in large, heterogeneous, and uncertain urban traffic environments. Full article

High-strength concrete (HSC) is vital for large-scale tunnel infrastructure; however, its durability is often compromised by rigorous freeze–thaw cycles in cold-region environments. This study investigates the synergistic effects of incorporating hybrid steel fiber (SF) and polypropylene fiber (PPF) to enhance the frost resistance of HSC. Experimental testing involved 125 freeze–thaw cycles across various fiber dosages and lengths, monitoring mass loss and the relative dynamic modulus of elasticity. Additionally, a concrete damage plasticity (CDP) model was utilized in numerical simulations to analyze thermal stress distribution and damage evolution under coupled freeze–thaw and axial loading. Results indicate that the hybrid fiber integration significantly improved durability, with Group A3 (35 kg/m³ SF and 1.5 kg/m³ of 18 mm PPF) achieving the highest performance. After 125 cycles, Group A3 maintained a relative dynamic modulus of 94.5% and restricted mass loss to 1.42%, a 41% improvement over the fiber-free control. Numerical simulations corroborated these findings, demonstrating that the dual-fiber system preserves load-bearing capacity, limiting compressive strength degradation to just 6.7%. These findings quantitatively validate the synergistic mechanisms of hybrid fibers, providing a robust reference for designing high-durability concrete in cold-climate engineering applications. Full article

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) patients frequently develop muscle wasting and chronic inflammation, conditions associated with functional decline and reduced quality of life (QoL). Nutritional strategies that provide targeted anabolic support without increasing nitrogen load may offer clinical benefits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible impact of a food for special medical purposes (FFSMP), composed of free-form branched-chain amino acids, β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, and zinc, on muscle mass and strength, laboratory parameters, physical performance (PP), and QoL in HD patients. Methods: in this randomized double-blind crossover study, 24 adult HD patients received the FFSMP (10 g/day; two sachets) supplementation or placebo for 12 weeks, separated by an 8-week wash-out (protocol code RS 29.23). Measured outcomes included quadriceps rectus femoris thickness (QRFT) muscle, body composition analysis, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress indices, other routine biochemical parameters, PP, and QoL (SF-36 questionnaire). Results: FFSMP supplementation resulted in significant increases in QRFT and in fat-free mass percentage. Reductions in oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers were observed. Routine biochemical parameters remained stable, with the exception of a decrease in pre-dialysis urea. Functional performance measures did not differ between treatment periods. Improvements were noted in selected SF-36 domains, specifically energy/fatigue and general health. No major adverse events occurred during the study. Conclusions: In HD patients, this FFSMP produced favorable changes in markers of muscle mass and systemic inflammation without affecting short-term physical performance. These findings support the potential clinical utility of targeted amino acid supplementation in this patient population, highlighting the need for larger, longer-term trials. Full article

Reproductive inefficiency remains a major constraint in Penaeus vannamei hatcheries due to high rates of non-spawning females. This study presents the first two-generational quantitative genetic analysis of female reproductive performance under standardized SPF (Specific Pathogen-Free) conditions. A total of 986 females across two generations (2021–2022) from 198 full-sib and 68 half-sib families were evaluated. Traits analyzed included spawning frequency (SF), mean spawning interval (MSI), number of eggs laid for the first time (NE1), average spawning (AS), total spawning (TS), and spawning success (SS). Heritability estimates for SF, SS, and TS were moderate (0.30 ± 0.06, 0.23 ± 0.06 and 0.28 ± 0.07, respectively), while MSI, NE1, and AS showed low heritability (0.10–0.16). When analyzed separately by year, heritability estimates declined substantially for most traits in the second generation. Strong positive genetic correlations were observed between SF, MSI, NE1, AS, and TS, with pairwise estimates ranging from 0.82 to 0.99, indicating that these traits are under shared genetic control. Despite not being direct selection objects, all reproductive traits exhibited relative genetic progress (246–488% per generation), which is attributable to the high selection intensity applied to the parental generation. Our findings provide a robust foundation for integrating reproductive performance into breeding programs for P. vannamei, particularly under biosecurity and commercial feed-dominated conditions. Full article

Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) is used to grow high-quality aluminum fluoride (AlF₃) antireflective coatings via a safe, HF-free route using trimethylaluminum and SF₆ plasma. In situ diagnostics reveal a reaction pathway mediated by a hydrogen-terminated fluorinated surface (s-FH). By systematically varying the plasma pulse duration, a critical process window is identified that balances efficient ligand removal against ion-induced structural damage. Within this optimized window, the films achieve ultra-low impurity levels and an atomically smooth morphology, increasing the optical transmittance of glass to (97.6 ± 0.5)%. This study establishes a clear link between fundamental plasma kinetics and functional optical performance, providing a robust, non-corrosive strategy for the rational design of metal–fluoride PEALD coatings. Full article

Background/Objectives: The optimal surgical approach for kidney stones (KS) measuring 15–20 mm remains debated. RIRS and mini-PCNL are both effective options, but they differ in invasiveness, resource use, and cost. This study aimed to compare perioperative outcomes and hospital costs of RIRS and mini-PCNL using a micro-costing approach. Methods: This retrospective study included patients with KS > 15 mm in diameter who were treated between January 2021 and December 2023 at the Department of Urology, Sapienza University of Rome-Polo Pontino. Clinical parameters, operative time (OT), length of stay (LoS), complications, and stone-free rate (SFR) were compared. Costs were estimated using a micro-costing method, including disposable materials, operating room (OR) time (3.9 EUR/min), imaging, and hospitalization (334 EUR/day). The total cost per treated and per SF patient was calculated for both techniques. Results: A total of 119 patients were analyzed: 62 underwent RIRS, and 57 underwent mini-PCNL. Mean OT was shorter for RIRS (87 vs. 113 min; p < 0.001), and LoS was longer for mini-PCNL (2.24 vs. 1.22 days; p = 0.008). Final SFR was higher for mini-PCNL (94.7% vs. 88.7%; p = 0.043). Complication rates were comparable, with most events classified as Clavien–Dindo I–II. Disposable materials represented the main cost driver (EUR 1097 for RIRS vs. EUR 806 for mini-PCNL). The total cost per treated patient was EUR 3689 for RIRS and EUR 3154 for mini-PCNL (p = 0.009). The cost per SF patient was EUR 4159 for RIRS and EUR 3331 for mini-PCNL (p = 0.007). Conclusions: Both RIRS and mini-PCNL are safe and effective for the management of KS ≥ 15 mm. Mini-PCNL achieves higher SFR and greater cost-efficiency than RIRS. These findings support the use of mini-PCNL as the preferred option in centers with adequate expertise and resources. Full article

This study addresses the challenges of efficiency and cost in traditional sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) degradation methods and the throughput limitations of common plasma technologies, with the aim of promoting sustainable treatment of potent greenhouse gases. A method of premixing SF₆ with plasma media before entering the plasma discharge region was employed to systematically investigate the effects of three atmospheres—nitrogen, air, and hydrogen—on the degradation efficiency, product distribution, and energy efficiency of SF₆. An experimental setup was constructed, and Gibbs free energy minimization simulations were conducted to analyze the degradation performance under different conditions. The results show that the premixed gas injection method achieves a degradation removal efficiency of over 99.84% when the SF₆ flow rate is lower than 4 slm, which is significantly better than the staged mixing method. When the discharge current increases from 40 A to 100 A, the degradation effect of SF₆ improves significantly, but the improvement becomes marginal when the current is further increased to 120 A. Compared with nitrogen, air and hydrogen atmospheres can effectively enhance the degradation removal rate, with the air atmosphere achieving the highest energy yield of 271 g/kWh. This research reveals the regulatory mechanism of medium components on SF₆ degradation, providing a theoretical basis for the sustainable, full-process treatment of industrial-scale reactors and contributing to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Full article

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated Ageratum conyzoides (A. conyzoides) for alleviating osteoarthritis symptoms and improving quality of life. Conducted in Australia between 2021 and 2024, the study included 70 adults aged ≥45 years with clinically diagnosed osteoarthritis. Participants consumed 250 mg of pyrrolizidine alkaloid-free A. conyzoides extract or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. Pain and function were assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) every three weeks. Secondary measures included pain assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the SF-36 quality-of-life questionnaire, inflammatory markers, and safety parameters. A. conyzoides supplementation resulted in significant reductions in total WOMAC scores at weeks 9 and 12 (p < 0.05) compared to placebo. VAS pain scores were significantly lower at weeks 9 and 12 (p < 0.05). SF-36 scores improved significantly in the pain and role limitations due to physical health domains (p < 0.05). Plasma inflammatory markers IL-6 and IL-8 showed significant reductions compared with placebo (p < 0.05). No between-group differences were observed for adverse events. These findings demonstrate that A. conyzoides supplementation is a safe and effective option for reducing osteoarthritis symptoms, with significant improvements observed in pain, function, and inflammatory markers. Full article