Search Results (53,880)

This study explored the associations among business intelligence (BI) capabilities and innovative performance (IP) in four- and five-star luxury hotels, while also examining the moderating key role of absorptive capacity (ACAP). Based on the Resource-Based View (RBV), the study conceptualised BI as a multidimensional construct comprising six key capabilities. Data were collected from a sample of 470 hotel managers, and the model was analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed that four BI dimensions (analytical decision-making culture, use of information in business processes, information access quality, and information content quality) have a significant positive association with IP. On the contrary, analytical capability and data integration did not exhibit a direct significant association with IP. The moderation analysis offered further insights, illustrating that ACAP can selectively strengthen the association between information content quality and IP, as well as between data integration and IP. These findings highlighted that, in the luxury hotel context, the value of BI depends not only on technological infrastructure but also on the firm’s ability to transform high-quality, integrated data into actionable knowledge. The study contributed to the literature by indicating the moderating role of absorptive capacity in the BI–IP relationship and by providing nuanced insights into how distinctive BI capabilities can drive innovation in a service-intensive setting. From a practical perspective, the results suggested that hotel managers should prioritise promoting a data-driven culture, improving data quality, and designing organisational learning capabilities to leverage BI for IP fully. Full article

Over the past decade, developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have sparked a new wave of debate and research across nearly all areas of life, including education. In English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, AI-based technologies are also widely adopted to support learners and instructors. This trend has led to numerous studies focused on understanding AI’s role in identifying potential opportunities and challenges. This study offers a systematic review of relevant research, highlighting the benefits and obstacles of AI use in the Saudi EFL context. About 60 peer-reviewed articles were selected following PRISMA guidelines. The findings reveal multiple opportunities for AI integration in Saudi Arabia, such as improved language skills, personalized learning experiences, increased self-regulated learning, boosted motivation and confidence among learners, expanded learning opportunities, and support for pedagogy and institutional performance. Major challenges include biased and inaccurate data, students’ overdependence on technology, ethical concerns, and a lack of technological skills among users. The study also suggests future directions, including localizing AI tools, conducting long-term impact studies, providing faculty and student training, and establishing ethical guidelines within institutions. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the field of diagnostic radiology; however, its applications in interventional radiology and pediatric interventional radiology (PIR) remain limited despite clear clinical needs and the rich multimodal data environment characteristic of pediatric procedural care. In this narrative review, I summarize the current state of AI technologies relevant to PIR and outline future perspectives for their clinical integration. Peer-reviewed literature and position statements identified through MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and major society publications up to the first quarter of 2026 are synthesized, focusing on AI applications across the PIR care pathway, including dose-sparing image acquisition and reconstruction, automated image interpretation and computer-aided diagnosis, data-driven procedural planning and navigation, and post-procedural risk prediction and monitoring. After briefly introducing core machine learning and deep learning concepts, pediatric-specific challenges are discussed, including radiation sensitivity, growth-related anatomical variability, regulatory constraints, and the scarcity of large, annotated datasets, as well as existing and emerging applications along the PIR care pathway: AI-assisted dose reduction and image reconstruction, automated image interpretation, segmentation, and computer-aided diagnosis; data-driven procedural planning, including three-dimensional modelling, augmented reality, AI-enabled/AI-adjacent robotics, and AI-directed procedural navigation; and post-procedural risk prediction and outcome monitoring. Finally, emerging paradigms, including explainable AI, federated learning, and multimodal integration, are highlighted, and research priorities, collaborative frameworks, and governance principles required to ensure safe, equitable, and effective AI deployment in PIR are outlined. In doing so, this review delineates the current evidence gaps and priority directions for clinically meaningful AI adoption in PIR. Although AI has the potential to improve patient care, it has not yet been specifically designed, validated, or deployed in children. Existing work demonstrates feasibility across the PIR workflow, but most tools remain weakly linked to pediatric clinical endpoints. Full article

In this article, we construct a framework for analyzing the equilibrium and stability of networked multi-sector economic systems via fixed-point analysis. We represent directional intersectoral dependencies, nonlinear feedback effects, and heterogeneous adjustment dynamics in the model by the coupled and tripled fixed-point theory in the graphically extended suprametric spaces. The graphical structure encodes supply-chain and influence networks, whereas asymmetric and nonuniform interaction strengths are encoded in the suprametric setting. Furthermore, we prove the existence, uniqueness, and convergence of equilibrium solutions under new generalized contraction conditions. We apply the theoretical findings in nonlinear state systems in which prices in interdependent markets are adjusted using integral equations. The results of numerical simulations show consistent convergence, and the sensitivity parameter of the network structure significantly influences the determination of economic stability and speed of adjustment. Full article

Demand for greener and safer chemistries has driven the innovation of bioinspired and enzyme-mimicking catalysts for selective and efficient oxidation and hydrogenation under mild conditions. Natural catalysts, including peroxidases, oxidases, hydrogenases, oxygenases and dehydrogenases, boast remarkable activity, specificity, stability, selectivity, low energy requirements and atom economy. Disadvantages of enzymes, such as poor thermal stability, a narrow operational range, low recovery yield and the expense of purification, are motivating the discovery and design of enzyme substitutes. Several artificial platforms have appeared recently: nanozymes, artificial metalloenzymes, biomimetic metal Complexes, MOFs, atomic catalysts, bioinorganic hybrid systems, among others. These systems aim to replicate key structural and mechanistic features of enzymes while providing greater operational stability, recyclability, and scalability. Recent work has demonstrated the benefit of enzyme mimics in increasing eco-sustainability in reactions such as alcohol oxidation, selective alkane oxidation, waste degradation, catalytic photooxygen activation and biomass waste conversion. Similarly, biomimetic hydrogenation catalysts have shown outstanding activity in asymmetrically hydrogenating chemicals, reducing CO₂ into chemicals, hydrogenation by hydrogen transfer and creating hydrogen through water. Through control of active sites, second coordination sites, defects and electrons/protons in the system, significant gains have been seen in reaction selectivity and frequency of turning over substrate into product. Nanozymes, biohybrid catalysis and artificial catalysts guided by deep learning are further broadening the applications of biomimetic catalysis in oxidation and hydrogenation. The article review aims to provide a summary of the most current progress with bioinspired and enzyme-mimicking catalysts, focusing on catalytic mechanisms, how to design such catalysts, how green chemistry benefits from their development and where further application is likely in the coming years. Full article

This study investigates numerically a Coupled Solar Ventilation Evaporative Cooling system for hot and arid climates. The system uses a solar wall chimney to produce natural ventilation and generate hot and dry airflow, which is then directed through a roof-mounted humid hay packed bed to enhance evaporative air conditioning. The resulting cold is transferred via a thermally conductive inner roof plate while a membrane condenser recovers moisture for reusing. A mathematical model was developed to describe heat and mass transfer in the hay packed bed, including solar chimney airflow, pressure drop and the evaporation energy balance. Parametric simulations were carried out for inlet air temperature of 40–60 °C, airflow rates of 0.25–0.45 m³/s, hay moisture contents of 0.006–0.014 kg/kg dry basis and air humidity ratio of 0.002–0.006 kg/kg dry air. Results show that evaporative cooling becomes effective only above certain inlet temperature. Increasing airflow from 0.25 to 0.45 m³/s reduced hay temperature from 30 to 26.8 °C when inlet air temperature exceeded 43.5 °C. Higher hay moisture content enhanced cooling performance, reaching about 26 °C, while higher inlet air humidity reduced evaporation and limited cooling. The operating maps obtained from the numerical simulations provide practical guidance for preliminary system sizing and for optimal operating parameters selection in solar-driven evaporative cooling systems. The mathematical model treats the solar chimney, the evaporative packed bed, the conditioned room and the membrane condenser within the same steady state calculation. The solar energy balance and the pressure balance are used to relate the inlet air temperature and the airflow rate to solar irradiance, ambient temperature and chimney geometry. The model also includes the heat transferred from the room through the roof plate, the sensible heat of the supplied water and the mass transfer and pressure drop effects of the membrane condenser. Full article

In this paper, we begin with a brief overview of quasi-contraction mappings in metric spaces and their extensions to b-metric spaces and strong b-metric spaces. We then work in the framework of strong b-metric spaces and establish new fixed-point theorems for $\kappa$-multi-valued quasi-contraction mappings. Our results extend and unify several existing fixed-point theorems in the literature. Finally, we present an application to the existence of solutions for a nonlinear integral equation, illustrating the applicability of the obtained results. Full article

Chilling injury is a major problem limiting the postharvest storage and marketability of mango fruit at low temperature. The present study investigated the individual and combined effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), L-arginine (Arg) and salicylic acid (SA) on chilling tolerance, regulation of oxidative stress and the postharvest quality of ‘Keitt’ mango fruit stored at 5 ± 1 °C for 28 days followed by 4 days of shelf life at 23 °C. Fruits were pre-treated with 1 mM SNP, 1 mM Arg, 2 mM SA or their binary combinations before storage. The chilling injury, membrane damage, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and fruit softening were greatly enhanced by cold storage in untreated fruits. In contrast, all the treatments significantly ameliorated these deteriorative changes, and the combined treatments were superiorly effective. Among these, SNP + Arg was the most effective treatment, which reduced the chilling injury index from 4.05 in control fruits to 1.00 after shelf life, completely inhibiting the incidence of decay and reducing electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde accumulation by 47.4 and 48.2%, respectively. The same treatment also maintained higher firmness, titratable acidity, visual appearance and ascorbic acid content than untreated fruits. The enhanced chilling tolerance was accompanied by increased antioxidant defense, as SNP + Arg significantly stimulated the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase, but suppressed the activity of pectin methylesterase. Multivariate analyses, such as PCA, clustered heatmap and integrated stress index, demonstrated a strong negative relationship between oxidative stress markers and antioxidant metabolism. The results showed that combined SNP and Arg treatments enhanced chilling tolerance through increasing antioxidant capacity, preserving membrane integrity, and retarding ripening-related metabolism, which provides an effective way to maintain the postharvest quality of cold-stored mango fruit. Full article

The paper establishes a categorical framework linking L-quasi-internal and L-quasi-enclosed spaces with L-filter, L-grill, and L-neighborhood spaces within the context of complete lattices. We define and characterize L-quasi-internal and L-quasi-enclosed relations, demonstrating how these structures can be mutually induced by L-filter and L-grill spaces. Specifically, the study proves the existence of categorical Galois connections between the category of L-grill spaces and L-quasi-enclosed spaces, along with those between L-filter spaces and L-quasi-internal spaces. Additionally, we investigate the properties of stratified and strong L-quasi-structures, clarifying their interrelationships with L-neighborhood systems. The theoretical results are reinforced by illustrative examples and a practical application in epidemiological risk assessment, demonstrating the usefulness of the proposed framework for decision-making under uncertainty. Full article

Background/Objectives: Foot and ankle presentations during Hajj occur in a dense mass-gathering environment where prolonged walking, heat exposure, crowding, variable footwear, and limited self-care can interact with chronic disease and wound vulnerability. Previous Hajj studies have described foot injuries and diabetes-related complications, but less is known about whether simple high-risk foot documentation flags identify presentation records with higher care-pathway intensity. The primary objective was to estimate the presentation-level burden of core high-risk foot profiles among pilgrims presenting with foot and ankle conditions during Hajj 2025. Secondary objectives were to evaluate associations with a surgery-coded care-intensity indicator, hospital referral, and component heterogeneity. Methods: This observational presentation-level analysis included 3957 foot and ankle presentation records. The unit of analysis was the presentation/case record, not a unique individual pilgrim. A core high-risk foot profile was defined as diabetes, neuropathy, diabetic foot ulcer, foot ulcer, complications of open wound, or osteomyelitis. The primary outcome was a surgery-coded care-intensity indicator, defined solely from treatment documentation containing “Surgery” and interpreted as a care-pathway proxy rather than confirmed operating-room surgery. Logistic regression estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs); exploratory risk-category analyses assessed heterogeneity within the composite profile. Results: Core high-risk foot profiles were identified in 1793/3957 presentations (45.3%). The primary outcome occurred in 239/1793 high-risk presentations (13.3%) and 201/2164 non-high-risk presentations (9.3%), an absolute difference of 4.0 percentage points. The crude OR was 1.50 (95% CI 1.23–1.83; p < 0.001). The association persisted in the primary adjusted model (adjusted OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.20–1.79; p < 0.001) and in the extended clinical sensitivity model (adjusted OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.20–1.80; p < 0.001). Care pathways and secondary outcomes are summarized was also more frequent in high-risk presentations (12.2% vs. 9.8%; crude OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.05–1.57; p = 0.017). Exploratory category analysis showed that chronic-risk-only presentations had a primary outcome rate similar to non-high-risk presentations (9.0% vs. 9.3%), whereas ulcer/wound/deep-infection presentations had a higher rate (17.3%; crude OR 2.04; 95% CI 1.63–2.55; p < 0.001). Model discrimination was modest (C-statistics 0.55–0.64). Conclusions: Core high-risk foot flags were common among Hajj foot and ankle presentation records and were associated with surgery-coded care-intensity and referral documentation. However, the composite was clinically heterogeneous, the outcome was not a validated surgery endpoint, and the models were not prediction tools. These findings support cautious use of high-risk foot flags as operational prompts for assessment and pathway planning rather than as standalone clinical risk estimates. Full article

Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of bacterial keratitis and antimicrobial resistance-associated death globally. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CaD23, a human-derived hybrid antimicrobial peptide (AMP), in combination with antibiotics in treating S. aureus infections. The efficacy of CaD23 and six medically important antibiotics (amikacin, cefuroxime, chloramphenicol, fosfomycin, vancomycin and levofloxacin) was examined against six strains of methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant S. aureus using a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. CaD23–antibiotic interactions were evaluated using checkerboard and time–kill kinetics assays. 3,3′-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine iodide (DiSC_3,5) cytoplasmic membrane depolarisation assay was performed to examine the mechanism of action. Overall, CaD23 exhibited good efficacy against all MSSA and MRSA (MIC = 16–32 μg/mL [6.7–13.3 μM]). Of 20 peptide–antibiotic–organism combinations, 19 (95%) combinations demonstrated positive interactions, with six (31.6%) and 13 (68.4%) exhibiting synergistic (FICI = 0.293–0.412) and additive effects (FICI = 0.521–0.890), respectively. CaD23 was able to achieve complete bacterial eradication significantly faster than cefuroxime and levofloxacin (15 min vs. 8–24 h). When used at a sub-MIC concentration, CaD23 could accelerate the killing of S. aureus of cefuroxime from 8–24 h to within 1 h and enhance the activity of levofloxacin by 90%. CaD23 was shown to rapidly depolarise the inner membrane of S. aureus within seconds of the treatment. In conclusion, CaD23–antibiotic combination therapy serves as a useful strategy for tackling drug-resistant ocular and systemic S. aureus infections. Full article

Tousled-like kinases 1 and 2 (TLK1 and TLK2) are paralogous serine/threonine kinases that share high sequence similarity yet exhibit functional divergence in cellular processes such as DNA replication, damage response, and chromatin organization. This study elucidates the paralog-specific co-phosphoregulatory networks underlying this divergence through a comprehensive analysis of 3825 human phosphoproteomic articles. Predominant phosphosites were identified as S134 and T38 for TLK1 and S73, S99, and S111 for TLK2, revealing context-dependent regulation across cancers and perturbations. Co-phosphoregulation analyses uncovered distinct networks: TLK1 associates with DNA damage signaling via proteins like ABRAXAS1, PML, and RAD9A, while TLK2 integrates with chromatin remodeling and replication through CHD4, DOT1L, NASP, and RNF20. Upstream kinases for TLK2, predominantly CDKs, link it to cell-cycle progression, whereas downstream substrates and binary interactors converge on genome stability pathways with paralog-specific nuances. These findings highlight the potential role of TLK1 on checkpoint activation and TLK2 on replication-coupled chromatin maintenance, providing insights into their roles in cancer amplification and therapeutic resistance, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders, where emerging evidence also support the involvement of TLK1 alongside TLK2. Full article

The interplay between special functions and geometric function theory continues to inspire significant advances in the study of analytic and multivalent functions. In this work, we introduce and investigate several new subfamilies of multivalent functions associated with the generalized Mittag-Leffler-type Poisson distribution in the open unit disk. We establish necessary and sufficient conditions characterizing membership in these classes and derive meaningful inclusion relationships among them. Furthermore, we define a novel integral operator linked to the generalized Mittag-Leffler-type Poisson distribution and examine its mapping properties and structural connections with the proposed function classes. The results presented herein not only unify and extend a variety of earlier contributions but also demonstrate the effectiveness of distribution-theoretic methods in the analysis of multivalent functions. Full article

Background/Objective: Topical therapy remains a cornerstone in managing fungal infections due to the deep-seated nature of the pathogens and the persistence of the disease. Ketoconazole (KTZ) is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent, but its highly lipophilic nature presents considerable challenges in developing effective topical formulations. Additionally, oral KTZ has been subject to labeling restrictions and market withdrawal due to its association with severe hepatic adverse effects. This study was conducted to design, optimize, and evaluate KTZ-loaded nanolipid carriers (NLCs; KTZ-NLCs) as a delivery platform that could improve cutaneous bioavailability and enhance antifungal activity. Methods: The optimized KTZ-NLCs were further incorporated into a mucoadhesive system (KTZ-NLCs-C) through the inclusion of Carbopol^® 940 NF, aiming to improve the retention of the formulation on the skin surface. NLCs were characterized in terms of their physical appearance, particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, pH, viscosity, drug content, and entrapment efficiency. The optimized KTZ-NLC and KTZ-NLCs-C formulations were subsequently assessed for in vitro drug release, ex vivo skin permeation and deposition, as well as in vivo skin irritation. Results: In vitro release studies revealed that nanocarrier systems provided a sustained release of KTZ over 24 h. The ex vivo transdermal flux and permeability coefficient of KTZ from the lead KTZ-NLCs-C formulation were approximately 2.8-fold greater than those achieved with the marketed cream formulation. The in vivo skin irritation studies indicate that NLC-based formulations are suitable for topical applications. The lead formulation was stable for 90 days (the final time point evaluated) under refrigerated and room-temperature storage conditions. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the NLC-based system is a promising platform for the topical delivery of KTZ and has the potential to enhance the therapeutic outcomes for patients with superficial fungal infections. Full article

An empirical model is developed to predict significant wave height and significant wave period using only wind speed at 10 m height, fetch, and water depth. The model distinguishes between fetch-limited and duration-limited sea states within a conditional empirical framework that incorporates modified empirical exponents and corrections into classical wave formulations. Validation was performed using wind and wave data from the Global Forecast System at 26 coastal and offshore stations distributed across eleven different pilot seas and oceans worldwide, encompassing a broad spectrum of marine environments and climatic conditions. The proposed model was benchmarked against established empirical approaches. Results indicate a mean prediction error of 6.6% for the significant wave height and 9.6% for the significant wave period, substantially outperforming conventional formulations whose errors exceed 50% under comparable conditions. Unlike existing empirical models that are restricted to specific regions or sea-state conditions, the proposed model demonstrated strong predictive performance across diverse seas, oceans, and climatic conditions, enabling more reliable wave predictions in data-scarce and dynamically complex marine environments. The developed model was further applied to the Red Sea, where it successfully reproduced the spatial variability of significant wave height and wave period. From the results, it has been found that the developed model provides a practical and transferable tool for wave forecasting, coastal engineering, and offshore renewable energy applications. Full article