Search Results (3,359)

The design and planning of Western-style constructions during the early Qing Dynasty in China constituted a significant multicultural encounter that fused technological advancement with aesthetic innovation. This cultural interplay is particularly evident in the imperial garden and pavilion projects commissioned by the Qing court, which served as physical and symbolic sites of cross-cultural dialogue. Influenced by the intellectual and artistic movements of the European Renaissance, Western architectural concepts gradually found their way into the spatial and visual language of Chinese architecture, especially within the royal gardens and aristocratic buildings of the time. These structures were not simply imitative but rather represented a selective adaptation of Western ideas to suit Chinese imperial tastes and principles. This article examines the architectural language that emerged from this encounter between Chinese and European cultures, analysing symbolic motifs, spatial design, ornamental aesthetics, the application of linear perspective, and the integration of foreign architectural forms. These elements collectively functioned as tools to construct a unique visual discourse that communicated both political authority and cultural hybridity. The findings underscore that this architectural phenomenon was not merely stylistic imitation, but rather a dynamic convergence of technological knowledge and artistic vision across cultural boundaries. Full article

This study investigates the engineering characteristics of a newly commissioned higher education building through the Bioharmological Conformity Assessment (BCA) method, specifically using the 2020vEB version. The BCA is a novel evaluation approach that assesses whether a building aligns with the identity of its users and its intended function. The engineering attributes of the structure were assessed across 12 core criteria, encompassing a total of 600 individual parameters. Findings from the BCA inspection indicate that the newly completed building falls into the category of “Near-Standard Building/Minor Modifications Required.” The BCA score was calculated as 398.73, corresponding to a deficiency rate of 25.50%. Notably, significant shortcomings were observed in categories such as user identity and intended use, Physical Characteristics of the Space, and Ecological and Seismological Suitability. Consequently, targeted improvements are necessary to align the building with bioharmological principles, requiring only minor adjustments to rectify the identified deficiencies. Full article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is increasingly recognized as a multifactorial disorder driven by a combination of disruptions in proteostasis and organelle communication. The 2020 Lancet commission reported that approximately 10 million people worldwide were affected by AD in the mid-20th century. AD is the most prevalent cause of dementia. By early 2030, the global cost of dementia is projected to rise by USD 2 trillion per year, with up to 85% of that cost attributed to daily patient care. Several factors have been implicated in the progression of neurodegeneration, including increased oxidative stress, the accumulation of misfolded proteins, the formation of amyloid plaques and aggregates, the unfolded protein response (UPR), and mitochondrial–endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium homeostasis. However, the exact triggers that initiate these pathological processes remain unclear, in part because clinical symptoms often emerge gradually and subtly, complicating early diagnosis. Among the early hallmarks of neurodegeneration, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the buildup of misfolded proteins are believed to play pivotal roles in disrupting proteostasis, leading to cognitive deficits and neuronal cell death. The accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles is a characteristic feature of AD. These features contribute to chronic neuroinflammation, which is marked by the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines that exacerbate oxidative stress. Given these interconnected mechanisms, targeting stress-related signaling pathways, such as oxidative stress (ROS) generated in the mitochondria and ER, ER stress, UPR, and cytosolic chaperones, represents a promising strategy for therapeutic intervention. This review focuses on the relationship between stress chaperone responses and organelle function, particularly the interaction between mitochondria and the ER, in the development of new therapies for AD and related neurodegenerative disorders. Full article

To ensure stability and transparency in the European logistics sector, in May 2017, the European Commission presented several proposals to change the regulation of the market—in particular, market access, driving and rest periods, and business trips. In the development of this package, several unfavourable decisions were made that go against Lithuanian transport companies, which will have a significant impact on the companies’ finances, as the frequent return of trucks will lead to additional fuel costs and is also in contradiction with the concept of green logistics. Thus, it is essential to study the Mobility Package’s pros and cons and compare researchers’ views. Accordingly, the subject of this article is the impact of the Mobility Package on Lithuanian logistics companies. This article employs various methods, including an analysis of the scientific literature and legislation, statistical data analysis, PEST analysis, and qualitative research based on expert interviews. The results allow us to identify that the content of the Mobility Package is driven by the goal of ensuring equivalent working conditions throughout the EU, which in this case is the most important object of the legal changes. Also, based on the results obtained, it can be stated that Lithuanian logistics companies that want to remain in the market have several solutions they can employ to achieve that goal, and to support their efforts, a competitiveness improvement model for Lithuanian logistics companies has been developed. Full article

The Emporia State University (ESU) /Kansas Arts Commission (KAC) Arts in Medicine Partnership exemplifies interdisciplinary collaboration and the capacity of art therapy to impact mental health and well-being. Through the partnership, art therapy services were offered to medical agencies across the state of Kansas. Participants included medical patients, families, caregivers, staff, and professionals. The article introduces (1) the profession of art therapy and the subspecialty of medical art therapy, (2) the ESU/KAC Arts in Medicine Partnership, (3) examples of positive psychology-informed arts-based experiences, and (4) a pilot study designed to explore the impact of group art therapy sessions with medical teaching faculty. Full article

Skipjack tuna constitutes a crucial fishery resource in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) purse seine fishery, with high economic value and exploitation potential. It also serves as an essential subject for studying the interaction between fishery resource dynamics and marine ecosystems, as its resource abundance is significantly influenced by marine environmental factors. Skipjack tuna can be categorized into unassociated schools and associated schools, with the latter being predominant. Overfishing of the associated schools can adversely affect population health and the ecological environment. In-depth exploration of the spatial distribution responses of these two fish schools to environmental variables is significant for the rational development and utilization of tuna resources and for enhancing the sustainability of fishery resources. In sparsely sampled and complex marine environments, geographic similarity methods effectively predict tuna resources by quantifying local fishing ground environmental similarities. This study introduces geographical similarity theory. This study focused on 1° × 1° fishery data (2004–2021) released by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) combined with relevant marine environmental data. We employed Geographical Convergent Cross Mapping (GCCM) to explore significant environmental factors influencing catch and variations in causal intensity and employed a Geographically Optimal Similarity (GOS) model to predict the spatial distribution of catch for the two types of tuna schools. The research findings indicate that the following: (1) Sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), and net primary productivity (NPP) are key factors in GCCM model analysis, significantly influencing the catch of two fish schools. (2) The GOS model exhibits higher prediction accuracy and stability compared to the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) and the Basic Configuration Similarity (BCS) model. R² values reaching 0.656 and 0.649 for the two types of schools, respectively, suggest that the geographical similarity method has certain applicability and application potential in the spatial prediction of fishery resources. (3) Uncertainty analysis revealed more stable predictions for unassociated schools, with 72.65% of the results falling within the low-uncertainty range (0.00–0.25), compared to 52.65% for associated schools. This study, based on geographical similarity theory, elucidates differential spatial responses of distinct schools to environmental factors and provides a novel approach for fishing ground prediction. It also provides a scientific basis for the dynamic assessment and rational exploitation and utilization of skipjack tuna resources in the Pacific Ocean. Full article

Plastics make up a significant proportion of the stream of the European Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), yet the use of recycled plastic materials is very low in new manufactured products. A description of the WEEE waste stream in Europe is given, with a focus on the plastic materials commonly found in WEEE that include four principal polymers: polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and polystyrene (PS). Furthermore, the legislative aspects related to WEEE and plastics recycling in Europe are complex, and numerous norms have been dictated by the European Commission. These norms are crucial to the sector of polymer recycling and production in Europe. Moreover, an overview of the entire treatment chain is presented. More specifically, each step of a typical recycling chain is introduced, with a focus on the sorting of plastics and the separation of polymers. Lastly, the influence of contaminants in the plastic fraction is discussed, both in terms of polymer particles and unwanted additives. By showing the impact of the purity rate on the mechanical properties of recycled plastics, the consequences of inadequate end-of-life treatment for WEEE-plastics is highlighted, hence linking the quality of recycled plastics to the separation step and the re-compounding of recycled granulates. Full article

Background/Objectives: The field of dietary supplements is changing and evolving quickly. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists are recognized as experts in nutrition and familiarity with the usage of dietary supplements is expected. However, education on the use of dietary supplements is not equal across accredited dietetic education programs, which can lead to disparities in dietitians’ feelings of preparedness, attitudes, and consequently experience of comfort regarding dietary supplements. The purpose of this study was to create the D-SCOPE Questionnaire (Dietitians’ Survey of Comfort, Opinions, and Preparedness in Education in Supplements) and validate it. This questionnaire assesses Registered Dietitian Nutritionists’ feelings of preparedness, comfort with use, and general attitudes in the field of dietary supplements. Methods: Face and content validity was established with dietitian, nutritionist, and statistician input. For recruitment, 2000 national randomly selected emails were obtained from the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (n = 248) responded to the survey email request. Descriptive statistics (reported as means ± standard deviation), principal axis factoring (exploratory factor analysis) with a direct oblimin rotation and Cronbach’s a reliability analysis were used for validation techniques. Results: Five factors were created, which explained about 63% of the variance in the questionnaire. The questionnaire was generally reliable, but the factor structure could change with a non-US population. Conclusions: As a unit, the D-SCOPE Questionnaire shows validity and reliability in assessing Registered Dietitian Nutritionists’ perceptions of preparedness and attitudes in the area related to dietary supplements. Full article

The production of bio-based products for different purposes has become an increasingly common strategy over the last few decades, both in Europe and worldwide. This trend seeks to contribute to mitigating the impacts associated with climate change and to cope with the ambitious objectives established at European level. Over recent decades, agro-industries have shown significant potential as biomass suppliers, triggering the development of robust logistical supply chains and the valorization of by-products to obtain bio-based products that can be marketed at competitive prices. However, this transformation may, in some cases, involve restructuring traditional business model to incorporate the biorefinery concept. In this sense, the first step in developing a bio-based value chain involves assessing the resource’s availability and characterizing the feedstock to select the valorization pathway and the bio-application with the greatest potential. The paper incorporates inputs from a case study on PATURPAT, a company commercializing a wide range of ready-prepared potato products, which has commissioned a starch extraction facility to process the rejected pieces of potatoes and water from the process to obtain starch that can be further valorized for different bio-applications. This study aims to comprehensively review current trends and frameworks for potatoes processing agro-industries and define the most suitable bio-applications to target, as well as identify opportunities and challenges. Full article

The article is aimed at building on the existing studies devoted to the last stage of the assimilation policy directed at the Muslim population in Communist Bulgaria during the second half of the 1980s. The 40th anniversary of the forced change of the given Turkish–Arabic and Persian names of this population is an occasion to revisit this dark period of the recent past. This study focuses on the short- and long-term consequences of the political measures, which became known as the ‘Revival process’ (1984/1985–1989). For the first time, the author presents new written sources, including analytical and field reports commissioned by the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party and prepared by Bulgarian scholars during the second half of the 1980s, as well as later collected biographical data related to Muslims affected by the events, derived through an (auto)ethnographic method of research among Turks, Crimean Tatars and Muslim Roma. Full article

Fresh water is vital for human activities; however, an increase in the contamination of water bodies has been observed, so it is necessary to monitor the degree of contamination and take measures to preserve it. In Altamira, Tamaulipas, the Guayalejo-Tamesí River basin has three estuaries and seven lagoons, including Laguna El Conejo, of which the National Water Commission only monitors one. The objective of this research is to determine water quality on the basis of the parameters COD, BOD₅, T, pH, and sediment characteristics. The open reflux method was used according to NMX-AA-030-SCFI-2012 for COD, BOD Track II, HACH equipment for BOD₅, and the granulometric characterization recommended by the Unified Soil Classification System ASTM D-2487-17. The water was found to be uniformly contaminated throughout its length in the range of 117.3–200 mg/L COD, and BOD₅ ranged from 15.8–112.75 mg/L throughout the study period, with sediments dominated by poorly graded soil and fine clay. Comprehensive management is needed because the BOD₅/COD ratio varies between 0.11and 0.56, indicating that it contains recalcitrant organic matter, which is difficult to biodegrade. Full article

This comprehensive review maps the fast-evolving landscape in which artificial intelligence (AI) and deep-learning (DL) techniques converge with the Internet of Things (IoT) to manage energy, comfort, and sustainability across smart environments. A PRISMA-guided search of four databases retrieved 1358 records; after applying inclusion criteria, 143 peer-reviewed studies published between January 2019 and April 2025 were analyzed. This review shows that AI-driven controllers—especially deep-reinforcement-learning agents—deliver median energy savings of 18–35% for HVAC and other major loads, consistently outperforming rule-based and model-predictive baselines. The evidence further reveals a rapid diversification of methods: graph-neural-network models now capture spatial interdependencies in dense sensor grids, federated-learning pilots address data-privacy constraints, and early integrations of large language models hint at natural-language analytics and control interfaces for heterogeneous IoT devices. Yet large-scale deployment remains hindered by fragmented and proprietary datasets, unresolved privacy and cybersecurity risks associated with continuous IoT telemetry, the growing carbon and compute footprints of ever-larger models, and poor interoperability among legacy equipment and modern edge nodes. The authors of researches therefore converges on several priorities: open, high-fidelity benchmarks that marry multivariate IoT sensor data with standardized metadata and occupant feedback; energy-aware, edge-optimized architectures that lower latency and power draw; privacy-centric learning frameworks that satisfy tightening regulations; hybrid physics-informed and explainable models that shorten commissioning time; and digital-twin platforms enriched by language-model reasoning to translate raw telemetry into actionable insights for facility managers and end users. Addressing these gaps will be pivotal to transforming isolated pilots into ubiquitous, trustworthy, and human-centered IoT ecosystems capable of delivering measurable gains in efficiency, resilience, and occupant wellbeing at scale. Full article

Background/Objectives: Oral health has specific importance and consequences from a military and Navy standpoint. The aim of this study was to determine and compare caries prevalence and dental care in Spanish Navy personnel. Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out with a sample size of 1318 individuals (34.65 ± 8.82 years old) stationed at the Rota naval base in Spain, whose dental charts were examined. Caries prevalence was assessed using the Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index; dental care was evaluated using the care index (CI); and demographic and occupational factors were recorded. Results: The population of this study had a mean DMFT index of 5.99 ± 4.71 and a CI of 79%. Through the results of the DMFT index and CI, the statistical significance of the age and rank variables (p < 0.01) was confirmed, with personnel >45 years old and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) having the highest mean DMFT values and the youngest and officer groups having the greatest CI variable. Comparing the DMFT index across genders and ages and between age and rank also revealed significant differences. Conclusions: This study’s findings show a low prevalence of cavitated caries (14.5%), with intermediate DMFT values and higher CIs compared to those in previous published data. Full article

Since around the year 2000, following the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) to the market, some people have expressed concerns about the level of magnetic flux density (MFD) inside vehicles. In 2013, we reported the results of MFD measurements for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). However, those 2013 measurements were conducted using a chassis dynamometer, and no measurements were taken during actual driving. In recent years, with the rapid global spread of EVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), the international standard IEC 62764-1:2022, which defines methods for measuring magnetic fields (MF) in vehicles, has been issued. In response, and for the first time, we conducted new MF measurements on current Japanese vehicle models in accordance with the international standard IEC 62764-1:2022, identifying the MFD levels and their sources at various positions within EVs, PHEVs, and ICEVs. The measured MFD values in all vehicle types were below the reference levels recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for public exposure. Furthermore, we performed comparative measurements with the MF data obtained in 2013 and confirmed that the MF levels remained similar. These findings are expected to provide valuable insights for risk communication with the public regarding electromagnetic fields, particularly for those concerned about MF exposure inside electrified vehicles. Full article

This study presents a novel approach to the end-of-line (EoL) quality inspection of brushless DC (BLDC) motors by implementing a deep learning model that combines MEL diagrams, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and bidirectional gated recurrent units (BiGRUs). The suggested system utilizes raw vibration and sound signals, recorded during the EoL quality inspection process at the end of an industrial manufacturing line. Recorded signals are transformed directly into Mel-frequency spectrograms (MFS) without pre-processing. To remove non-informative frequency bands and increase data relevance, a six-step data reduction procedure was implemented. Furthermore, to improve fault characterization, a reference spectrogram was generated from healthy motors. The neural network was trained on a highly imbalanced dataset, using oversampling and Bayesian hyperparameter optimization. The final classification algorithm achieved classification metrics with high accuracy (99%). Traditional EoL inspection methods often rely on threshold-based criteria and expert analysis, which can be inconsistent, time-consuming, and poorly scalable. These methods struggle to detect complex or subtle patterns associated with early-stage faults. The proposed approach addresses these issues by learning discriminative patterns directly from raw sensor data and automating the classification process. The results confirm that this approach can reduce the need for human expert engagement during commissioning, eliminate redundant inspection steps, and improve fault detection consistency, offering significant production efficiency gains. Full article