Search Results (4,998)

The work uses a comprehensive approach based on the information and communication concept of construction management templates to minimize information asymmetry between construction stakeholders when implementing innovative technologies. An analysis of the regulatory framework and patent research of existing analogs of wall structures was conducted. It was theoretically substantiated that the use of removable reusable formwork for monolithic walls made of expanded polystyrene concrete allows significant reduction in cost and logistics costs. A technology for erecting heat-insulating walls made of expanded polystyrene concrete (EPC) has been developed, which involves preliminary preparation of the insulation with the application of a protective reinforced layer. This allows avoiding performing labor-intensive and dangerous operations at height. A design of a noise-proof wall with sound-absorbing hollow-forming elements has been proposed, improving acoustic characteristics while saving materials. Thermophysical tests of fragments of walls made of expanded polystyrene concrete with a density of D250 (thickness of 260 mm) confirmed the need for additional insulation for heat transfer resistance for regulatory compliance. Acoustic studies have proven the effectiveness of using hollow-forming elements to increase the airborne noise insulation index and to reduce material consumption. All this helped to develop and patent the polystyrene concrete wall technology. For the first time, the concept of implementing the technological process of expanded polystyrene concreting of monolithic walls into construction management and production using construction management templates was proposed. This allowed the transformation of technological operations into a flow of objective data to minimize information asymmetry between project participants. It was theoretically proven that the objectification of production indicators through construction management templates is a base for measuring the commercial value and investment attractiveness of the technology being implemented. Full article

Driven by the growing energy demand and severe challenges posed by climate change, reducing the high energy consumption of district heating systems while enhancing their flexibility and operational reliability has become an urgent priority. This study focuses on the heating system of a residential community in Zhengzhou, China, by developing a joint source-network-load simulation model and proposing a model predictive control (MPC) strategy tailored to the dynamic characteristics of the system. A white-box model of the building complex and heating system was established by coupling EnergyPlus and Modelica. Subsequently, the model was automatically calibrated using actual operational data and the GenOpt optimization tool, which further improved the simulation accuracy and optimal control performance of the model. The results show that the root mean square errors (RMSEs) of the calibrated secondary network supply water temperature, return water temperature, and indoor temperature decreased by 34.6% and 15.7%, respectively, verifying the effectiveness of the proposed calibration method. Furthermore, the proposed MPC strategy demonstrates significant advantages over conventional control baselines, greatly improving the temperature regulation accuracy and system stability. Compared to the baseline operation without MPC, the proposed strategy increases the user-side thermal comfort index from 56% to 100%, thereby significantly enhancing overall heating quality. Full article

This article assesses the potential for intra-day redistribution of the electrical load of water intake systems under different electricity tariff models, using water supply systems in Belarus and China as case studies. It demonstrates how tariff policy influences the electrical load profile of a water intake system and quantitatively evaluates the economic effect of optimizing the operating modes of pumping equipment. The analysis is based on daily profiles of electric power and water supply. For the Belarusian water supply system, data for 2019 were considered, corresponding to the baseline operating mode without targeted load management, and data for 2023 were considered after the transition to dispatch-based control of well activation with account taken of tariff constraints (without automation tools). For the Chinese water intake system, hourly data for 2025 were used. The load redistribution potential was assessed on the basis of lagged correlation between power and water supply profiles. In addition, the F-index was applied as an aggregated diagnostic indicator intended for the comparative assessment of potential load transferability across technological stages, taking into account their share in total energy consumption. For the Chinese case, it was shown that the maximum correlation between water supply and electricity consumption across all technological stages is achieved near zero lag, which indicates a high adaptation of system operating modes to current demand; at the same time, the R values were 0.19 for reservoir intake, 0.86 for water treatment, and 0.51 for the pumping station. In the Belarusian case, for the first-lift stage, the maximum correlation is shifted by −6 h relative to zero lag, indicating a less rigid linkage of pump operation to current demand and a more inertial response of the system. A comparison of 2019 and 2023 for the Belarusian facility showed that targeted regulation of well activation and load redistribution across tariff zones reduced the total electricity cost by 1.58%, confirming the potential for further optimization of electricity consumption regimes. Full article

Educational equality is essential for achieving social justice and sustainable development. Accurately predicting the trend of educational inequality is important for improving education systems and ensuring equitable resource allocation. In this paper, the Educational Gini (E-Gini) index is calculated based on the population aged 6 and above in China from 2002 to 2024, quantifying educational inequality. To forecast the future trend in the E-Gini index, a hybrid prediction framework based on the grey prediction model (GM(1,1)) and Cuckoo search-support vector regression (CS-SVR) model is proposed. This framework incorporates three influencing factors, including government budget spending on education, per capita consumption expenditure on education, and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for education. The results show that the E-Gini of China generally declines from 2002 to 2024 with fluctuations. The proposed approach predicts the E-Gini value of 2024 as 0.220130, while the actual value is 0.2206, corresponding to an absolute error of 0.000470 and a relative error of 0.213%. In the benchmark comparison, the proposed model outperforms the linear trend model, the univariate GM(1,1), the naive persistence model, ARIMA, and the standard SVR model. The comparative analysis demonstrates that the proposed framework effectively captures the inherent patterns of educational inequality and reveals its trends. The proposed framework serves as a valuable tool for forecasting trends in educational inequality and informing policy decisions. Full article

Background and Objectives: Functional neurosurgery encompasses surgical interventions aimed at modulating the function of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS), as a form of neuromodulation, is an established treatment for chronic pain and is increasingly utilized by both anesthesiologists and neurosurgeons. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of SCS in patients with chronic neuropathic spinal pain. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 42 patients who demonstrated a positive response to trial stimulation. Only patients achieving a clinically meaningful response (≥50% pain reduction) during the trial phase were included in the final analysis. Pain intensity and functional disability were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). All patients underwent a two-stage percutaneous implantation procedure using burst stimulation. A follow-up assessment was performed 3–6 months after implantation. Results: A statistically significant reduction in pain intensity was observed (p < 0.0001), with median VAS scores decreasing from 8 to 3, corresponding to a 62.5% reduction in pain intensity and exceeding the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for VAS. Functional status improved significantly, with ODI scores decreasing from 74% to 38%, markedly surpassing the established MCID threshold. A clinically meaningful reduction in pain (≥50%) was achieved in the majority of patients. All patients requiring opioid analgesics at baseline discontinued their use following SCS implantation, and a reduction in overall analgesic consumption was observed across the cohort. Conclusions: These findings suggest that burst SCS may be an effective treatment option for carefully selected patients with chronic neuropathic spinal pain who are not candidates for conventional spine surgery. However, the results should be interpreted with caution due to the enriched study design and limited follow-up period. Full article

Background: Health-related behaviors often cluster during young adulthood, potentially increasing the risk of long-term adverse health outcomes. Understanding how lifestyle risk behaviors co-occur among university students is essential for developing targeted health promotion strategies. Objective: This study aimed to identify lifestyle risk profiles among university students based on the co-occurrence of smoking behavior, alcohol consumption, sedentary behavior, and body weight status. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 147 university students enrolled in a physical education and sport undergraduate program (mean age: 20.58 ± 2.94 years; 80.3% male). Physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), while smoking and alcohol consumption were self-reported. Body mass index was used to classify weight status. Lifestyle risk profiles were identified using two-step cluster analysis based on regular smoking, alcohol consumption, sedentary behavior, and overweight/obesity. Differences in cluster distribution according to sex and federated athlete status were examined using chi-square tests. A two-step cluster analysis based on the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) and silhouette measure was used to identify lifestyle risk profiles. Results: Overall, 46.9% of participants had experimented with tobacco, 11.6% were current smokers, and 74.8% reported alcohol consumption. Participants accumulated an average of 3772.25 ± 1957.99 MET-min/week of physical activity. Three distinct lifestyle risk profiles were identified. Cluster 1 (46.9%), labeled the alcohol profile, was characterized by alcohol consumption without smoking and no prevalence of being overweight. Cluster 2 (20.4%), the multiple-risk profile, included participants who reported regular smoking, with nearly half presenting sedentary behavior and overweight/obesity. Cluster 3 (32.7%), the overweight profile, was characterized by overweight/obesity combined with alcohol consumption but no smoking. No significant differences were observed in the distribution of lifestyle profiles according to sex (p = 0.111) or federated athlete status (p = 0.087). Conclusions: Lifestyle risk behaviors cluster into distinct profiles among university students, with alcohol consumption appearing across multiple profiles and smoking concentrated in a specific high-risk group. These findings highlight the need for targeted health promotion strategies addressing multiple co-occurring behaviors within university populations. Full article

This study systematically examines the impacts of extreme temperatures on the digital economy development index and the underlying mechanisms based on panel data from 281 prefecture-level cities in China from 2012 to 2023. This study explicitly distinguishes the distinctive adaptive capacity of the digital economy in responding to climate risks. Through global and local spatial autocorrelation analysis, the study finds that both extreme temperatures and the digital economy exhibit significant spatial clustering. This study employs the spatial Durbin model (SDM) and effect decomposition and further incorporates the GS2SLS estimator alongside dual instrumental variables constructed from historical geographic characteristics to address endogeneity, thereby identifying the asymmetrical impacts of extreme heat and extreme cold on the digital economy with great rigor. Specifically, extreme heat fosters short-term local digital demand that is subsequently translated into long-term growth in IT human capital and infrastructure, thereby increasing the DEDI. However, its net spatial effect is inhibitory due to energy crowding out. Extreme cold, by contrast, primarily disrupts supply chains and intensifies energy consumption, with its impact largely confined to the local scope. Green technological innovation mitigates the impact of extreme heat on the digital economy through demand substitution, while, under extreme cold, it manifests as the physical protection of infrastructure. Meanwhile, an optimized industrial structure substantially reduces the economy’s dependence on supply chains, amplifying the promotional effect of extreme temperatures on the digital economy and reflecting the transformation capacity of regions under complex environmental conditions. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the effects of extreme temperatures vary significantly across different urban agglomerations, economic zones, geographic regions and city types. This study not only extends the theoretical framework for the economic assessment of climate risks and spatial econometric analysis to the climate sensitivity of the digital economy but also provides empirical evidence for understanding the complex relationship between climate change and digital economy development and offers references for differentiated policies in a coordinated regional digital economy. Full article

The critical role of green consumption in mitigating carbon emissions is widely acknowledged. As a prerequisite for green consumption, consumer green awareness (CGA) plays a pivotal role in advancing sustainable development. This study constructs a comprehensive indicator system for CGA from the three dimensions of “antecedent-behavior-outcome” and measures the CGA levels of 30 provinces in China from 2014 to 2022. Using the Theil index, kernel density estimation, Moran’s I, and Markov chain methods, we analyze its spatiotemporal evolution characteristics. Furthermore, spatial econometric models are applied to explore its driving factors. The results show that China’s CGA exhibits sustained growth during the study period, but regional disparities are widening, driven by inter-regional rather than intra-regional differences. Moreover, China’s CGA gradually demonstrates the long-tailed and multimodal distribution, accompanied by emerging spatial clustering effects. In terms of transition dynamics, CGA demonstrates a short-term “gradient lock”, which is substantially alleviated when spatial spillover effects are incorporated. Additionally, we find that economic development, the advancement of emerging industries, accelerated urbanization, emphasis on education, and policy guidance significantly promote CGA, while overconsumption inhibits CGA. Among these factors, economic development, informatization, e-commerce, education, and policy guidance show significant spillover effects. Full article

Background/Objectives: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a major health challenge in high-incidence regions like Fujian Province, China. This study aimed to identify modifiable dietary and behavioral risk factors for GC and to evaluate their combined effect using a Healthy Lifestyle Index (HLI) in a high-incidence region of China. Methods: A case–control study was conducted at a tertiary hospital from June 2023 to December 2024, including 336 newly diagnosed GC cases and 336 healthy controls from Fujian Province. A Healthy Lifestyle Index (HLI, scored 0–10) was constructed from ten dietary and behavioral factors, with participants categorized into tertiles as healthy, moderate, or unhealthy. Results: The proportions of males and females were 56.5% and 43.5%, respectively. The mean age of the case group was 56.76 ± 10.83 years, significantly higher than that of the control group (53.86 ± 11.13 years, p < 0.001). The HLI incorporated ten behavioral/dietary components: sedentary behavior, smoking, alcohol consumption, tea drinking, physical activity, pickled and processed food intake, regular eating habits, fruit intake, vegetable intake, and red meat intake. Cases showed a higher proportion of unhealthy lifestyle patterns (34.8% vs. 26.8%), whereas controls showed a higher proportion of healthy lifestyle behaviors (41.7% vs. 37.5%); however, the overall between-group distribution of HLI categories was not statistically significant (p = 0.078). The multivariate logistic regression showed that the healthy group was associated with a lower risk of developing GC compared to the unhealthy group (aOR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.20–0.57, p < 0.001). Conclusions: A healthier combined dietary and behavioral profile may be associated with lower odds of GC in this population. However, the observed associations should be interpreted cautiously because of the case–control design, the lack of H. pylori data, and the absence of formal validation of the HLI in the Fujian population. Prospective studies with objective dietary assessment and more detailed clinical characterization are warranted. Full article

COVID-19 was a prolonged public-health shock that disrupted mobility, access to services, and household spending. Although the official U.S. poverty rate declined to 11.1%, the Supplemental Poverty Measure rose to 12.9%, suggesting that material hardship persisted unevenly across places. This study asks whether pre-existing livelihood vulnerability and local epidemic burden translated into geographically concentrated consumption losses during 2020–2022. Because sustained consumption loss can erode households’ health-related spending, tracking where spending declines concentrate helps connect local social and environmental conditions to how communities withstand a health crisis. We analyze consumer expenditure, unlike prior research relying on aggregate retail sales, to capture fine-grained economic strains as a proxy for shock-absorption capacity. A Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) was calculated for each U.S. county using 16 socio-economic variables, and counties were classified as high- or low-risk. A multilevel model then examined how socio-economic and COVID-19 factors at county and census tract levels shaped consumption changes. Higher-risk communities experienced greater consumption reductions. At the census tract level, the non-White ratio, vacancy rate, built year, per capita income, education level, and housing value were significant. At the county level, COVID-19 cases and deaths, crowding, public transportation use, and vehicle availability mattered most. These findings support place-targeted strategies that combine public-health response with socio-environmental interventions to reduce disparities rooted in pre-existing vulnerability. Full article

Physicochemical and microbiological parameters are important indicators of drinking water quality. This study assessed the quality of groundwater used for drinking in four regions of Kosovo at 16 locations using an integrated assessment framework that combined physicochemical, microbiological, and Water Quality Index (WQI) approaches. The results reveal substantial spatial variability in water quality. While most physicochemical parameters remained within recommended limits, elevated values of total dissolved solids (up to 2792.5 mg/L), electrical conductivity (up to 2768.5 µS/cm), nitrate (up to 60.75 mg/L), and phosphate (up to 0.875 mg/L) were observed at several locations, indicating localized hydrogeochemical and anthropogenic influences. Dissolved oxygen levels were generally low (0.68–5.49 mg/L), reflecting limited aeration conditions in groundwater systems. Microbiological analysis revealed critical contamination, with Escherichia coli concentrations up to 299.9 CFU/100 mL, and all sampling sites exceeded permissible limits, indicating widespread fecal pollution and rendering the groundwater unsafe for direct consumption. WQI assessment further confirmed this condition, where 93.75% of locations were classified as medium quality using the NSF-WQI method, whereas the WA-WQI method categorized 68.75% of samples as poor and 6.25% as very poor. The novelty of this study lies in the integrated evaluation of hydrogeochemical processes and microbiological contamination using dual WQI methods and multivariate statistical analysis, providing a comprehensive understanding of groundwater degradation pathways. The findings are significant for policymakers, environmental managers, and public health authorities, highlighting the urgent need for groundwater treatment, improved sanitation infrastructure, and sustainable water resource management strategies in vulnerable regions. Full article

Plant-based diets are generally associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases; however, the relationship between a vegan diet and genome integrity remains insufficiently characterized. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed primary DNA damage in peripheral blood cells of vegans and omnivores. A total of 62 apparently healthy adults were included: 31 vegans (median vegan diet duration 4.5 years) and 31 omnivores matched for sex and smoking status. DNA damage was assessed using the alkaline comet assay under standardized conditions and expressed as tail intensity (% tail DNA), tail length, tail moment, and total comet area. Tail intensity was significantly higher in vegans than in omnivores (B = 1.98; 95% CI 0.19 to 3.76; p = 0.031) after adjustment for age, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), and alcohol consumption. Within the vegan group, longer duration of adherence to a vegan diet was positively associated with tail intensity, independent of age (B = 0.23; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.43; p = 0.026). These findings suggest that adherence to a vegan diet and its duration may be associated with higher levels of primary DNA damage; however, these results should be interpreted with caution given the observational design and modest sample size. Full article

Canola meal, with environmentally friendly attributes, lower cost, and previous studies, is an interesting proteic source to partially replace the soybean meal for poultry nutrition. For that, in this work we aimed to investigate canola meal as a partial replacement of soybean meal in finishing poultry diets (21 to 49 days) on the productive performance, also including the impact on the quality, nutritional attributes and antioxidative status of valuable cuts of meat. Ninety-six 21-day-old chickens were assigned to four experimental diets (24/diet), with increasing doses of canola meal (CM 0, 2.5, 5 and 10%). Daily consumption, weekly live weight and post mortem carcass weight and yield were determined. At 24 h post mortem, pH, color (CIE L, a*, b*) and drip loss were measured in the breast, drumstick and thigh cuts. Fatty acid composition and health lipid indexes were also determined in the fresh cuts. The oxidative status of lipids and proteins, polyphenol and flavonoids content in fresh and in stored (7 days-display at 4–6 °C) in vacuum packaged cuts were determined. Including CM, up to 10%, the feed intake and growth of birds was not affected (p = 0.74 and p = 0.87 respectively). In meat, CM significantly decreased the drip loss (p < 0.05), the pH in breast and thigh (p = 0.01 and p = 0.05 respectively), a lower L and b in thigh and increased PUFAs in more oxidative cuts, with a strong interaction between dose and muscle type. There was no effect on lipid oxidation while carbonyls decrease at a 2.5% dose in fresh and stored cuts but there is an increase with higher ones. Flavonoids raise the maximum deposition in meat at 5% CM. In conclusion, CM can be included in finishing poultry diets, but high doses must to be adequately managed if performance and quality of meat criteria are considered together. Full article

Despite serological evidence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) circulation in Belgian animals since 2007, confirmed autochthonous human infection was only first documented in 2020. We review the current national epidemiologic situation and investigate a household cluster of confirmed autochthonous cases identified in 2025. A cohabiting couple experienced a near-simultaneous onset of meningoencephalitis and tested positive for TBEV-specific IgM and IgG, with confirmation by PRNT90. One patient reported a recent tick bite, and both patients reported consumption of unpasteurized milk and goat cheese, suggesting possible alimentary transmission. The identification of Case 2, who lacked neurological symptoms at presentation and was only tested due to the index case, illustrates the risk of missed diagnoses and supports the notion that human TBEV infection is likely underdiagnosed in Belgium. These findings underscore the need to increase clinical awareness, strengthen surveillance, and reinforce prevention strategies. TBE should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with non-specific fever or neurological syndromes such as meningoencephalitis, particularly during the spring-to-autumn tick activity season. Full article

This paper addresses the issue of lighting in historic urban spaces, using Tarnow (Poland) as a case study. The aim is to assess the impact of artificial light sources on visual comfort within the area, with particular consideration given to light pollution. A comprehensive inventory of active street lighting in the Old Town was conducted. Measurements taken at ground and eye level revealed strong inconsistencies: some areas were under-lit (<1 lx), while others showed façade illuminance above 100 lx, far exceeding recommended thresholds. The highest environmental impact was shown by decorative and globe-type fixtures, with Sky Glow Contribution Index (SGCI) values of up to 0.62. Only suspended street luminaires met CIE requirements (ULR ≤ 15%). The findings reveal that several lighting installations do not meet recommended standards, adversely affecting both human comfort and ecological balance. The study proposes strategies to optimise urban lighting, such as replacing inefficient fixtures with full cut-off LED luminaires and implementing intelligent lighting control systems which could reduce energy consumption by 50-67% while preserving the architectural character of the historic centre. The results provide evidence-based strategies for sustainable lighting modernisation in heritage cities across Europe. Full article