Search Results (1,212)

Background/Objectives: Scoliosis in children leads to complex physical, psychosocial, and functional impairments, yet evidence from low-resource settings is limited. To evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Ethiopian children with scoliosis using WHODAS 2.0 and EQ-5D-Y, and to identify clinical and demographic correlates of disability. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at CURE Children’s Hospital of Ethiopia (1 April 2024–31 March 2025). Ninety-seven children aged 6–15 years with confirmed scoliosis were assessed. WHODAS 2.0 (36-item) captured disability across six domains, while EQ-5D-Y measured physical, psychosocial, and pain-related HRQoL. Clinical severity indicators (Cobb angle, trunk rotation, thoracic morphometrics, anthropometrics) were recorded. Analyses in Python 3.12 included descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression to examine associations between scoliosis severity and HRQoL outcomes. Results: Ninety-seven Ethiopian children diagnosed with scoliosis (mean age 11.4 years, mean Cobb angle 73.5°) were assessed; congenital scoliosis was most common (45.4%), followed by idiopathic (38.1%) and neuromuscular (16.5%). WHODAS 2.0 revealed substantial disability, particularly in mobility (46.4%) and social participation (62.8%), with life activities and participation as the strongest contributors. Greater deformity, younger age, and smaller body size were linked to worse outcomes, with neuromuscular and very severe thoracolumbar cases most affected. EQ-5D-Y showed marked HRQoL impairments across domains, with psychological distress (mean 2.24/3), pain, and self-care limitations emerging as key burdens. The mean EQ score was 8.89/15 (59.2%), indicating reduced quality of life. Regression analyses highlighted pain, psychological distress, and self-care limitations as the domains most strongly associated with poorer HRQoL, while greater Cobb angle and higher ATR degree were also correlated with reduced quality of life. Conclusions: Ethiopian children with scoliosis experience significant multidimensional impairments in HRQoL, with mobility, social participation, pain, and psychological distress as dominant burdens. WHODAS 2.0 and EQ-5D-Y proved complementary in capturing these impacts, supporting their use for early detection, clinical care, and public health planning in resource-limited settings. Full article

The immobilization of photocatalysts onto biodegradable polymeric supports has emerged as an effective strategy to overcome catalyst recovery limitations associated with conventional slurry photocatalytic systems. In this study, chitosan/TiO₂ composite beads with different chitosan properties and TiO₂ loadings were synthesized and evaluated for the photocatalytic removal of Reactive Black 5 (RB5), a recalcitrant azo dye commonly encountered in textile wastewater. The effects of chitosan molecular weight, degree of deacetylation, and crosslinking treatment on the structural characteristics and photocatalytic performance of the composite beads were systematically investigated. The synthesized composites were characterized through physical property measurements, point of zero charge (pH_pzc) determination, and FTIR analyses. Photocatalytic performance was evaluated under various operational conditions, including pH, catalyst dosage, initial dye concentration, and temperature. Among the prepared materials, the crosslinked chitosan/TiO₂ composite bead produced from chitosan with an 85% degree of deacetylation exhibited the highest mineralization efficiency, achieving 76.23% total organic carbon (TOC) removal. FTIR analyses performed before and after treatment indicated that RB5 removal occurred through the combined effects of adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation. The effects of operational parameters revealed that acidic conditions significantly enhanced RB5 removal, while increasing temperature improved reaction kinetics and overall degradation efficiency. Kinetic studies indicated that the photocatalytic degradation process was best described by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9841 to 0.9976. Arrhenius analysis yielded an apparent activation energy of 11.76 kJ mol⁻¹, indicating a low energy barrier for the degradation process. The results demonstrate that crosslinked chitosan/TiO₂ composite beads are promising, environmentally friendly, and sustainable photocatalytic materials for the treatment of dye-containing wastewater and advanced water purification applications. Full article

This study examines how misinformation can persist when broadcast exposure and social feedback reinforce one another under stochastic platform conditions. Text classifiers and single-layer cascade models omit latent exposure, reply-driven amplification, random attention shocks, and uncertainty in intervention response. A stochastic duplex SEIR model is developed on heterogeneous networks, with an information exposure layer for broadcast and recommendation channels and a social feedback layer for replies, discussion, and amplification. The analysis combines degree-weighted mean-field equations, next-generation threshold calculations, Lyapunov stability arguments, Fokker–Planck linear noise approximation, Milstein simulation, and Wasserstein distributionally robust control. Theoretical results provide positivity, stochastic threshold conditions, extinction and persistence regimes, and sufficient conditions for stationary behavior and robust control stability. Numerical simulations show extinction–persistence transitions, cross-layer resonance, noise-induced threshold shifts, stationary bands, control cost–safety trade-offs, and sensitivity to unidentifiable stochastic parameters. A CoAID tweet–reply case study maps public interaction traces to observable duplex indicators, including tweet–reply densities, propagation elasticities, coupling proxies, and classifier features. Duplex observable features improve over a single-layer public data baseline, while model-assisted stochastic features add modest gains in the available public projection. Structural fitting of the stochastic duplex process would require time-stamped user-level multiplex trajectories, recommendation exposures, and intervention logs. The case study also clarifies the data granularity needed for future platform-level calibration and operational readiness. The framework supports data-informed platform governance by linking propagation thresholds, algorithmic down-ranking, reply thread moderation, intervention cost, and robustness bounds within a common threshold control language for practical settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Obesity has been linked to a distinct non-allergic, late-onset, neutrophilic asthma phenotype for more than two decades, yet whether obesity should be regarded as a cause of that phenotype rather than a coexisting comorbidity remains unresolved because randomised allocation to obesity is neither feasible nor ethical. This review asks whether the evidence accumulated between 1995 and 2026 supports a causal interpretation. Methods: A structured narrative synthesis was undertaken. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science were searched from January 1995 to June 2026 (the synthesis emphasises the 2020–2026 evidence while drawing on the full window for landmark studies) for cohort, cross-sectional, Mendelian randomisation (MR), interventional, mechanistic and pharmaco-epidemiological studies; landmark earlier work was retained where it remains the primary source for a given viewpoint. The retrieved evidence was mapped onto Sir Austin Bradford Hill’s nine viewpoints (1965) and triangulated using E-values for unmeasured confounding, GRADE, directed acyclic graphs and MR. Results: All nine viewpoints were satisfied to varying degrees. Strength: effect estimates 1.4–6.8, E-values 4.8–13.1, MR summary risk ratio 1.05 per 1 kg/m². Consistency: replication across four continents, both sexes and multiple study designs. Temporality: prospective cohort and life-course MR evidence. Biological gradient: body mass index dose–response for TNFα, IL-17A and Th17 frequency. Plausibility: a twelve-layer architecture from adipose dysfunction to bronchial epithelium. Coherence, experimental evidence (bariatric surgery, lifestyle weight loss, GLP-1 receptor agonists, murine and in vitro models) and analogy were also supported; specificity was met at the phenotype level. Conclusions: The cumulative evidence strongly supports a causal contribution of obesity to the development of the late-onset, non-allergic asthma phenotype while falling short of definitive proof (GRADE: moderate certainty), with implications for primary prevention, endotype-targeted therapy and longitudinal research. Phenotype-stratified MR remains the principal missing element of the causal argument. Full article

Background: Ultra-fast high-irradiance curing shortens exposure time, but its effects on conversion and polymer-network integrity may vary among bulk-fill resin composites. This in vitro study was designed as a materials-level investigation of irradiated-surface polymerization behavior. It evaluated irradiated-surface degree of conversion and polymer-network quality while deliberately excluding assessment of depth of cure or polymerization throughout the 4 mm bulk increment. Methods: Eighty disk specimens (6 mm × 4 mm) of Filtek One Bulk Fill, SDR Plus, Beautifil Bulk Flowable, and Beautifil Bulk Restorative (n = 10/material/protocol) were cured with a polywave LED at 1200 mW/cm² for 10 s or 3000 mW/cm² for 3 s. Degree of conversion (DC) was measured by ATR-FTIR on the irradiated (top) surface only. Ethanol-induced softening (ES%, Knoop-hardness reduction at the irradiated surface after 24 h ethanol immersion) served as an inverse, indirect indicator of polymer-network quality (cross-link density). Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (α = 0.05); the DC–ES% relationship was examined by Pearson correlation at the individual-specimen level (n = 80). Results: Ultra-fast curing yielded higher pooled DC (66.30 ± 10.06%) than conventional curing (59.37 ± 7.96%; p < 0.001), but the effect was material-dependent: DC increased significantly for Filtek One Bulk Fill (p < 0.001) and Beautifil Bulk Flowable (p = 0.035), but not for SDR Plus or Beautifil Bulk Restorative. ES% was influenced mainly by material (p < 0.001) and less by curing protocol (p = 0.009). At the specimen level (n = 80), DC and ES% showed a weak but statistically significant negative correlation (r = −0.31, p = 0.006). Conclusions: Within the conditions of this study, irradiated-surface polymerization behavior under ultra-fast curing depended primarily on composite formulation, underscoring the need to evaluate both conversion efficiency and polymer-network quality when optimizing dental restorative materials. Because conversion was assessed only at the irradiated surface, these findings describe irradiated-surface behavior and do not provide evidence of adequate cure at the bottom of the 4 mm increment. Full article

A persistent difficulty in monitoring private-credit risk is that narrative and quantitative information in periodic filings are produced jointly but evaluated separately. This leaves open the question of whether disclosure language is a useful signal of risk management behaviour or merely an echo of conditions already visible in published data. For business development companies (BDCs), this separation carries a particular cost: the sector sits at the intersection of private credit, fair-value accounting, and floating-rate funding, where filing language about portfolio conditions and the macro environment may reflect the cycle itself rather than add to what published rate and spread data already reveal. This paper asks two questions. First, do aggregate BDC text measures of macro and portfolio-credit language co-move with key macro series over time? Second, does cross-sectional text intensity relate in a stable, linear way to the same BDC’s reported ratios and their volatility? Using dictionary-based filing scores linked to over 590 BDC observations and macro series from 2010 to 2025, we find macro text in filings correlates strongly with variables such as the Federal funds rate and the two-year Treasury yield. Portfolio-credit text lines up with corporate spreads and the unemployment rate. At the firm-year level, associations between text and balance-sheet outcomes are weak. This indicates that BDC narratives are linked with the macro cycle, but there is not a tight mapping to risk metrics in reported financials from year to year, consistent with a degree of insulation in private credit from prevailing macro conditions. For creditors, investors, and supervisors of private-credit vehicles, this asymmetry of macro co-movement without firm-level signal has direct implications for how narrative disclosure should be weighted in risk monitoring and governance frameworks. The aggregate regression results are based on sixteen annual observations and should be interpreted accordingly. Full article

Discrete Ricci curvature has been applied to biological, financial, and communication graphs, but typed management information system (MIS) transaction networks still lack MIS-specific analytical guarantees and a reproducible, operationally interpretable workflow. We combine Ollivier–Ricci optimal transport with a role-based access control representation of users, roles, services, endpoints, and databases. Closed-form results show that edges joining a hub to degree-one leaves have non-negative curvature, whereas canonical inter-hub bridges converge to curvature $-1$ when the idleness parameter is $\alpha =0.5$. We also prove the existence of an optimal coupling on finite graphs and explain why the coupling itself need not be unique. On a reproducible synthetic MIS network, the curvature ranks authentication, shared-data, and cross-module links among the leading candidate bottlenecks and correlates with edge betweenness (Spearman $\rho =-0.78$). Across 40 randomized MIS instances, graph-instance-level edge-class differences are significant (Friedman $p<{10}^{-32}$), and all five leading edges belong to predefined structural bridge classes in every run. On five public Internet backbones, curvature–betweenness correlations range from $-0.53$ to $-0.91$. Comparisons with Forman curvature, local edge connectivity, algebraic connectivity loss, and a spectral embedding show a complementary geometric signal rather than a universal cut-edge or spectral surrogate. We additionally report the idleness parameter sensitivity, empirical runtime and process memory measurements, study limitations, and a conceptual temporal extension. Full article

The booming clean energy industry has driven the expansion of photovoltaic (PV) and lithium-ion battery (LIB) sectors, causing the accumulation of new energy solid wastes such as wind turbine blades (WTB), PV modules and LIBs. Such solid wastes exhibit prominent characteristics such as multi-layer composition, a high degree of cross-linking, and multi-component coupling, presenting both high resource value and significant recycling challenges. This paper systematically reviews the material structural characteristics, EoL attributes, and current resource utilization status of these three new energy solid wastes. Existing recycling technologies are classified into three categories based on material structural evolution and value realization pathways: structure-retaining mechanical conversion, selective component extraction, and structure-reconstruction-based full-component upcycling. Furthermore, this study further compares various recycling routes in terms of recycling depth, value creation and development potential. The analysis indicates that, in the face of the impending large-scale retirement wave, relying solely on morphological reuse or partial component extraction is inadequate to meet the demands for efficient, high-value, and low-carbon recycling. Consequently, structure-reconstruction-based full-component upcycling will emerge as a crucial development direction for the resource utilization of new energy solid wastes. This paper provides a theoretical reference for related technological research and development, process optimization, and industrial system layout.: Full article

Ultrasound-assisted xylose glycation is found to be an effective method to improve the gel properties, functional properties and structural characteristics of meat proteins, and to some extent minimize the generation of protein cross-linking. The effects of dual-frequency ultrasound-assisted (20/25, 20/28, 25/28, 20/40, 25/40, 28/40, 28/68, and 40/68 kHz) xylose glycation on beef myofibrillar proteins (MPs) were evaluated in the study. Compared with the control, dual-frequency ultrasound promoted glycation in a frequency-dependent manner. The highest grafting degree was observed at 20/25 and 25/40 kHz, reaching 37.05% and 38.47%, respectively. For gel-type applications, 25/28 kHz ultrasound provided the most balanced performance. It reduced cooking loss from 79.80% to 73.77%, increased hardness from 1388.18 to 1743.38 g, and increased chewiness from 673.03 to 939.84 g. This treatment also showed favorable emulsifying behavior. The strongest LAL inhibition occurred at 25/40 kHz, where LAL decreased from 7961.24 to 4868.88 mg/kg, corresponding to a 38.8% reduction. Structural analyses indicated that ultrasound-assisted glycation induced MP unfolding, thiol exposure, hydrophobic rearrangement, and oxidative modification to different extents. Overall, 25/28 kHz may be more suitable when balanced gel quality, emulsifying performance, and safety control are required. In contrast, 25/40 kHz may be preferred when LAL reduction is the primary objective. Full article

Natural products featuring a direct σ-bond between a cyclic monoterpene and an aromatic moiety provide a vast source of biological activities, such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antiviral, anticoagulant and cannabinoid regulatory, among others. Only few methods exist for synthetically accessing such hybrid structures and their analogs, all of which are prone to limitations, most notably the reliance on sensitive organometallic intermediates and the difficulty in furnishing certain stereoisomers. An efficient, three-stage synthetic methodology is described herein, that enables the production of hybrid structures featuring a C(sp³)-C(sp²) bond between six-membered cyclic monoterpenes and aromatic moieties. This process combines: enol triflate formation from a terpenoid ketone precursor, that introduces most of the stereochemical information; Suzuki–Miyaura C-C cross-coupling of the enol triflate with a pool of (hetero)arylboronic acids, to establish the terpene–aromatic link, initially in the form of a C(sp²)-C(sp²) bond; and a stereoselective hydrogenation of the resulting adducts to afford the target compounds, establishing the stereoconfiguration of the last chiral center. Enantiomeric terpenoid scaffolds derived from menthone and trans-tetrahydrocarvone have been combined with six (6) (hetero)arylboronic acids, including medicinally relevant moieties, such as methoxyphenyl, pyridine, quinoline and benzofuran. The power of this method, apart from circumventing the need for in situ-formed sensitive organometallic intermediates, resides in providing access, for the first time, to menthyl- and trans-tetrahydrocarvoneyl-type stereoisomers, that were unattainable by any previously described method. The resulting compound library members exhibit drug-like features, based on the computational assessment of 11 selected physicochemical parameters (molecular weight, polarity, aqueous solubility, degree of unsaturation, conformational flexibility, lipophilicity, BBB permeability, skin permeability, gastrointestinal absorption, P-glycoprotein substrate behavior and Lipinski compatibility), using the platforms SwissADME, ADMETLab 3.0 and pkCSM. A computational docking study employing AutoDock Vina further identified promising candidates for targeting the known binding sites of human cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, with calculated binding affinities comparable to those of established ligands. Full article

To address ecological security challenges in karst urban agglomerations, this study proposes a green infrastructure network (GIN) optimization framework that integrates geological characteristics with complex network theory. A fracture-modified minimum cumulative resistance (FM-MCR) model, coupled with an ant colony algorithm, was developed to enhance GIN extraction accuracy. Using a cascade failure model, the structural response of the GIN under simulated attack scenarios was systematically evaluated across four edge enhancement strategies, enabling spatial layout optimization. Network clustering and node centrality assessments were further applied to identify critical corridors and strategic nodes. Results identified 108 ecological sources, with Qiannan contributing the largest area (3141.97 km², 23.96% of the total), and 162 corridors in the original GIN. Among the four edge enhancement strategies, the low-degree-first (LDF) strategy significantly improved network robustness, decreasing percolation thresholds by 20.9%, 22.98%, and 16.99% under random, degree, and betweenness attacks, respectively. Network cluster analysis further delineated 45 GIN clusters, 19 critical corridors, and 11 strategic nodes, revealing cross-scale ecological hubs linking the Wumengshan–Daloushan corridor with Guiyang’s urban green wedge. This framework, characterized by geological correction, dynamic edge enhancement, and cluster-based management, offers a scientific basis for improving GIN resilience in karst regions. Full article

In this study, novel and stable cellulose-based oleogels with tunable rheological properties were successfully developed for lubrication applications via cross-linking reactions of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), and isocyanate. This cross-linking strategy not only overcomes the incompatibility issue arising from the polarity difference between MCC and ESO but also enables precise control over the oleogels’ rheological behavior by tailoring the cross-linking density. The resulting oleogels exhibit excellent thermal stability, with an initial decomposition temperature (T_5%) of approximately 300 °C. Furthermore, oxidation resistance is significantly enhanced with increasing cross-linking density, resulting in a substantial increase in the oxidation induction time (OIT) from 5 to 79 min at 210 °C. Rheological characterization reveals that the oleogels exhibit typical shear-thinning and thixotropic behavior. The plateau modulus ($G_N^0$) exhibits a positive correlation with cross-linking density, accompanied by a simultaneous improvement in structural recovery ability. Tribological tests show that the friction coefficient increases with the cross-linking degree, while four-ball tests indicate that the extreme-pressure load-carrying capacity is governed mainly by the nature of the base oil in addition to the cross-linking density of the gel network. This work provides a promising strategy for the development of high-performance and customizable bio-based lubricating materials. Full article

Spiro-dioxy-biphenyl cyclotriphosphazene derivatives, namely mono-spiro cyclotriphosphazene (SCP) and bis-spiro cyclotriphosphazene (Bis SCP), were incorporated into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)–borax hydrogels to investigate the effect of phosphazene architecture on hydrogel properties and release behavior. Hydrogels containing 5 and 10 wt% phosphazene derivatives were prepared by borax crosslinking combined with freeze–thaw gelation and characterized by SEM, FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis, swelling measurements, rheological analysis, and release kinetics. SEM analysis revealed that phosphazene incorporation modified the hydrogel morphology and increased network heterogeneity. Swelling behavior strongly depended on phosphazene structure; 5 wt% SCP/PVA exhibited the highest equilibrium swelling ratio (~990%), whereas Bis SCP-containing hydrogels showed lower swelling capacities (~290–350%). Rheological measurements confirmed gel-like behavior (G′ > G″) for all formulations, and SCP-loaded hydrogels exhibited greater mechanical reinforcement than Bis SCP-loaded systems. Thermal analysis demonstrated improved thermal stability with increasing phosphazene content. Release studies performed in PBS/DMSO (1:1, pH = 7.4) revealed diffusion-controlled transport. The Higuchi (R² = 0.994–0.995) and Korsmeyer–Peppas (R² = 0.999) models provided the best fit, while diffusion exponent values (n = 0.365–0.396) indicated a mechanism of Fickian diffusion. These outcomes demonstrate that the degree of spiro substitution effectively governs the structure–property relationships of PVA–borax hydrogels for controlled-release applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: Autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS), including mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS), nonfunctioning adrenal tumors (NFAT), and overt Cushing’s syndrome (CS), is common in patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI). Although ACS has been linked to adverse cardiometabolic outcomes, its association with renal function and electrolyte homeostasis has not been well characterized. To examine the associations of different degrees of ACS with renal function and serum electrolyte profiles in patients with AI. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 575 adult patients with AI who underwent an overnight low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST). Patients were classified as having NFAT (n = 30), MACS (n = 236), or overt CS (n = 309) according to biochemical findings and clinical presentation. Clinical characteristics, hormonal parameters, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and serum electrolyte levels were collected. Multivariable regression analyses were performed after adjustment for age, sex, tumor size, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking status, and alcohol consumption. Results: Compared with the NFAT and MACS groups, patients with overt CS were younger and predominantly female (84.5%), more frequently hypertensive, and had the highest serum and urinary free cortisol, the lowest ACTH, and the most pronounced electrolyte disturbances, with higher serum sodium and lower serum potassium (all p < 0.001). A pattern of electrolyte alterations was observed across the spectrum of cortisol autonomy (CS ≈ MACS > NFAT). Compared with NFAT, cortisol-secreting tumors were associated with higher serum sodium levels and lower serum potassium and calcium levels (p < 0.001). These associations remained significant after multivariable adjustment (p < 0.001). By contrast, although median eGFR differed among groups and tended to be higher in cortisol-secreting tumors, ACS was not significantly associated with clinically overt renal impairment based on categorical eGFR analysis. Conclusions: In patients with AI, increasing degrees of ACS are associated with alterations in electrolyte homeostasis, particularly involving sodium, potassium, and calcium. In contrast, no clear association was identified between ACS and clinically overt renal impairment in this cross-sectional cohort. Routine monitoring of electrolyte balance may be warranted in patients with cortisol-secreting adrenal tumors. Full article

This study presents the development and evaluation of a hydrogel-based superabsorbent polymer sensor (HSPS) for measuring soil suction and establishing the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) of unsaturated soils. Polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogels were synthesized via UV-induced free radical polymerization using acrylamide with varying crosslinking degrees. The polymers were characterized through FT-IR and TGA analyses, confirming successful synthesis and high thermal stability. Swelling, water retention, and kinetic behavior were systematically investigated. Results indicated that lower crosslinking density significantly enhanced swelling capacity, reaching up to 3000% in distilled water, while saline environments reduced absorption due to ionic screening effects. Swelling kinetics followed anomalous (non-Fickian) diffusion behavior and were well described by the pseudo-second-order Schott model. The synthesized polymers were integrated into a modified high-sensitivity pressure sensor operating on the osmotic principle to measure matric suction. The system was validated using natural soil. Among the tested formulations, the HSPS-3 demonstrated the most reliable suction measurements, reaching values up to approximately 1 MPa without significant temperature sensitivity. The resulting SWCC exhibited bimodal characteristics consistent with the soil’s dual pore structure. The proposed method provides a cost-effective, simple, and efficient alternative for suction measurement, expanding the practical range of SWCC determination in unsaturated soil mechanics. Full article