Search Results (13,762)

Digital platforms have been increasingly adopted to support sustainable climate-resilient planning by implementing nature-based solutions (NbSs) as an effective short-term strategy. Although existing studies have deepened the operational performance of digital platforms, less attention has been paid to their role as knowledge infrastructure for shaping sustainability-relevant planning practices. This paper examines the informative structure of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative (LWI) platform. This is intended as a relevant case study to investigate how digital platforms organize data, information, and knowledge to support NbS-oriented climate resilience at the watershed scale. The study adopts a mixed-method case-study approach, combining an interpretative analysis of the platform’s digital and informational architecture with targeted tests of NbS-oriented decision-support interfaces. The results highlight the operational and cognitive conditions in shaping NbS prioritization processes—notably, those related to scaling, informational structuring, and governance alignment. While the platform effectively supports digital decision-making processes at regional and watershed levels, limitations emerge regarding how ecological knowledge is produced, interpreted, and operationalized within planning frameworks, with implications for the long-term sustainability and robustness of planning decisions. The lesson learnt by the analysis of the LWI identifies the conditions under which the analytical approach can be replicated and highlights insights relevant to both the design and evaluation of digital decision-support platforms in NbS-oriented planning contexts. Full article

Background and Objectives: Burnout is highly prevalent among emergency and acute care healthcare workers (HCWs), yet biological correlates remain debated because candidate biomarkers are strongly shaped by circadian timing, shift work, sleep loss, and overlapping affective symptoms. We mapped post-2018 evidence of biological biomarkers assessed alongside validated burnout measures in emergency department (ED), emergency medical services (EMS), and related acute care settings. Specifically, we asked whether reproducible biological correlates of burnout can be identified in emergency and acute-care healthcare workers when biomarker endpoint class and sampling context are systematically considered. Materials and Methods: We conducted a systematic scoping review with evidence mapping (PRISMA-ScR). PubMed/MEDLINE and the MDPI platform were searched for English-language studies published from 2018 onward (through January 2026). Eligible quantitative studies enrolled ED/EMS or acute care HCWs, assessed burnout using validated instruments, and reported at least one biological biomarker. Evidence was charted by biomarker domain and endpoint class (basal measures, stress reactivity paradigms, and chronic indices such as hair-based markers). Results: Overall, 19 studies were included in mapping/synthesis. Biomarker selection clustered around the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (cortisol; n = 10/19), with fewer studies focused on autonomic function (heart rate variability; n = 2/19) and immune–inflammatory markers (n = 2/19), and single-study coverage for oxidative stress (n = 1/19), cardiometabolic candidates (n = 1/19), cellular aging (n = 1/19), neuroglial/multi-system candidates (n = 1/19), and feasibility-oriented multi-marker designs (n = 1/19). Reported associations with burnout were heterogeneous in direction and magnitude, but were more interpretable when endpoint class, timing anchors, and shift/sleep-related covariates were explicitly reported. Rates of confounder adjustment were low across studies (e.g., only 3/19 reported multivariable adjustment, and none systematically measured sleep or circadian factors), substantially limiting interpretability. Conclusions: The 2018+ literature does not support a single reproducible biomarker for burnout in emergency and acute care workforces. Evidence instead suggests multi-system dysregulation that is highly sensitive to endpoint class, sampling timing, and contextual confounding. Future studies should prioritize timing-anchored repeated-measures protocols across shift and recovery windows, jointly model sleep/circadian factors and depressive symptoms, and evaluate multi-marker panels and intervention responsiveness. Full article

Carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are increasingly used in biomedical and safety-critical applications, where embedded and real-time non-destructive testing (NDT) is essential to ensure structural integrity. This paper presents a cost-effective, AI-assisted thermographic inspection system designed from an embedded electronics and circuit-level perspective. The proposed platform integrates a long-wave infrared (LWIR) sensor, dedicated signal conditioning and power management circuits, and a Raspberry Pi-based processing unit within a unified hardware–software co-design approach. Infrared data acquired under surface heating conditions are processed on-board using a convolutional neural network based on a U-Net architecture, enabling automatic localisation and classification of subsurface defects in CFRP samples. Particular attention is devoted to embedded design constraints, including sensor interfacing, acquisition timing, end-to-end latency, and real-time processing scalability. Experimental results confirm the feasibility of real-time surface heat assessment and the robustness of the proposed architecture in detecting delaminations and voids. The presented system contributes to the development of intelligent embedded inspection electronics and provides a reference design for edge AI-enabled NDT systems in industrial and biomedical applications. Full article

Chronic osteomyelitis and infected bone defects are driven by recurrent infection, biofilm persistence, and dysregulated inflammation, but conventional “eradicate bacteria and fill the defect” approaches often fail to restore a regenerative microenvironment. Herein, we review biofilm-associated immune dysfunction in impaired angiogenesis/osteogenesis and summarize biomaterials that couple infection control with tissue regeneration. We integrate representative platforms into a “Time–Space–Control” framework: (i) time-programmed systems that sequence early antibiofilm/antibacterial actions with later pro-angiogenic and osteogenic cues; (ii) space-focused designs that enhance defect localization, penetration, and coverage of infected niches; and (iii) controllable strategies that enable pathology-responsive and/or externally triggered, on-demand modulation. Based on this synthesis, we propose a practical 4P principle to guide programmable therapeutic biomaterials. Overall, explicitly managing timing, localization, and controllability may improve the alignment of antimicrobial therapy, immune reprogramming, and regenerative support for chronic infected bone repair. Full article

Platform-generated default reviews are widespread in e-commerce, yet they are underexamined as a review system design feature. Using 1994 Taobao product snapshots from two windows (January–April 2025, n = 983; December 2025–January 2026, n = 1011) surrounding a gradual interface redesign that folded default reviews from the default view, this study examines how the default review ratio relates to sales and whether reduced visibility moderates the association. Regression results show that higher default review ratios are associated with lower log sales prior to the redesign, while the negative association attenuates once default reviews are de-emphasised; conditional sales levels are also higher post-redesign. Because the rollout was gradual and the data are repeated cross-sectional snapshots, estimates are interpreted as differences in conditional associations across regimes. These patterns are robust to alternative specifications, additional controls, category-specific post shifts, and winsorization. Overall, the market impact of platform-generated review signals depends on interface visibility, highlighting an actionable governance lever for review system design. Full article

This study integrates recent literature with qualitative data from sexual-health outreach workers in the Greater Toronto Area to examine how outreach is delivered to gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (GBTQ+) men who have sex with men (MSM) in virtual social settings, including social networking applications. Using a symbolic-interactionist framework and reflexive thematic analysis, the study identifies persistent challenges that shape GBTQ+ and MSM users’ engagement with sexual-health services, such as stigma, privacy concerns, and platform-level constraints. Findings highlight mismatches between current outreach practices and community needs in app-based environments and point to opportunities to strengthen the relevance, accessibility, and trustworthiness of digital sexual-health initiatives. The analysis offers practical recommendations for improving service design and delivery in online queer spaces and outlines priorities for future research focused on outreach effectiveness, equity, and user safety. Full article

The critical task of ship detection in aerial imagery for maritime monitoring faces significant challenges in achieving real-time performance on embedded platforms. These challenges arise from the large data volume inherent in wide-format aerial images and the pronounced scale variations among vessels. To address this issue, an optimized YOLOv8-based model is proposed. Scale adaptability is enhanced by incorporating a Multi-Scale Fusion (MSF) module into the backbone. In addition, a lightweight Group-Wise Scale Fusion Neck (GSF-Neck) with a parallel multi-branch structure is designed to facilitate adaptive multi-scale feature fusion while reducing computational overhead. The proposed model achieves a state-of-the-art mAP@0.5 of up to 94.55% on a dedicated aerial ship dataset, outperforming other major detectors. When deployed on an RK3588 embedded system using a sliding window strategy to process single 300 MB images, it maintains a stable processing speed of ≥2 fps. Compared to the baseline under identical conditions, the model proposed in this study improves mAP by 1.4% with a 6.6% reduction in FPS, effectively balancing detection performance and computational efficiency. Full article

Young women from historically marginalized backgrounds face significant barriers to accessing the professional guidance and social capital necessary for career advancement. To address this problem, a flash mentoring digital tool was developed to expand underrepresented young women’s access to time-limited guidance from pre-screened professional women within Step Up Women’s Network, a mentorship nonprofit program. This community-based program evaluation used a user-centered design approach to develop and refine the platform. In-person workshops and informal group discussion sessions with young Step Up women aged 18 to 29 provided feedback on networking approaches and mentorship needs, which informed the platform design. A total of 285 female mentors and 363 female mentees downloaded and engaged with the platform over two years. Implementation metrics included 5008 messages exchanged with 2528 sent by mentees, 316 meetings held, and high usage of goal-setting features with 1445 goals set and check-ins with 72 percent of mentees. Evaluation findings suggested that the intervention was acceptable and feasible, fostering new, short-term supportive relationships within Step Up Women’s Network. Although additional evaluation with rigorous outcome measures is needed, this program evaluation highlights the potential of a scalable intervention for Step Up Women’s Network that extends the framework of youth-initiated mentoring interventions, which have shown considerable promise in recent years. Full article

Polymeric microspheres synthesized via Pickering emulsion polymerization offer structural tunability, making them attractive platforms for dye adsorption. This study investigates the adsorption behavior of methylene blue onto two classes of polymeric microspheres—poly(methacrylic acid) crosslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PM), containing both micro- and nanopores, and poly(methacrylic acid) crosslinked with divinylbenzene (PD), containing only nanopores. The adsorption kinetics were modeled using a dual-process approach that distinguishes between diffusion-controlled transport and surface-controlled kinetic adsorption. We quantified the relative contributions of these mechanisms and correlated them with particle architecture. In the PM particles, diffusion plays a significant role in smaller particles with larger macropores, enabling methylene blue to penetrate the interior. As the particle size increased and macroporosity decreased, adsorption becomes increasingly dominated by surface kinetics. In contrast, PD particles —which lack macropores—showed the opposite trend: smaller particles were primarily governed by fast surface adsorption, while in larger particles, diffusion through nanopores became increasingly relevant. Correlation analysis between adsorption rate constants and structural parameters such as particle diameter and pore sizes revealed strong, opposing trends. In PD particles, a near-perfect inverse correlation was observed between the diffusion and kinetic components, indicating competitive suppression, where the dominance of one mechanism limited the contribution of the other. These results demonstrated that internal pore architecture played a central role in controlling the adsorption mechanism. Tuning particle size and porosity allowed deliberate control over the balance between diffusion and surface kinetics, enabling the rational design of microparticle adsorbents with tailored uptake behavior for water purification and dye removal applications. Full article

In situ-forming implants (ISFIs) based on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) offer a promising platform for long-acting parenteral drug delivery, enabling minimally invasive administration without surgical implantation. However, the development and clinical translation of PLGA-based ISFIs are hindered by formulation complexity, sensitivity to aterial variability, and limited predictability of drug release, particularly during early implant formation. Although previous reviews have described formulation components and release mechanisms, a comprehensive integration of Quality by Design (QbD) principles with a focus on risk prioritization remains absent. This review examines the application of QbD to solvent-exchange PLGA-based ISFIs, with an emphasis on identifying critical material attributes (CMAs) governing implant formation, burst release, and long-term release performance. Risk-based prioritization of CMAs and the role of design of experiments are systematically discussed. Special attention is given to burst release as a major CMA affecting safety, efficacy, and translational robustness. The evidence indicates that formulation-driven CMAs, such as polymer physicochemical properties, drug characteristics, and solvent selection, exert a greater influence on ISFI performance than process-related parameters. This review provides a structured perspective to support rational formulation design, improved reproducibility, and enhanced clinical translation of PLGA-based ISFI systems. Full article

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting provides new options for airway reconstruction by enabling the fabrication of customizable, biodegradable scaffolds designed to support in situ tissue regeneration. Building on our established large-animal platform, in which two cm bioprinted tracheal grafts combined with refined surgical techniques and adjunctive laser intervention have achieved long-term survival exceeding three months, the present study aims to explore long-segment (≥four cm) tracheal transplantation. We evaluated the fabrication feasibility and regeneration patterns of extrusion-based 3D bioprinted polycaprolactone (PCL) tracheal grafts in a porcine model. The grafts were implanted via end-to-end anastomosis with adjunctive mechanical stabilization and followed by serial bronchoscopic surveillance, gross examination, and histological analysis. The two cm PCL tracheal grafts achieved reproducible survival exceeding three months when combined with refined surgical techniques, structured postoperative airway management, and optimized wound coverage. Histological analysis revealed multi-lineage tissue formation—including cartilage, muscle, glands, and epithelium—was observed. Cartilage regeneration followed a staged maturation process, compared to epithelial regeneration, although continuous by 12 weeks, remained developmentally immature. A single long-segment transplantation was explored in a single preliminary case, providing an initial technical observation of feasibility; however, definitive conclusions regarding long-term survival or regeneration cannot be drawn. These findings further characterize regenerative responses in a large-animal model and highlight critical translational barriers—fabrication constraints, airway biomechanics, and delayed epithelial maturation—that require systematic investigation before long-segment tracheal reconstruction can advance toward clinical application. Full article

Metasurfaces provide a compact and powerful means of tailoring electromagnetic wavefronts through spatially varying phase manipulation. This review presents a unified, mechanism-centered perspective on phase control in metasurfaces, tracing their evolution from static designs to actively reconfigurable and space–time-modulated platforms. Beginning with the theoretical basis of generalized Snell’s law, phase-control strategies are categorized into resonance-based, PB phase, and propagation-phase mechanisms, with emphasis on their underlying physics, bandwidth, efficiency, and polarization characteristics. These static approaches are then extended to active metasurfaces that enable post-fabrication reconfiguration through liquid-crystal tuning, electro-optic, phase-change materials, and mechanical deformation. Beyond quasi-static tuning, space–time modulation is introduced as a distinct paradigm that exploits temporal phase gradients to achieve frequency conversion, nonreciprocity, and waveform synthesis. By organizing diverse implementations around their physical phase-control mechanisms and experimentally reported performance trends, this review provides practical guidance for selecting metasurface architectures across frequency regimes and application requirements. Full article

Cylinder–plate combined structures (CPCS) are widely used in aerospace, marine engineering, and offshore platform systems. During service, they are frequently subjected to stochastic excitations induced by turbulent boundary layers, acoustic loads, hydrodynamic disturbances, and broadband operational vibrations. Excessive random vibration responses may significantly reduce structural reliability, accelerate fatigue damage, and compromise operational safety. To address these engineering challenges, a unified stochastic dynamic analysis and vibration suppression framework is established for functionally graded graphene platelet-reinforced composites (FG-GPLRC) CPCS equipped with distributed dynamic vibration absorbers (DVAs). Adopting the First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT), a comprehensive energy functional for the CPCS is established, in which the penalty method is implemented to impose boundary conditions and ensure interface continuity. Subsequently, the Pseudo-excitation Method (PEM) is utilized to convert the stochastic vibration analysis into an equivalent deterministic harmonic problem, and the governing equations are spatially discretized by combining the spectral geometric method (SGM) with the Ritz variational procedure, enabling efficient evaluation of power spectral density (PSD) and root-mean-square (RMS) responses. The reliability of the proposed model is verified through a series of numerical validation comparisons. On this basis, comprehensive parametric investigations are conducted to assess how material properties, structural geometries, and critical DVA parameters influence system behavior. The results demonstrate that the incorporation of distributed DVAs can achieve superior vibration suppression performance. This study provides an efficient and reliable theoretical framework for stochastic vibration analysis and damping design of advanced composite plate–shell coupled structures operating in complex random environments, offering important theoretical support for dynamic optimization design in aerospace and marine engineering applications. Full article

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of printing orientation and water ageing on the flexural strength and flexural modulus of 3D printed resins for occlusal splints. Bar-shaped specimens were designed with dimensions of 64 × 10 × 3.3 mm according to ISO 20795-2:2013. Specimens were 3D printed with the Form 3B printer (Formlabs), using Dental LT Clear Resin (CL) or Comfort Resin (CO) (Formlabs), and 3 different printing orientations: as per manufacturer’s recommendation (40° N = 20), parallel (0° N = 20), or perpendicular to the build platform (90° N = 20). To simulate intraoral ageing, half of the specimens per material and printing orientation (N = 10) were stored in distilled water at 37 °C for 30 days prior to testing. Specimens were tested in a three-point bending apparatus using a universal testing machine equipped with a 50 N load cell moving at a crosshead speed of 5 mm/min. Flexural strength (MPa) and flexural modulus (GPa) data were collected and statistically processed with separate analyses for unaged and aged specimens (Two-Way or One-Way ANOVA; Tukey test; p < 0.05). As for unaged specimens, both resin materials exhibited the highest flexural strength and modulus in the 90° orientation and the lowest values in the 40° orientation group. After water aging, all groups showed reduced flexural strength and modulus, with CO displaying up to 52% loss in flexural strength and values falling below ISO thresholds. CO consistently exhibited significantly lower flexural strength and modulus than CL, irrespective of aging. Full article

High-Resolution Range Profile (HRRP)-based space object classification is severely limited by aspect sensitivity. Inspired by the intrinsic complementarity between HRRP and LiDAR point clouds, this work investigates the feasibility and effectiveness of fusing these two modalities to address this limitation. We propose the Point-HRRP-Net framework. This framework employs dual-stream extractors to independently encode HRRP electromagnetic signatures and 3D point cloud geometric topologies. Subsequently, a Bi-Directional Cross-Attention (Bi-CA) mechanism is designed to fuse the two modalities. To enable information interaction, this mechanism utilizes point-to-point attention to correlate radar scattering features with 3D geometric points, thereby constructing a comprehensive target representation. Due to data scarcity, we constructed a paired simulation dataset for evaluation. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework consistently outperforms its constituent single-modality baselines. The model achieves 57.67% accuracy on the 180° split and demonstrates generalization capability to unseen viewpoints. Ablation studies further validate the efficacy of the Bi-CA mechanism and the selected feature extractors. Finally, we assess the potential sim-to-real discrepancies and evaluate deployment feasibility across various hardware platforms. Full article