Search Results (657,214)

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia has significantly improved the prognosis of infants with hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), shifting the focus of follow-up toward the identification of early predictors of preschool neurodevelopmental outcome. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of early neurological, developmental and neuroradiological assessments in children with HIE treated with therapeutic hypothermia. Methods: We conducted a prospective longitudinal study including 105 children with HIE treated with therapeutic hypothermia between 2015 and 2022 at a tertiary neonatal center. Early neurological examination using the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE), Griffiths Mental Development Scales at 24 months, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neonatal clinical variables were evaluated as predictors of preschool neurodevelopmental outcome. Outcome was classified as favourable or adverse according to cognitive performance and the presence of major neurodevelopmental impairment. Results: Of the 105 children included in the preschool follow-up, 84 (80.0%) had a favourable neurodevelopmental outcome and 21 (20.0%) an adverse outcome. Moderate-to-severe neonatal MRI abnormalities were observed in 11/84 (13.1%) children with favourable outcome and 12/21 (57.1%) with adverse outcome (p < 0.001). Children with adverse outcomes had lower HINE scores at 12 months (p < 0.001) and lower Griffiths Global Developmental Quotients at 24 months (p < 0.001). ROC analyses showed high discrimination for HINE (AUC 0.920), Griffiths Global Developmental Quotient (AUC 0.917), and Griffiths Hearing and Speech Scale (AUC 0.915). Conclusions: Most children with moderate-to-severe HIE treated with therapeutic hypothermia achieved favorable preschool outcomes. Neonatal MRI, followed by standardized neurological and developmental assessments during infancy and toddlerhood, provides complementary information that may progressively refine neurodevelopmental prognostication. Full article

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), potent neurotoxic alkaloids produced by marine dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria, pose severe risks to human health through contaminated seafood and water after absorption into the bloodstream. Current detection methods are limited by matrix interference or ethical concerns. Here, we report a novel screening approach using vanadium pentoxide as an oxidant to convert PSTs into characteristic oxidation products, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‒MS/MS) analysis. Under optimized conditions, vanadium pentoxide oxidizes both hydroxylated and non-hydroxylated toxins into distinct major products (P1‒P7), identified by high-performance liquid chromatography‒tandem high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC‒HRMS). Vanadium pentoxide oxidation affords excellent product selectivity and, for most PSTs, superior signal intensities, enabling unambiguous differentiation of toxin subgroups. HPLC‒MS/MS method in MRM mode was developed and yielded detection limits of 0.3‒1.5 ng/mL for a broad spectrum of fourteen PSTs in spiked plasma, accuracy of 89.3‒102.2%, and excellent repeatability with intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranging from 0.3% to 10.4%. Application of the method to samples from the First Trial OPCW (the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) Biotoxin Proficiency Test successfully identified STX/neoSTX, confirming its practical utility for trace PSTs detection in complex biological matrices. Full article

Photocatalytic water treatment represents a promising strategy for the simultaneous removal of chemical and biological contaminants, although the development of efficient, stable, and reusable photocatalysts remains a challenge. In this work, nanosized TiO₂–reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites containing 1 and 5 wt.% rGO were prepared by mechanical mixing and evaluated for water decontamination under artificial and natural solar irradiation. The photocatalytic performance was first assessed through methylene blue degradation and subsequently for the simultaneous removal of organic microcontaminants (sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and imidacloprid) and Escherichia coli inactivation in isotonic water (IW) and urban wastewater secondary effluent (UWW). Different photocatalyst concentrations (0–1000 mg L⁻¹) were investigated and compared with commercial TiO₂-P25. The TiO₂/rGO composites exhibited effective dye degradation, pollutant removal, and microbial inactivation. The best performance was achieved with TiO₂/rGO 5 wt.% at 500 mg L⁻¹ in IW, enabling >80% removal of contaminants and >5 log E. coli inactivation within 15 min of solar treatment. Similar trends were observed in UWW, although with slower degradation kinetics. Furthermore, the composites maintained their photocatalytic activity over ten consecutive reuse cycles under natural sunlight and showed no ecotoxic effects toward Aliivibrio fischeri. These results demonstrate the potential of TiO₂/rGO nanocomposites as efficient and reusable photocatalysts for sustainable water treatment applications. Full article

The Yangtze River Economic Belt serves as a pilot region for China’s strategy of ecological priority and green development. Through its time–space compression effect, the launch of high-speed rail can significantly shape factor flows and industrial distribution. Therefore, investigating the relationship between high-speed rail opening and inclusive green development carries important practical significance. This study selects 110 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt as research samples and constructs an inclusive green development evaluation system covering three dimensions: economic growth, social equity, and ecological sustainability. On this basis, a multi-period difference-in-differences model is employed to identify the effect of high-speed rail opening on inclusive green development, and the mediation and moderation effect models are used to reveal its mechanism. Given the staggered rollout of high-speed rail across cities, heterogeneity-robust estimators and a series of sensitivity analyses are further employed to examine the robustness of the baseline results. The empirical results show the following: (1) Under the preferred two-way fixed-effects specification, the average effect of high-speed rail opening on inclusive green development is statistically insignificant. The dynamic and heterogeneity-robust estimates indicate a delayed effect that becomes significantly positive six to seven years after opening, suggesting an economically meaningful accumulated effect in the longer run. (2) Technological innovation and industrial structure upgrading are examined as transmission channels. The point estimates are consistent with the proposed directions, but the mediation evidence is statistically weak and is reported as suggestive rather than conclusive. (3) Environmental regulation significantly strengthens the relationship between high-speed rail and inclusive green development, whereas the moderating role of financial development is not statistically significant. (4) The estimated effects show no significant regional differentiation under the preferred specification, and a negative association appears among provincial capital cities. This study provides theoretical support and practical reference for optimizing the layout of the high-speed rail network in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and promoting the coordinated development of transportation infrastructure construction and inclusive green development. Full article

Coastal soft soils are characterized by high water content, high compressibility, and low strength, posing challenges for foundation engineering. In vacuum-preloaded reclaimed ground, jacked-in pile installation can generate excess pore water pressure and disturb the surrounding soil, thereby affecting post-installation pile behavior. Using the reclaimed soft soil foundation at the Taizhou Xingkong Flight School site as a case study, this study combines large-scale physical model tests with finite-element analyses to investigate pore water pressure evolution during vacuum preloading and the excess pore water pressure response around piles during jacked-in pile installation. Laboratory static load tests on single piles were further conducted to evaluate post-installation axial capacity under different installation conditions. Within the investigated jacking-rate range of 100–400 mm/min, the measured pore pressure increments did not exhibit a consistent monotonic dependence on jacking rate across all monitoring locations, and the available capacity results likewise showed no clear monotonic rate-dependent trend. At a jacking rate of 200 mm/min, the near-tip pore pressure increments increased from 17.54 to 22.71 and 25.77 kPa as the pile diameter increased from 60 to 80 and 100 mm, respectively, while the measured axial capacity also increased with pile diameter in the selected tests. Comparison between the physical tests and numerical simulations showed closer agreement at the shaft-side monitoring locations than near the pile tip. Because the numerical installation analysis represented only the final 10 mm of pile penetration, the numerical results are used primarily for the comparative interpretation of the responses under the investigated conditions. The results highlight the importance of considering monitoring location, pile geometry, and pore pressure dissipation when interpreting installation effects and post-installation pile behavior in vacuum-preloaded reclaimed soft soil. Full article

The large volumes of lignocellulosic residues generated by the paper, wood, and agri-food sectors represent a valuable renewable resource for the sustainable production of chemicals, energy, and bio-based materials. This study explores the valorization of wheat bran, which can be employed in the production of cellulose-based materials through molding processes using sustainable chemicals, thereby valorizing substrates no longer suitable for food applications. The formulations were optimized using eco-compatible additives and characterized by thermal, spectroscopic, rheological, wettability, and morphological analyses. Manual syringe extrudability and preliminary shape retention were experimentally verified for both WBd_B1X7 and WBC_B1X7. This work proposes a low-impact, circular supply chain for cellulose-based polymeric materials, integrating waste-derived raw materials, environmentally friendly processes and life cycle assessment to enable the sustainable production of functional materials. Compared with the WBd preparation route, the WBC route reduced the investigated environmental impacts by approximately 60–80%, while providing a formulation with rheological properties suitable for extrusion-based deposition. Full article

The Dehradun Stream Frog, Amolops chakrataensis, is a Critically Endangered stream-dwelling amphibian endemic to Uttarakhand in the western Himalayas of India and the species was previously known only from a single holotype collected in 1985. Despite repeated surveys, the species remained undetected for more than four decades, raising concerns that it went extinct. Here, we report the rediscovery of A. chakrataensis from the Maneri landscape, Uttarakhand, approximately 65 km on a straight-line east of the type locality. We confirmed the species identity using an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological comparisons with the holotype, and we sequenced the mitochondrial 16S rRNA DNA gene fragment. Our analyses recovered A. chakrataensis as a distinct clade. Extensive field surveys covering 14 sites and 424 person-hours detected only two individuals, highlighting the rarity of the species. Using environmental characteristics of the three known localities, we developed a habitat envelope that identified additional priority areas for future surveys and potential conservation management. Our findings confirm the continued persistence of A. chakrataensis, provide the first molecular reference for the species, extend its known distribution, and establish an important foundation for future monitoring and conservation planning in the western Himalayas. Full article

This paper addresses the set stabilization problem of probabilistic Boolean control networks (PBCNs) via a self-triggered control strategy. Firstly, the algebraic representation of the considered PBCNs is established by employing the semi-tensor product (STP) of matrices. Secondly, Lyapunov functions (LFs) are introduced for the set stabilization analysis, and a constructive algorithm for deriving such LFs is provided. On this basis, a necessary and sufficient condition in terms of the LF is obtained to determine whether a PBCN can achieve stabilization to a prescribed target set with probability one. Furthermore, a design method for self-triggered controls (STCs) is developed. Finally, the Escherichia coli lactose operon is presented as an example to validate the theoretical results of this paper. Full article

Marine and naval materials are exposed to complex degradation resulting from the combined effects of chloride-induced corrosion, biofouling, mechanical wear, ultraviolet radiation, and microbiologically influenced corrosion. This review critically examines recent advances in protective coating technologies for improving the durability and sustainability of materials operating in aggressive marine environments. Attention is given to polymer-based and nanocomposite coatings, smart and self-healing systems, sustainable formulations, and advanced deposition and performance-assessment strategies. The reviewed literature shows a clear transition from conventional passive barrier coatings toward multifunctional systems that combine barrier protection with active corrosion inhibition, self-healing, antifouling behavior, and enhanced mechanical resistance. Nanostructured fillers can improve coating performance by restricting the transport of water, oxygen, and chloride ions, while inhibitor-loaded carriers and stimulus-responsive systems provide localized protection after coating damage. Sustainable polymers, bio-based additives, and environmentally compatible inhibitors are also emerging as alternatives to conventional formulations with greater environmental impact. However, long-term durability, scalability, reproducibility, and performance under real marine exposure remain major limitations to industrial implementation. Future progress therefore requires the development of multifunctional and environmentally compatible coating systems supported by standardized multifactor testing, long-term field validation, and scalable industrial processing. Full article

Renewable power plants with co-located battery energy storage systems (BESSs) coordinate forecast-deviation control, renewable-surplus management, electricity-price arbitrage, and ancillary-service commitments through the shared power and energy capability of the battery. This study develops a layered framework for scenario-based intraday multi-service co-optimization and grid-value assessment. The plant-level mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model operates at 15 min resolution and represents piecewise deviation penalties, time-varying export limits, battery dynamics, a terminal state-of-charge condition, throughput-based degradation costs, and the opportunity cost of reserving regulation headroom. Its scenario-contingent formulation evaluates expected intraday operating value across ten representative photovoltaic trajectories under a perfect-information structure. A complementary service map assigns fast dynamic and system-level indicators to the control, power-flow, and dispatch models appropriate to their time scales. The numerical study considers an 80 MW photovoltaic plant with a 10 MW/20 MWh BESS, evaluates four regulation-compensation cases, and records a complete C4 run time of 209.421893 s on an Intel Core i7-10710U computer with 16 GB RAM. Energy-oriented service stacking increases expected daily plant benefit in the case study, while regulation reservation becomes attractive when compensation exceeds the opportunity cost of battery power and energy headroom. The framework provides a consistent basis for interpreting service interactions, decision timing, data provenance, and plant- and system-level value. Full article

Background and clinical significance:Pasteurella spp. are Gram-negative coccobacilli, aerobic facultatively anaerobic, belonging to the Pasteurellaceae family. In humans, they are known to cause zoonotic diseases, which usually develop after dog or cat bites, licks or scratches. Case presentation: We present the case of a 61-year-old patient, with cardiovascular comorbidities, who presented to the Orthopedics Department, 38 days after knee replacement surgery, with recurrence of pain on walking, an antalgic gait with auxiliary support, and local signs of inflammation at the level of the left knee joint. The patient admitted to owning a dog who accidentally licked the post-surgical wound. The symptoms were suggestive of a post-surgical wound infection with extension to the periprosthetic area. A purulent discharge was collected from the wound during surgical debridement and sent to the microbiological laboratory for diagnosis, where Pasteurella canis was identified using MALDI-TOF MS. Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) was performed according to the EUCAST guidelines and empiric antibiotic treatment was started with Cefuroxime. During his future admissions to the Orthopedics and Infectious Diseases departments, two more samples were collected, in which Pasteurella canis was isolated, along with Klebsiella oxytoca (second sample), and Klebsiella oxytoca and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (third sample). Patient evolution was favorable due to the debridement of the wound and combined antibiotic treatment, with Ceftazidime and Gentamicin. Conclusions: Infections with Pasteurella canis are rare but slowly increasing due to more and more humans owning pets. The present case underlines the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations when rare pathogens are identified. Full article

The continuing proliferation and diversification of management system standards (MSSs) intensify the need for integration approaches that extend beyond common clause structures, aligned documents, and combined audits. Organizations increasingly manage requirements concerning quality, environment, occupational health and safety, energy, information security, business continuity, compliance, innovation, asset management, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development. Although the ISO Harmonized Structure improves formal compatibility, it does not itself provide the managerial logic needed to reconcile competing objectives and embed heterogeneous requirements in organizational processes. For organizations operating a management system against two or more MSSs, this conceptual paper argues that quality, understood not as one standardized subsystem but as a logic of quality-oriented governance, provides a foundation for such integration. Based on a structured conceptual synthesis of 53 academic and authoritative sources, this paper combines IMS research with systems theory, institutional decoupling, organizational capability, and excellence-model perspectives. It distinguishes formal integration from functional integration and introduces system coherence/reduced suboptimization as an explicit explanatory mechanism between the degree of management system integration and organizational performance. Quality culture and the process approach are conceptualized as complementary expressions of quality-oriented governance; the process approach also has a dual role as both an antecedent of integration and a construct shaped by quality culture. The model further recognizes partial mediation, contextual moderation, and diminishing returns when additional integration generates coordination costs or bureaucracy. Construct boundaries, composite versus reflective specifications, and organizational-level aggregation requirements are clarified to support future empirical validation. The proposed framework explains how quality-oriented governance can translate a growing portfolio of MSS and sustainability requirements into coherent routines, reduce the risk that improvement of individual subsystems undermines the whole, and support sustained organizational success. Full article

Background/Objectives: Modifiable lifestyle factors are established determinants of venous thromboembolism risk, but their relationship with the severity and early course of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is poorly characterized, and no validated Romanian-language instrument captures these domains in the acute PE setting. This protocol describes a prospective observational study with two distinct components: (i) a measurement component that develops and validates the Pulmonary Embolism Lifestyle and Nutrition Questionnaire (PE-LNQ), a composite patient-completed instrument, and (ii) a clinical component that analyzes the associations between lifestyle factors, routine clinical and laboratory data, and the severity and early outcomes of acute PE. Methods: Phase 1 comprises cross-cultural adaptation, content validation, piloting, and COSMIN-based psychometric evaluation. Its primary endpoints are test–retest reliability (ICC ≥ 0.70) and confirmation of ≥ 75% of a priori construct-validity hypotheses, including convergent validity against measured anthropometry and routine biomarkers. Phase 2 enrolls consecutive adults with CTPA-confirmed acute PE in a staged design (minimum 220 patients single-center; approximately 400 with a planned multicenter extension). The primary clinical endpoint is intermediate-/high-risk PE (vs. low risk) by sPESI/PESI, with the ordinal PESI class (I–V) as the key secondary endpoint. Severity data and a pre-specified panel of routine admission laboratory parameters are extracted from the medical record without study-specific sampling; patients are followed for in-hospital, 3-, and 6-month adverse events. The confirmatory analysis is multivariable logistic regression; ordinal, survival, incremental-value, and biomarker analyses are pre-specified as secondary or exploratory. Expected Results: The PE-LNQ is expected to show adequate reliability and validity, and less favorable lifestyle profiles to be associated with higher severity class and more early adverse events. Conclusions: This study will deliver a validated, freely reusable instrument and clarify the prognostic relevance of modifiable lifestyle factors, supporting their integration into risk assessment and secondary prevention. Full article

Liquid chromatography techniques used to investigate the biological properties of substances are described. The focus was on systems that mimic the environment in which the drug acts, i.e., biomimetic systems such as RP-LC with a non-polar stationary phase mimicking the interior of biological membranes, systems with phases mimicking cell membranes like the IAM-type stationary phases, micellar systems in which both the stationary and mobile phases mimic cell membranes; and systems in which the stationary phases consist of immobilised proteins. The paper discusses the chromatographic parameters used to assess the biological activity of substances, as well as the role of computational methods and statistical tools used in the analysis of chromatographic data and in the development of models to predict the biological activity of substances. The significant role of chromatography (in particular thin-layer chromatography) with biological detection in the study of the microbiological, microbiochemical and enzymatic activity of components of natural mixtures was also demonstrated. Full article