Search Results (918)

Meta-heuristic algorithms are the dominant techniques for parameter estimating for solar photovoltaic (PV) models. Current algorithms are primarily designed with a focus on search performance and convergence speed, but they fail to account for the significant difference in the lengths of the feasible regions for each decision variable in the solar parameter estimation problem. The consideration of variable length difference in algorithm design may be beneficial to the efficiency for solving this problem. A gray predictive evolutionary algorithm with adaptive threshold adjustment strategy (GPEat) is proposed in this paper to estimate the parameters of several solar photovoltaic models. Unlike original GPEs and their existing variants with fixed thresholds, GPEat designs an adaptive threshold adjustment strategy (ATS), which adaptively adjusts the threshold parameter of GPE to be proportional to the length of each dimensional variable of the PV problem. The adaptive change of the threshold helps GPEat to select suitable operators for different dimensions of the PV problem. Several sets of experiments are conducted based on single-, double-, and triple-diode models and PV panel models. The experimental results indicate the highly competitive in parameter estimation for solar PV models of the proposed algorithm. Full article

The premature senescence of red raspberry leaves severely affects plant growth. In this study, the double-season red raspberry cultivar ‘Polka’ was used, with N₁₅₀ (0.10 g N·kg⁻¹) selected as the treatment group (T150) and N₀ (0 g N·kg⁻¹) set as the control (CK). This study systematically investigated the mechanism of premature senescence in red raspberry leaves under different nitrogen application levels by measuring physiological parameters and conducting a combined multi-omics analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics. Results showed that T150 plants had 8.34 cm greater height and 1.45 cm greater ground diameter than CK. The chlorophyll, carotenoid, soluble protein, and sugar contents in all leaf parts of T150 were significantly higher than those in CK, whereas soluble starch contents were lower. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide anion (O₂⁻) generation rate in the lower leaves of T150 were significantly lower than those in CK. Superoxide sismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities in the middle and lower functional leaves of T150 were higher than in CK, while catalase (CAT) activity was lower. Transcriptomic analysis identified 4350 significantly differentially expressed genes, including 2062 upregulated and 2288 downregulated genes. Metabolomic analysis identified 135 differential metabolites, out of which 60 were upregulated and 75 were downregulated. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis showed enrichment in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis (ko00940) and flavonoid biosynthesis (ko00941) pathways, with the former acting as an upstream pathway of the latter. A premature senescence pathway was established, and two key metabolites were identified: chlorogenic acid content decreased, and naringenin chalcone content increased in early senescent leaves, suggesting their pivotal roles in the early senescence of red raspberry leaves. Modulating chlorogenic acid and naringenin chalcone levels could delay premature senescence. Optimizing fertilization strategies may thus reduce senescence risk and enhance the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of the red raspberry industry. Full article

Background: Peripancreatic collections (PPCs) are a frequent and severe complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis, as well as pancreatic surgery, often requiring interventions to treat and prevent infection, gastric obstruction, and other complications. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided drainage has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to surgical and percutaneous approaches, offering reduced morbidity and shorter recovery times. However, the effectiveness of EUS-guided drainage in post-surgical PPCs remains underexplored. Methods: This retrospective, single-center study evaluated the technical and clinical outcomes of EUS-guided drainage in patients with PPCs between October 2021 and December 2024. Patients were categorized as having post-pancreatitis or post-surgical PPCs. Technical success, clinical success, complications, recurrence rates, and the need for reintervention were assessed. Results: A total of 50 patients underwent EUS-guided drainage, including 42 (84%) with post-pancreatitis PPCs and 8 (16%) with post-surgical PPCs. The overall technical success rate was 100%, with clinical success achieved in 96% of cases. Lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMSs) were used in 84% of patients, including 7.1% as a dual-gate salvage strategy after the failure of double-pigtail drainage. The complication rate was 24%, with infection being the most common (16%). The recurrence rate was 25%, with no significant difference between post-pancreatitis and post-surgical cases. Patients with walled-off necrosis had a significantly higher reintervention rate (35%) than those with pseudocysts (18%; p = 0.042). Conclusions: EUS-guided drainage is a highly effective and safe intervention for PPCs, including complex post-surgical cases. The 100% technical success rate reinforces its reliability, even in anatomically altered post-surgical collections. While recurrence rates remain a consideration, EUS-guided drainage offers a minimally invasive alternative to surgery, with comparable outcomes in both post-pancreatitis and post-surgical patients. Future multi-center studies should focus on optimizing treatment strategies and reducing recurrence in high-risk populations. Full article

This review presents a comprehensive synthesis of recent advances in the tensile performance of adhesively bonded joints, focusing on applied aspects and modeling developments rather than providing a full theoretical analysis. Although many studies have addressed individual joint types or modeling techniques, an integrated review that compares joint configurations, modeling strategies, and performance optimization methods under tensile loading remains lacking. This work addresses that gap by examining the mechanical behavior of key joint types, namely, single-lap, single-strap, and double-strap joints, and highlighting their differences in stress distribution, failure mechanisms, and structural efficiency. Modeling and simulation approaches, including cohesive zone modeling, extended finite element methods, and virtual crack closure techniques, are assessed for their predictive accuracy and applicability to various joint geometries. This review also covers material and geometric enhancements, such as adherend tapering, fillets, notching, bi-adhesives, functionally graded bondlines, and nano-enhanced adhesives. These strategies are evaluated in terms of their ability to reduce stress concentrations and improve damage tolerance. Failure modes, adhesive and adherend defects, and delamination risks are also discussed. Finally, comparative insights into different joint configurations illustrate how geometry and adhesive selection influence strength, energy absorption, and weight efficiency. This review provides design-oriented guidance for optimizing bonded joints in aerospace, automotive, and structural engineering applications. Full article

The current focus of urban environmental governance is on the traffic noise pollution caused by road transportation. Elevated complex roads, defined as transportation systems comprising elevated roads and underlying ground-level roads, exhibit unique traffic noise distribution characteristics due to the presence of double-decked roads and viaducts. This study conducted noise measurements at two sections of elevated complex roads in Guangzhou, including assessing noise levels at the road boundaries and examining noise distribution at different distances from roads and building heights. The results show that the horizontal distance attenuation of noise in adjacent areas exhibits no significant difference from that of ground-level roads, but substantial discrepancies exist in vertical height distribution. The under-viaduct space experiences more severe noise pollution than areas above the viaduct height, and the installation of sound barriers alters the spatial distribution trend of traffic noise. Given that installing sound barriers solely on elevated roads is insufficient to improve the acoustic environment, systematic noise mitigation strategies should be developed for elevated composite road systems. Additionally, the study reveals that nighttime noise fluctuations are significantly greater than those during the day, further exacerbating residents’ noise annoyance. Full article

Accurate phenological information on sugarcane is crucial for guiding precise cultivation management and enhancing sugar production. Remote sensing offers an efficient approach for large-scale phenology retrieval, but most studies have primarily focused on staple crops. The methods for retrieving the sugarcane phenology—the germination, tillering, elongation, and maturity stages—remain underexplored. This study addresses the challenge of accurately monitoring the sugarcane phenology in complex terrains by proposing an optimized strategy integrating spatiotemporal fusion data. Ground-based validation showed that the change detection method based on the Double-Logistic curve significantly outperformed the threshold-based approach, with the highest accuracy for the elongation and maturity stages achieved at the maximum slope points of the ascending and descending phases, respectively. For the germination and tillering stages with low canopy cover, a novel time-windowed change detection method was introduced, using the first local maximum of the third derivative curve (denoted as Point A) to establish a temporal buffer. The optimal retrieval models were identified as 25 days before and 20 days after Point A for germination and tillering, respectively. Among the six commonly used vegetation indices, the NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) performed the best across all the phenological stages. Spatiotemporal fusion using the ESTARFM (Enhanced Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model) significantly improved the monitoring accuracy in heterogeneous agricultural landscapes, reducing the RMSE (root-mean-squared error) by 21–46%, with retrieval errors decreasing from 18.25 to 12.97 days for germination, from 8.19 to 4.41 days for tillering, from 19.17 to 10.78 days for elongation, and from 19.02 to 15.04 days for maturity, highlighting its superior accuracy. The findings provide a reliable technical solution for precision sugarcane management in heterogeneous landscapes. Full article

Double-Side-Cooled (DSC) power modules, widely utilized in various industrial and transportation applications, are favored for their remarkable high cooling efficiency and minimal packaging parasitics. To extend the life cycle, the design and optimization of metal or alloy spacers have garnered significant research attention due to their role in mitigating thermal-expansion-mismatch-induced stresses. Among the optimization approaches, topology optimization (TO) methods have the merit of generating innovative spacer shapes, thereby maximizing the buffering effects. However, without certain design considerations and constraints predetermined, the overall processes can become computationally costly. This paper proposes an efficient strategy for finding the optimized spacer topology for a double-sided 1700 V/400 A DSC SiC MOSFET power module. First, comparative thermal-stress investigations are carried out to predetermine the spacer height prior to TOs. Subsequently, to identify the appropriate optimization target, different objectives are employed in the TOs of a 2D simplified model. Following this, TO with the selected target function is performed on 3D simplified models featuring diverse spacer combination architectures, with the preferable one chosen based on the outcomes. Eventually, leveraging the predetermined spacer height, objective function, and preliminary structure, a 3D TO spacer design utilizing a full-domain model is conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed methodologies. The final spacer design reduces the maximum von-Mises stress in the attachment by 19.42% (from 111.78 MPa with brick spacers of the same height to 90.07 MPa). The proposed multi-step TO method can therefore be used to improve the thermo-mechanical lifetime of DSC power modules. Full article

Background: Cannabidiol (CBD) has demonstrated potential as a therapeutic agent for muscle tension, pain, and sleep bruxism, yet its broader impact on comorbid conditions such as sleep disturbance and migraine disability remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the effects of topical CBD on sleep quality and migraine-related disability in patients with bruxism-associated muscular pain. Methods: In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, 60 participants with bruxism were allocated equally into three groups: control (placebo gel), 5% CBD gel, and 10% CBD gel. Participants applied the gel intraorally to the masseter muscles nightly for 30 days. Sleep quality and migraine-related disability were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS), respectively. Surface electromyography (sEMG) and the Bruxoff^® device were used for objective evaluation of muscle tension and bruxism intensity. Results: Both CBD treatment groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in PSQI and MIDAS scores compared to the control group (p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed between the 5% and 10% CBD groups, suggesting comparable efficacy. The sEMG findings corroborated a reduction in muscle tension. Improvements in sleep and migraine outcomes were positively correlated with reductions in muscle activity and pain. Conclusions: Topical CBD gel significantly improved sleep quality and reduced migraine-related disability in patients with bruxism-associated muscular pain, supporting its role as a multifaceted therapeutic option in the management of TMD and related comorbidities. Further research is needed to confirm long-term benefits and determine optimal dosing strategies. Full article

In Europe, corporate sustainability reporting through the double materiality assessment was formally introduced with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive in response to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards. The double materiality assessment is essential not only to determine the scope of corporate sustainability reporting but also to guide companies toward an efficient allocation of resources and shape corporate sustainability strategies. However, although EFRAG represents the technical adviser of the European Commission, there are numerous “interoperable” standards related to the assessment of double materiality, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), or UNI 11919-1:2023. This research intends to systematically analyze similarities and divergences between the most widespread double materiality assessment standards at the global scale, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses and trying to identify a comparable path toward the creation of a set of common guidelines. This analysis is carried out through the systematic study of seven standards and by answering nine questions ranging from generic ones, such as “what is the concept of double materiality?”, to more technical questions like “does the standard identify thresholds?”, but adding original prospects such as “does the standard refer to different types of capital?”. Findings highlight that EFRAG, UNI 11919-1:2023, and GRI represent the most complete and least-discretionary standards, but some methodological aspects need to be enhanced. In the double materiality assessment, companies must identify key stakeholders, material topics and material risks, and must develop the double materiality matrix, promoting transparent disclosure, continuous monitoring, and stakeholders’ engagement. While comparability is principally required among companies operating within the same sector and of similar size, this does not preclude the possibility of comparing firms across different sectors with respect to specific indicators, when appropriate or necessary. Full article

Background/Objectives: The co-existence of multiple compression sites on the same nerve can pose a clinical and diagnostic challenge, warranting a different treatment strategy. This so-called double crush syndrome (DCS) has mainly been investigated in the upper limb. Only a few studies have investigated DCS for the lower limb. In this article, a single-center illustrative clinical case series is presented, and current literature on L5 nerve root (NR) and concomitant common peroneal nerve (CPN) is reviewed. Methods: All patients presenting between 2019 and 2022 with L5 nerve root (NR) compression and, along their clinical courses, concomitant compression of the common peroneal nerve (CPN) at the fibular head were included. Information on clinical features, diagnostics and surgeries was obtained. The outcome was assessed at the last outpatient follow-up appointment. In addition, an extensive literature review has been conducted. Results: Fourteen patients were included with a mean follow-up of 6.8 months. The majority had pain (71%) or motor deficits (71%). Seven patients were referred for clinical and radiological L5 NR compression but were also found to have CPN compression; the other seven patients had persisting or recurrent symptoms after surgically or conservatively treated L5 NR compression, suggestive of additional peroneal neuropathy. All patients had CPN decompression at the fibular head, with successful results obtained in 93% of the patients. Pain of the lower leg improved in all patients, and dorsiflexion function improved in 78%. Conclusions: Concomitant L5 NR and CPN appear to occur more frequently than expected. Peroneal neuropathy can present simultaneously with L5 nerve radiculopathy or after surgically or conservatively treated L5 NR compression. Overlapping symptoms and variation in clinical presentations make it difficult to diagnose and, therefore, underrecognized. More awareness among treating physicians of this specific double crush syndrome is important to prevent any delay in treatment, in this case, a less invasive common peroneal nerve release at the fibular head, and to avoid unnecessary (additional) spinal surgery. Full article

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a bioactive peptide that is strongly induced during severe inflammation, including pneumonia and sepsis, and serves as an organ-protective factor. The plasma concentration of AM is markedly increased in the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 and is closely related to the severity of the disease and prognosis of patients. We performed two investigator-initiated trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of AM in patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19. This multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase-2a trial evaluated COVID-19 patients with severe (n = 33) and moderate (n = 31) pneumonia in Japan. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 15 ng/kg/min AM or placebo. The primary endpoint was the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) for severe pneumonia and oxygen support for moderate pneumonia. The main secondary endpoint was clinical status up to 30 days after the intervention. No differences in primary or secondary endpoints were observed between the AM and placebo groups in patients with severe or moderate pneumonia. In the severe pneumonia group, three patients in the placebo group died due to respiratory failure, and one patient in the AM group died due to respiratory failure. The respiratory function test at 30 days in the moderate pneumonia group tended to be better than that in the AM group and approached significance (p = 0.073). Although mild adverse events caused by the vasodilatory effects of AM were noted, the safety of AM for treating pneumonia was confirmed. In these trials, we did not observe a definitive efficacy of AM in moderate to severe pneumonia. Alternative strategies for the treatment of AM in pneumonia require further research. Full article

The sharp decline in the population along the northeastern border poses a significant threat to the security of the region, the prosperity of border areas, and the stability of the social economy in our country. Effective management of human and land resources is crucial for the high-quality development of border areas. Taking Changbai County on the northeastern border as an example, based on multi-source data such as land use, the natural environment, climate conditions, transportation location, and social economy from 2000 to 2020, the land use transfer matrix, spatial kernel density, and PLUS model were used to analyze the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of land use and explore simulation scenarios and optimization strategies under different planning concepts. This study reveals the following: (1) During the study period, the construction land continued to increase, but the growth rate slowed down, mainly transferred from cultivated land and forest land, and the spatial structure evolved from a single center to a double center, with the core always concentrated along the border. (2) The distance to the port (transportation location), night light (social economy), slope (natural environment), and average annual temperature (climate conditions) are the main driving factors for the change in construction land, and the PLUS model can effectively simulate the land use trend under population contraction. (3) In the reduction scenario, the construction land decreased by 1.67 km², the scale of Changbai Town slightly reduced, and the contraction around Malugou Town and Badagou Town was more significant. The study shows that the reduction scenario is more conducive to the population aggregation and industrial carrying capacity improvement of shrinking county towns, which is in line with the high-quality development needs of border areas in our country. Full article

As environmental issues become increasingly prominent, the sustainable practices of enterprises, especially measures at the product level, have garnered widespread attention from scholars. Although numerous studies have explored suppliers’ sales strategies for green products, they often overlook the scenario where suppliers simultaneously sell both green and non-green products.This study focuses on the sales mode selection strategies of suppliers when providing green and non-green products through e-commerce platforms. Utilizing a game model, we analyze the equilibrium strategies between suppliers and e-commerce platforms, and conduct sensitivity analyses to evaluate the impact of key parameters on decision-making. The results reveal that there are significant differences in the strategic preferences of suppliers and e-commerce platforms. However, when commission rates are moderate and green products incur high production costs, these preferences tend to align, leading to Pareto optimal outcomes. Additionally, our findings demonstrate that adopting differentiated sales modes for the two product types can effectively mitigate the problem of double marginalization, thereby enhancing the efficiencyof supply chains. These insights provide valuable guidance for e-commerce platform managers and suppliers in making decisions on sales models for managing multiple types of products. Full article

Various approaches have been explored to address the path planning problem for mobile robots. However, it remains a significant challenge, particularly in environments where a multi-tasking mobile robot operates alongside stochastically moving humans. This paper focuses on path planning for a mobile robot executing multiple pickup and delivery tasks in an environment shared with humans. To plan a safe path and achieve high task success rate, a Reinforcement Learning (RL)-based double layer controller is proposed in which a double-layer learning algorithm is developed. The high-level layer integrates a Finite-State Automaton (FSA) with RL to perform global strategy learning and task-level decision-making. The low-level layer handles local path planning by incorporating a Markov Decision Process (MDP) that accounts for environmental uncertainties. We verify the proposed double layer algorithm under different configurations and evaluate its performance based on several metrics, including task success rate, reward, etc. The proposed method outperforms conventional RL in terms of reward (+63.1%) and task success rate (+113.0%). The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in solving path planning problem with stochastic human uncertainties. Full article

Background: Infective endocarditis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR-IE) is a rare but severe complication associated with high morbidity and mortality. The optimal treatment strategy—surgical explantation versus medical therapy—remains uncertain, particularly given the technical demands of TAVR removal and the advanced age of many affected patients. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing the surgical and medical management of TAVR-IE. Primary outcomes included 30-day mortality and 1-year survival. Secondary analyses explored microbiological profiles, patient demographics, prosthesis type, postoperative complications, and surgical indications. A qualitative synthesis of surgical explantation techniques and reconstructive strategies was also performed based on recent consensus recommendations. Results: Three studies comprising 1557 patients with TAVR-IE were included; 155 (10.0%) underwent surgical treatment. Thirty-day mortality was comparable between groups (surgical: 9.7%; medical: 8.4%), while the pooled odds ratio for one-year survival did not reach statistical significance (OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 0.36–10.22; I² = 88%). However, single-center outcomes demonstrated markedly improved survival with surgery (96% vs. 51%). The most common surgical indications included severe valvular dysfunction (50.3%), aortic root abscess (26.5%), and large vegetations (21.3%), in line with current guideline recommendations. Postoperative complications included acute renal failure (10%) and longer hospitalizations (19.8 vs. 18 days), although these were not statistically different. Contemporary explant strategies—such as the Double Kocher, Tourniquet, and Y-incision aortic enlargement techniques—were highlighted as critical tools for surgical success. Conclusions: While underutilized, surgical intervention for TAVR-IE may offer significant survival benefits in select patients, particularly when guided by established indications and performed at high-volume centers. Outcomes depend heavily on timing, surgical expertise, and appropriate patient selection. As TAVR expands to younger populations, TAVR-IE will become increasingly relevant, necessitating early multidisciplinary involvement and broader familiarity with advanced explant techniques among cardiac surgeons. Full article