Search Results (765)

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing offers mask-free, high-resolution deposition across a broad range of ink viscosities, yet combining void-free filling of high-aspect-ratio through-glass vias (TGVs) with ultrafine drop-on-demand (DOD) line printing on the same platform requires balancing conflicting requirements: for example, high field strengths to drive ink into deep and narrow vias; sufficiently high ink viscosity to prevent gravity-induced leakage; and stable meniscus dynamics to avoid satellite droplets and charge accumulation on the glass surface. By coupling electrostatic field analysis with transient level-set simulations, we establish a dimensionless regime map that delineates stable cone-jetting regime; these predictions are validated by high-speed imaging and surface profilometry. Operating within this window, the platform achieves complete, void-free filling of 200 µm × 1.52 mm TGVs and continuous 10 µm-wide traces in a single print pass. Demonstrating its capabilities, we fabricate transparent Ku-band substrate-integrated waveguide antennas on borosilicate glass: the printed vias and arc feed elements exhibit a reflection coefficient minimum of −18 dB at 14.2 GHz, a −10 dB bandwidth of 12.8–16.2 GHz, and an 8 dBi peak gain with 37° beam tilt, closely matching full-wave predictions. This physics-driven, all-in-one EHD approach provides a scalable route to high-performance, glass-integrated RF devices and transparent electronics. Full article

Urochloa brizantha (Brizantha) is cultivated under varying altitudinal and management conditions. Twelve full-sun (monoculture) plots and twelve shaded (silvopastoral) plots were established, proportionally distributed at 170, 503, 661, and 1110 masl. Evaluations were conducted 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 days after establishment. The conservation and integration of trees in silvopastoral systems reflected a clear anthropogenic influence, evidenced by the preference for species of the Fabaceae family, likely due to their multipurpose nature. Although the altitudinal gradient did not show direct effects on soil properties, intermediate altitudes revealed a significant role of CaCO₃ in enhancing soil fertility. These edaphic conditions at mid-altitudes favored the leaf area development of Brizantha, particularly during the early growth stages, as indicated by significantly larger values (p < 0.05). However, at the harvest stage, no significant differences were observed in physiological or productive traits, nor in foliar chemical components, underscoring the species’ high hardiness and broad adaptation to both soil and altitude conditions. In Brizantha, a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in stomatal size and density was observed under shade in silvopastoral areas, where solar radiation and air temperature decreased, while relative humidity increased. Nonetheless, these microclimatic variations did not lead to significant changes in foliar chemistry, growth variables, or biomass production, suggesting a high degree of adaptive plasticity to microclimatic fluctuations. Foliar ash content exhibited an increasing trend with altitude, indicating greater efficiency of Brizantha in absorbing calcium, phosphorus, and potassium at higher altitudes, possibly linked to more favorable edaphoclimatic conditions for nutrient uptake. Finally, forage quality declined with plant age, as evidenced by reductions in protein, ash, and In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD), alongside increases in fiber, Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF). These findings support the recommendation of cutting intervals between 30 and 45 days, during which Brizantha displays a more favorable nutritional profile, higher digestibility, and consequently, greater value for animal feeding. Full article

Background: Hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a leading cause of severe neurological impairments in childhood. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is both safe and effective in neonates born at ≥36 weeks gestation with moderate to severe HIE. We aimed to evaluate short-term outcomes—including brain injury detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—in infants born at 34–35 weeks of gestation drawing on our clinical experience with neonates under 36 weeks of gestational age (GA). Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 20 preterm infants with a GA of 34 to 35 weeks and a matched cohort of 80 infants with a GA of ≥36 weeks who were diagnosed with moderate to severe HIE and underwent TH were included. Infants were matched in a 1:4 ratio based on the worst base deficit in blood gas and sex. Maternal and neonatal characteristics, brain MRI findings and short term outcomes were compared. Results: Infants with a GA of 34–35 weeks had a lower birth weight and a higher rate of caesarean delivery (both p < 0.001). Apgar scores, sex, intubation rate in delivery room, blood gas pH, base deficit and lactate were comparable between the groups. Compared to infants born at ≥36 weeks of GA, preterm neonates were more likely to receive inotropes, had a longer time to achieve full enteral feeding, and experienced a longer hospital stay. The mortality rate was 10% in the 34–35 weeks GA group. Neuroimaging revealed injury in 66.7% of infants born at 34–35 weeks of gestation and in 58.8% of those born at ≥36 weeks (p = 0.56). Injury was observed across multiple brain regions, with white matter being the most frequently affected in the 34–35 weeks GA group. Thalamic and cerebellar abnormal signal intensity or diffusion restriction, punctate white matter lesions, and diffusion restriction in the corpus callosum and optic radiations were more frequently detected in infants born at 34–35 weeks of gestation. Conclusions: Our study contributes to the growing body of literature suggesting that TH may be feasible and tolerated in late preterm infants. Larger randomized controlled trials focused on this vulnerable population are necessary to establish clear guidelines regarding the safety and efficacy of TH in late preterm infants. Full article

Background: Preterm infants and their families face a challenging experience during their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Family-centered care emphasizes the importance of welcoming parents, involving them in their baby’s daily care, and supporting the development of parenting skills. NICU staff should support parents in understanding their baby’s needs and in strengthening the parent–infant bond. Although many tools outline what parents should learn, there is a limited structured framework to monitor their involvement in the infant’s care. Tracking parental participation in daily caregiving activities could support professionals in effectively guiding families, ensuring a smoother transition to discharge. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the adherence to and effectiveness of a structured tool for parental involvement in the NICU. This tool serves several key purposes: to track the progression and timing of parents’ autonomy in caring for their baby, to support parents in building caregiving competencies before discharge, and to standardize the approach of NICU professionals in promoting both infant care and family engagement. Methods: A structured template form for documenting parental involvement (“together TO-CARE template”, TTCT) was integrated into the computerized chart adopted in the NICU of Modena. Nurses were asked to complete the TTCT at each shift. The template included the following assessment items: parental presence; type of contact with the baby (touch; voice; skin-to-skin); parental involvement in care activities (diaper changing; gavage feeding; bottle feeding; breast feeding); and level of autonomy in care (observer; supported by nurse; autonomous). We evaluated TTCT uploaded data for very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants admitted in the Modena NICU between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2024. Staff compliance in filling out the TTCT was assessed. The timing at which parents achieved autonomy in different care tasks was also measured. Results: The TTCT was completed with an average of one entry per day, during the NICU stay. Parents reached full autonomy in diaper changing at a mean of 21.1 ± 15.3 days and in bottle feeding at a mean of 48.0 ± 22.4 days after admission. The mean length of hospitalization was 53 ± 38 days. Conclusions: The adoption of the TTCT in the NICU is feasible and should become a central component of care for preterm infants. It promotes family-centered care by addressing the needs of both the baby and the family. Encouraging early and progressive parental involvement enhances parenting skills, builds confidence, and may help reduce post-discharge complications and readmissions. Furthermore, the use of a standardized template aims to foster consistency among NICU staff, reduce disparities in care delivery, and strengthen the support provided to families of preterm infants. Full article

Heuristic optimization is used to find sustainable cogeneration steam power plants with steam reheat and supercritical main steam parameters. Design solutions are analyzed for steam consumer (SC) pressures of 3.6 and 40 bar and a heat flow rate of 40% of the fuel heat flow rate. The objective functions consisted in simultaneous maximization of global and exergetic efficiencies, power-to-heat ratio in full cogeneration mode, and specific investment minimization. For 3.6 bar, the indicators improve with the increase in the ratio between reheating and main steam pressure. The increase in SC pressure worsens the performance indicators. For an SC steam pressure of 40 bar and 9 feed water preheaters, the ratio between reheating and main steam pressure should be over 0.186 for maximum exergetic efficiency and between 0.10 and 0.16 for maximizing both global efficiency and power-to-heat ratio in full cogeneration mode. The average global efficiency for an SC requiring steam at 3.6 bar is 4.4 percentage points higher than in the case with 40 bar, the average specific investment being 10% lower. The Pareto solutions found in this study are useful in the design of sustainable cogeneration supercritical power plants. Full article

This paper presents the design, simulation, and experimental validation of a dual-Circularly Polarized (CP) array antenna to be used as single element for a bistatic radar system, aimed at detecting and tracking objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The antenna operates at 412 MHz in reception mode and consists of an array of 19 slotted-patch radiating elements with a cavity-based metallic superstrate, designed to support dual circular polarization. These elements are arranged in a hexagonal configuration, enabling the array structure to achieve a maximum realized gain of 17 dBi and a Side Lobe Level (SLL) below −17 dB while maintaining high polarization purity. Two identical analog feeding networks enable the precise control of phase and amplitude, allowing the independent reception of Right-Hand and Left-Hand Circularly Polarized (RHCP and LHCP) signals. Full-wave simulations and experimental measurements confirm the high performance and robustness of the system, demonstrating its suitability for integration into large-scale Space Situational Awareness (SSA) sensor networks. Full article

Craniofacial development is a complex, highly conserved process involving multiple tissue types and molecular pathways, with perturbations resulting in congenital defects that often require invasive surgical interventions to correct. Remarkably, some species, such as Xenopus laevis, can correct some craniofacial abnormalities during pre-metamorphic stages through thyroid hormone-independent mechanisms. However, the full scope of factors mediating remodeling initiation and coordination remain unclear. This study explores the differential remodeling responses of craniofacial defects by comparing the effects of two pharmacological agents, thioridazine-hydrochloride (thio) and ivermectin (IVM), on craniofacial morphology in X. laevis. Thio-exposure reliably induces a craniofacial defect that can remodel in pre-metamorphic animals, while IVM induces a permanent, non-correcting phenotype. We examined developmental changes from feeding stages to hindlimb bud stages and mapped the effects of each agent on the patterning of craniofacial tissue types including: cartilage, muscle, and nerves. Our findings reveal that thio-induced craniofacial defects exhibit significant consistent remodeling, particularly in muscle, with gene expression analysis revealing upregulation of key remodeling genes, matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 13, as well as their regulator, prolactin.2. In contrast, IVM-induced defects show no significant remodeling, highlighting the importance of specific molecular and cellular factors in pre-metamorphic craniofacial correction. Additionally, unique neuronal profiles suggest a previously underappreciated role for the nervous system in tissue remodeling. This study provides novel insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying craniofacial defect remodeling and lays the groundwork for future investigations into tissue repair in vertebrates. Full article

The global escalation of organic waste generation, coupled with rising protein demand and environmental pressure, necessitates innovative, circular approaches to resource management. Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly, BSF) has emerged as a leading candidate for integrated waste-to-resource systems. This review examines BSF biological and genomic adaptations underpinning waste conversion efficiency, comparative performance of BSF bioconversion versus traditional treatments, nutritional and functional attributes, techno-economic, regulatory, and safety barriers to industrial scale-up. Peer-reviewed studies were screened for methodological rigor, and data on life cycle traits, conversion metrics, and product compositions were synthesized. BSF larvae achieve high waste reductions, feed-conversion efficiencies and redirect substrate carbon into biomass, yielding net CO₂ emissions as low as 12–17 kg CO₂ eq ton⁻¹, an order of magnitude below composting or vermicomposting. Larval biomass offers protein, lipids (notably lauric acid), micronutrients, chitin, and antimicrobial peptides, with frass serving as a nutrient-rich fertilizer. Pathogen and antibiotic resistance gene loads decrease during bioconversion. Key constraints include substrate heterogeneity, heavy metal accumulation, fragmented regulatory landscapes, and high energy and capital demands. BSF systems demonstrate superior environmental and nutritional performance compared to conventional waste treatments. Harmonized safety standards, feedstock pretreatment, automation, and green extraction methods are critical to overcoming scale-up barriers. Interdisciplinary innovation and policy alignment will enable BSF platforms to realize their full potential within circular bio-economies. Full article

In this study, an empirical analysis was applied to measure the efficiency level of dairy farms in Cyprus and estimate the capacity of sheep farmers to support the increasing demand for halloumi cheese. Data Envelopment Analysis was used on data from 50 dairy sheep farms in Cyprus, which operate under extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive systems. The main features of the most efficient farms are presented, and a comparative financial analysis is implemented between the efficient and less efficient farms. The results indicate room for improvement in extensive and semi-intensive dairy sheep farming and verify that the transition that takes place in sheep farming towards more intensive systems constitutes the optimal approach. The most efficient farms operate under semi-intensive and intensive dairy sheep farming and achieve higher milk yields than the farms operating under extensive systems. Feeding constitutes the main cost driver, exceeding 60% in both efficient and inefficient farms, while labor wages and fixed capital cost varies between 25% and 30% of the total production cost for both efficiency groups. The findings indicate that the farms should utilize economies of scale to reduce production costs and utilize fixed capital endowments at full capacity. Full article

This study analyzed the surface layer condition of X5CRNI18-10 stainless austenitic chromium–nickel steel test pieces after burnishing. Among the finishing operations, burnishing is an economical and low-environmental-impact process. In special cases, grinding can be replaced by burnishing, so the same roughness can be achieved with much lower environmental impact. The aim of this study is to analyze the roughness of a surface machined by diamond burnishing using Kraljic matrices. The technological parameters used during the burnishing tests were burnishing speed, feed rate, and burnishing force. The full factorial experimental design method was used to carry out the experiments. Using Kraljic matrices, the optimum burnishing force was determined to select the best value of the surface roughness, and the change in surface roughness was investigated using full factorial experimental design for different technological parameter combinations. A special improvement ratio formula was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the burnishing process with respect to 2D and 3D roughness parameters. Full article

A three-year optimization study was conducted at a mechanical biological treatment plant with the aim of enhancing organic fractions recovery from mechanically separated fine fractions (MSFF) of residual waste using a screw press. The study aimed to optimize key operating parameters for the employed screw press, such as pressure, liquid-to-MSFF, feeding quantity per hour, and press basket mesh size, to enhance volatile solids and biogas recovery in the generated press water for anaerobic digestion. Experiments were performed at the full-scale facility to evaluate the efficiency of screw press extraction with other pretreatment methods, like press extrusion, wet pulping, and hydrothermal treatment. The results indicated that hydrolysis of the organic fractions in MSFF was the most important factor for improving organic extraction from the MSFF to press water for fermentation. Optimal hydrolysis efficiency was achieved with a digestate and process water-to-MSFF of approximately 1000 L/ton, with a feeding rate between 8.8 and 14 tons per hour. Increasing pressure from 2.5 to 4.0 bar had minimal impact on press water properties or biogas production, regardless of the press basket size. The highest volatile solids (29%) and biogas (50%) recovery occurred at 4.0 bar pressure with a 1000 L/ton liquid-to-MSFF. Further improvements could be achieved with longer mixing times before pressing. These findings demonstrate the technical feasibility of the pressing system for preparing an appropriate substrate for the fermentation process, underscoring the potential for optimizing the system. However, further research is required to assess the cost–benefit balance. Full article

Neonatal calves possess an immature and naïve immune system and are reliant on the intake of maternal colostrum for the passive transfer of immunoglobulins. Maternal antibodies delivered to the calf via colostrum, are crucial to prevent calfhood diseases and death. Failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) is a condition in which calves do not acquire enough maternal antibodies, mostly in the form of IgG, due to inadequate colostrum quality or delayed colostrum feeding. The diagnosis and risk factors for FTPI have been widely studied in dairy cattle; however, in beef calves, the research interest in the topic is relatively recent, and the most adequate diagnostic and preventative methods are still in development, making it difficult to define recommendations for the assessment and prevention of FTPI in cow–calf operations. The objective of this scoping review is to identify the published literature on best practices for colostrum management and transfer of passive immunity (TPI) in neonatal beef calves. The literature was searched using three electronic databases (CAB Direct, Scopus, and PubMed) for publications from 2003 to 2025. The search process was performed during the period from May to July 2023, and was repeated in January 2025. All screening processes were performed using Covidence systematic review software (Veritas Health Innovation, Melbourne, Australia). A total of 800 studies were initially identified through database searches. After removing duplicates, 346 studies were screened based on their titles and abstracts, leading to the exclusion of 260 studies. The remaining 86 studies underwent full-text screening, and 58 studies were considered eligible for data extraction. Hand-searching the references from published review papers on the subject yielded an additional five studies, bringing the total to 63 included articles. The prevalence of FTPI has been estimated to be between 5.8% and 34.5% in beef calves. Factors studied related to colostrum management include quality and quantity of colostrum intake, the timing and method of colostrum feeding, and the microbial content of the colostrum. Studies on risk factors related to the calf include the topics calf sex, twin status, calf vigor, weight, month of birth, cortisol and epinephrine concentrations, and the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to calves after difficult calving. The dam-related risk factors studied include dam body condition score and udder conformation, breed, parity, genetics, prepartum vaccinations and nutrition, calving area and difficulty, and the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at C-section. Most importantly for beef systems, calves with low vigor and a weak suckling reflex are at high risk for FTPI; therefore, these calves should be given extra attention to ensure an adequate consumption of colostrum. While serum IgG levels of < 8 g/L or < 10 g/L have been suggested as cutoffs for the diagnosis of FTPI, 16 g/L and 24 g/L have emerged as cutoffs for adequate and optimal serum IgG levels in beef calves. Several field-ready diagnostics have been compared in various studies to the reference standards for measuring indicators of TPI in beef calves, where results often differ between models or manufacturers. Therefore, care must be taken when interpreting these results. Full article

This work presents a one-dimensional (1D) model for simulating the behavior of an FCC riser reactor processing bio-oil. The FCC riser is modeled as a plug-flow reactor, where the bio-oil feed undergoes vaporization followed by catalytic cracking reactions. The bio-oil droplets are represented using a Lagrangian framework, which accounts for their movement and evaporation within the gas-solid flow field, enabling the assessment of droplet size impact on reactor performance. The cracking reactions are modeled using a four-lumped kinetic scheme, representing the conversion of bio-oil into gasoline, kerosene, gas, and coke. The resulting set of ordinary differential equations is solved using a stiff, second- to third-order solver. The simulation results are validated against experimental data from a full-scale FCC unit, demonstrating good agreement in terms of product yields. The findings indicate that heat exchange by radiation is negligible and that the Buchanan correlation best represents the heat transfer between the droplets and the catalyst particles/gas phase. Another significant observation is that droplet size, across a wide range, does not significantly affect conversion rates due to the bio-oil’s high vaporization heat. The proposed reduced-order model provides valuable insights into optimizing FCC riser reactors for bio-oil processing while avoiding the high computational costs of 3D CFD simulations. The model can be applied across multiple applications, provided the chemical reaction mechanism is known. Compared to full models such as CFD, this approach can reduce computational costs by thousands of computing hours. Full article

Background: Pinus massoniana is a significant lipid-producing tree species in China and a susceptible host for both the pine wood nematode and its insect vector, Monochamus alternatus. The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors play a crucial role in responding to both biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the role of bHLH in terpene-induced defense in P. massoniana remains poorly studied. Results: Transcriptome sequencing using DNA Nanoball Sequencing (DNBSEQ) and PacBio Sequel platforms was performed, revealing differences in gene expression in P. massoniana branch under the simulated feeding treatment of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) spraying. Fifteen bHLH genes were cloned and analyzed, among which eight highly upregulated PmbHLH genes showed similar temporal expression after MeJA treatment and M. alternatus adult feeding. Five highly upregulated bHLH genes with nuclear localization were highly expressed in P. massoniana after M. alternatus feeding and interacted with the promoter of the terpene synthase gene Pm TPS (−)-α-pinene, confirming their involvement in the defense response of P. massoniana against the M. alternatus adult feeding. Conclusions: Our results unveil the temporal changes and the regulation of the induced defense system in P. massoniana mediated by both MeJA signaling and M. alternatus feeding treatment. The potential application for transgenic experiments and the breeding of resistant species in the future were discussed. Full article

Traditional detection methods and security defenses are gradually insufficient to cope with evolving attack techniques and strategies, and have coarse detection granularity and high memory overhead. As a result, we propose Sylph, a lightweight unsupervised APT detection method based on a provenance graph, which not only detects APT attacks but also localizes APT attacks with a fine event granularity and feeds possible attacks back to system detectors to reduce their localization burden. Sylph proposes a whole-process architecture from provenance graph collection to anomaly detection, starting from the system audit logs, and dividing subgraphs based on time slices of the provenance graph it transforms into to reduce memory overhead. Starting from the system audit logs, the provenance graph it transforms into is divided into subgraphs based on time slices, which reduces the memory occupation and improves the detection efficiency at the same time; on the basis of generating the sequence of subgraphs, the full graph embedding of the subgraphs is carried out by using Graph2Vec to obtain their feature vectors, and the anomaly detection based on unsupervised learning is carried out by using an autoencoder, which is capable of detecting new types of attacks that have not yet appeared. After the experimental evaluation, Sylph can realize the APT attack detection with higher accuracy and achieve an accuracy rate. Full article