Search Results (586)

To address the issues of inefficiency and high costs in obtaining data on the residential distribution of public transport passengers at present, this paper proposes an approach of “estimating the residential distribution of public transport passengers based on characteristics such as housing prices of residential Point of Interest (POI) and the convenience of public transport and its stops”. First, from two aspects—public transport travel and the selection of public transport stops—eight influencing factors for the selection of public transport stops during travel are identified. Based on these factors, a regression model for the number of public transport passengers from residential POI to their corresponding stops is constructed, through which the number of passengers traveling from each residential POI to all accessible public transport stops is obtained. This number is then used as a weight to allocate the actual passenger flow of each public transport stop to the respective residential POI, thereby realizing the estimation of the residential distribution of public transport passengers. Furthermore, this approach enables the estimation of the proportion of trips made from residential areas to specific public transport stops and the overall proportion of public transport trips among all travel modes from residential areas. The proposed estimation method is verified and evaluated using Shenzhen as a case study. Full article

Environmental assessment in high-density urban areas faces significant challenges due to complex building morphology and the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP). This study proposes a morphology-adaptive computational framework that integrates the Homogeneous Unit of Building Morphology (HUBM) with geospatial modeling to enhance environmental assessment processes. Using Macao as a case study, the framework quantifies local and accessibility-based ecosystem service flows and evaluates ecological resilience via ecological security patterns and spatial elasticity indices. The results demonstrate that HUBM substantially reduces MAUP-induced biases compared to traditional grid-based approaches, maintaining statistical significance in spatial clustering analyses across all scales. Functionally, ecosystem service value (ESV) analysis reveals that natural green spaces provide more than three times the total ESV, predominantly offering regulating services, while artificial green spaces primarily deliver localized services. Accessibility analysis highlights considerable spatial inequities, with natural green spaces exhibiting a significantly higher recreational accessibility index. In terms of ecological security patterns (ESPs), natural green spaces function as core ecological patches, while artificial green spaces dominate connectivity, accounting for 75% of corridor length and 86% of node density. Natural green spaces exhibit significantly greater ecological resilience. These findings highlight the complementary roles of natural and artificial green spaces in dense urban environments and underscore the need for adaptive spatial analysis in urban planning. Full article

We review some aspects of accretion disks physics, spacetime photon shell and photon orbits, related to retrograde (counter-rotating) motion in Kerr black hole (BH) spacetimes. In this brief review, we examine the counter-rotating components of the Kerr BH shadow boundary, under the influence of counter-rotating accretion tori, accreting flows and proto-jets (open critical funnels of matter, associated with the tori) orbiting around the central BH. We also analyze the redshifted emission arising from counter-rotating structures. Regions of the shadows and photon shell are constrained in their dependence of the BH spin and observational angle. The effects of the counter-rotating structures on these are proven to be typical of the fast-spinning BHs, and accordingly can be observed only in the restricted classes of the Kerr BH spacetimes. This review is intended as a concise guide to the main properties of counter-rotating fluxes and counter-rotating disks in relation to the photon shell and the BH shadow boundary. Our findings may serve as the basis for different theoretical frameworks describing counter-rotating accretion flows with observable imprints manifesting at the BH shadow boundary. The results can eventually enable the distinction of counter-rotating fluxes through their observable imprints, contributing to constraints on both the BH spin and the structure of counter-rotating accretion disks. In particular, photon trajectories and their impact parameters can manifest in the morphology of the BH shadow. Such features, when accessible through high-resolution imaging and spectral or polarization measurements, could provide a direct avenue for testing different theoretical models on accretion disk dynamics and their BH attractors. Full article

Background and Objectives: Airway management and ventilation during laryngotracheal surgery represent some of the most challenging tasks in anesthesiology. The shared airway between the surgeon and anesthesiologist requires continuous coordination to ensure optimal oxygenation while maintaining an unobstructed surgical field. Materials and Methods: This narrative review is based on a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar, covering all publications from inception to 30 June 2025. The literature search was performed using a defined Boolean strategy and explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria, focusing on adult human subjects. The search included combinations of the terms “laryngotracheal surgery,” “airway management,” “ventilation strategies,” “jet ventilation,” “Tritube,” and “Flow Controlled Ventilation.” Only English-language studies focused on human subjects were included. Results: Traditional ventilation strategies, such as apneic oxygenation and jet ventilation, remain widely used but present limitations in terms of gas exchange efficiency, risk of barotrauma, and surgical interference. In recent years, new devices and ventilation modes—particularly the Tritube^® combined with Flow-Controlled Ventilation—have emerged as promising alternatives. These approaches allow continuous ventilation with minimal airway diameter, improving surgical access and patient safety. FCV’s potential to optimize gas exchange and reduce mechanical power is physiologically compelling, but its supporting evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, primarily consisting of small, single-center studies and case series. Conclusions: Optimal airway and ventilation management in laryngotracheal surgery requires individualized planning, technical expertise, and close interdisciplinary communication. This approach must integrate objective neuromuscular monitoring to ensure patient safety and include a comprehensive strategy for safe postoperative airway management and extubation. While emerging technologies have significantly expanded available options, their successful application depends on training, experience, and appropriate case selection. Further high-quality clinical studies are needed to standardize protocols and validate long-term outcomes of these innovative ventilation strategies. Full article

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to 15% of mothers, yet access to preventive psychological interventions during pregnancy remains limited. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has demonstrated efficacy in promoting psychological flexibility and preventing mental distress. Nevertheless, no studies have yet evaluated its use for the prevention of PPD through a chatbot-based digital intervention. The present study describes the development and preliminary evaluation of an ACT-based chatbot intervention (REA) to support women during late pregnancy and the early postpartum period. Nineteen participants interacted with the low-fidelity REA prototype, explored its features, completed two questionnaires, and then participated in semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test; qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Quantitative analysis revealed significantly elevated scores for the majority of variables, including empathy and listening, fluency, lexicon, clarity, engagement, functionality, aesthetics, information, and perceived impact. The interview findings demonstrated a notable level of appreciation for the intervention. The participants described the chatbot as engaging and supportive, highlighting a smooth interaction flow, content-appropriate language, and messages of suitable length. The REA prototype demonstrated high acceptability, usability, and perceived usefulness among a diverse range of stakeholders, thus supporting its potential as a scalable, stigma-reducing tool for the prevention of PPD. Subsequent research endeavours will focus on refining the chatbot’s personalisation features and conducting comprehensive clinical trials to evaluate its efficacy. Full article

This study investigates the potential use of black coal mining waste as a feedstock for plasma gasification. A national database of coal waste heaps was developed based on standardized criteria such as heap volume (>100,000 m³), accessibility, and environmental risk. From six initially sampled sites, two active and unreclaimed heaps—Jan Karel (Karviná) and Paskov D (Ostrava)—were selected for detailed material analysis due to their favorable characteristics. Subsequent plasma gasification experiments were conducted using sorted coal waste fractions at a temperature of 1600 °C in a pilot-scale plasma reactor. Four trials were performed with fuel flow rates of 15 and 20 kg/h and varying steam/fuel ratios (0.6, 1.0, and 1.3). The results revealed a high syngas yield of up to 92% by volume. Increasing the steam/fuel ratio led to higher hydrogen and carbon dioxide content in the syngas, while lower ratios favored carbon monoxide and trace methane formation. Volt-ampere characteristics of the plasma torch showed that higher nitrogen flow rates required higher voltage to maintain a stable arc. The findings confirm the technical feasibility and efficiency of converting selected coal mining waste into valuable syngas, supporting its future use in advanced waste-to-energy technologies. Full article

Monitoring the complex, three-dimensional flow within centrifugal compressor diffusers remains a major challenge due to geometric confinement, high rotational speeds, and strong unsteadiness near surge and stall. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of contemporary instrumentation strategies for diffuser flow characterization, spanning pressure, temperature, velocity, vibration, and acoustic measurements. The article outlines the standards governing compressor instrumentation, compares conventional probes with emerging high-resolution and high-bandwidth sensor technologies, and evaluates the effectiveness of pressure- and temperature-based diagnostics, optical methods, and advanced dynamic sensing in capturing diffuser behavior. Case studies from industrial compressors, research rigs, and high-speed experimental facilities illustrate how sensor layout, bandwidth, and synchronization influence the interpretation of flow stability, performance degradation, and surge onset. Collectively, these examples demonstrate that high-frequency pressure and temperature probes remain indispensable for instability detection, while optical techniques such as PIV, LDV, and PSP/TSP offer unprecedented spatial resolution for understanding flow structures. The findings highlight the growing integration of hybrid sensing architectures, digital acquisition systems, and data-driven analysis in diffuser research. Overall, the review identifies current limitations in measurement fidelity and accessibility while outlining promising paths toward more robust, real-time monitoring solutions for reliable centrifugal compressor operation. Full article

Multi-bit upsets (MBUs) are a growing reliability threat in high-density SDRAM, particularly in radiation-prone embedded systems. This paper presents a large-scale FPGA-based fault injection (FI) study targeting external SDRAM in a cache-enabled LEON3 SPARC V8 processor, with over 300,000 dual-bit MBUs injected across three diverse workloads: Fast Fourier transform (FFT), matrix multiplication (MulMatrix), and advanced encryption standard (AES). Our results reveal a profound dependence of MBU manifestation on application semantics: memory-intensive benchmarks (FFT, MulMatrix) exhibit high fault detectability through data store and access exceptions, while the AES workload demonstrates exceptional intrinsic masking, with the vast majority of MBUs producing no observable effect. These results demonstrate that processor vulnerability to MBUs is not uniform but fundamentally shaped by workload characteristics, including memory access patterns, control flow regularity, and algorithmic redundancy. The study provides a hardware-validated foundation for designing workload-aware fault tolerance strategies in space-grade and safety-critical embedded platforms. Full article

Widespread and simple detection of diseases and disfunctions in the body is crucial for reliable and prompt diagnostics, efficient use of healthcare resources, and improved quality of life. The presence of a large number of metabolic products in saliva, the relationship between their levels in saliva and blood, the diagnostic value of many of these compounds, and the advantages of noninvasive sampling drive interest in oral fluid as a biomatrix. This review summarizes established oral fluid biomarkers, as well as potential salivary indicators for remote health monitoring and noninvasive point-of-care diagnostics. Recent advances in the search for new solutions for sensitive and high-throughput immunodetection of biomarkers in oral fluid are discussed, along with strategies for overcoming the analytical and technical challenges associated with the salivary matrix testing. Another focus of the current review is optical and electrochemical immunosensors with an emphasis on lateral flow immunoassays for point-of-care testing due to their speed, simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Finally, future directions are discussed that may enable non-invasive monitoring of endocrine, infectious, immune, neurodegenerative diseases and other human conditions using immunoassay platforms, paving the way for personalized and accessible healthcare. Full article

Introduction: Chest drainage is central to thoracic surgery, pleural medicine, and emergency care, yet practice remains heterogeneous in tube caliber, access, suction, device selection, and removal thresholds. This narrative review aims to synthesize evidence and translate it into guidance. Materials and Methods: We performed a narrative review with PRISMA-modeled transparency. Using backward citation from recent comprehensive overviews, we included randomized trials, meta-analyses, guidelines/consensus statements, and high-quality observational studies. We extracted data on indications, technique, tube size, analog versus digital drainage, suction versus water-seal drainage, removal criteria, and key pleural conditions. Due to heterogeneity in device generations, suction targets, and outcomes, we synthesized the findings qualitatively according to converged evidence. Results: After lung resection, single-drain strategies, early use of water-seal, and standardized removal at ≤300–500 mL/day reduce pain and length of stay without increasing the need for reintervention; digital systems support objective removal using sustained low-flow thresholds (approximately 20–40 mL/min). Small-bore (≤14 Fr) Seldinger catheters perform comparably to larger tubes for secondary and primary pneumothorax and enable ambulatory pathways. In trauma, small-bore approaches can match large-bore drainage in stable patients when paired with surveillance and early escalation of care. For pleural infection, image-guided drainage, combined with fibrinolytics or surgery, is key. Indwelling pleural catheters provide relief comparable to talc in dyspnea associated with malignant effusions in patients with non-expandable lungs. Complications are mitigated by ultrasound guidance and avoiding abrupt high suction after chronic collapse; however, these strategies must be balanced against risks of malposition, occlusion or retained collections, prolonged air leaks, and device complexity, which demand protocolized escalation and team training. Conclusions: Practice coalesces around three pillars—right tube, right system, proper criteria. Adopt standardized pathways, device-agnostic thresholds, and volume or airflow criteria. Trials should harmonize “seal” definitions and validate telemetry-informed removal strategies. Full article

Academic libraries have assumed expansive research data management (RDM) responsibilities, yet persistent dataset underutilisation suggests systemic disconnects between services and researcher needs. This scoping review applied a three-dimensional diagnostic framework to examine why libraries struggle to advance beyond consultative roles despite sustained investment. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, this review analysed 34 empirical studies (2015–2025). Electronic databases, key journals, and grey literature sources were systematically reviewed, with 65% of studies originating from high-income (Global North) contexts. The analysis integrated the Institutional Readiness Index (IRI), Service Maturity Level (SML), and Information Flow Efficiency (IFE) to assess library engagement with research datasets. Three structural patterns constrain effectiveness. First, a capacity-complexity mismatch emerges as libraries manage increasingly diverse datasets without proportional infrastructure scaling, creating bottlenecks in discoverability, interoperability, and preservation. Second, structural progression barriers appear, where advancement requires simultaneous development across infrastructure, staffing, governance, and engagement rather than sequential improvement. Third, an implementation gap separates Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable (FAIR) policy awareness from operational capacity, as most institutions demonstrate standards knowledge without technical operationalisation ability. These patterns form interdependent constraints: infrastructure limitations correlate with restricted services, which are associated with persistent researcher skill gaps, reduced engagement, and constrained resource allocation, reinforcing the initial deficits. The review framework provides diagnostic specificity for identifying whether constraints stem from readiness, maturity, or implementation failures. This study advances RDM scholarship by explaining stagnation patterns rather than cataloguing services, offering an empirically grounded diagnostic tool. However, the findings reflect predominantly high-resource contexts and require validation across diverse institutional settings. Full article

The Internet of Things (IoT) has influenced the healthcare industry by enabling real-time monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and automation of medical activities. IoT in healthcare comprises a network of interconnected medical devices, sensors, and software systems that gather, analyse, and transmit patient data, enhancing the efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility of healthcare services. Despite its benefits, the deployment and impact of IoT in healthcare vary between countries due to differences in healthcare infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and technical advancements. This review highlights how IoT technologies underpin the efficiency of EHR and HIE systems by enabling continuous data flow, interoperability, and real-time patient care. It also addresses the problems involved with IoT adoption, including data privacy concerns, interoperability issues, high implementation costs, and cybersecurity dangers. Additionally, the paper examines future trends in IoT healthcare, including 5G integration, AI-enhanced healthcare analytics, blockchain-based security solutions, and the creation of energy-efficient IoT medical equipment. Through an analysis of worldwide trends and obstacles, this research offers suggestions for policies, methods, and best practices to close the digital healthcare gap and make sure that healthcare solutions powered by the IoT are available, safe, and effective everywhere. Full article

This review relates the kinetics of anaerobic digestion (AD) to energy outcomes, including typical ranges of methane yields and volumetric methane productivities (down to hourly g L⁻¹ h⁻¹ scales relevant for industrial plants). It further translates these relationships into practical control principles that support stable, high methane productivity. Evidence spans substrate selection and co-digestion with emphasis on carbon/nitrogen (C/N) balance, pretreatment strategies, and reactor operation, linking process constraints with operating parameters to identify interventions that raise performance while limiting inhibition. Improving substrate accessibility is the primary step: pretreatment and co-digestion shift limitation beyond hydrolysis and allow safe increases in organic loading. Typical mesophilic operation involves hydraulic retention times of about 10–40 days for food waste and 20–60 days for different types of livestock manure and slowly degradable energy crops, with stable performance achieved when the solids retention time (SRT) is maintained longer than the hydraulic retention time (HRT). Stability is further governed by sustaining a low hydrogen partial pressure through hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. Temperature and pH define practicable operating ranges; meanwhile, mixing should minimise diffusion resistance without damaging biomass structure. Early-warning indicators—volatile fatty acids (VFAs)/alkalinity, the propionate/acetate ratio, specific methanogenic activity, methane (CH₄)% and gas flow—enable timely adjustment of loading, retention, buffering, mixing intensity and micronutrient supply (Ni, Co, Fe, Mo). In practice, robust operation is generally associated with VFA/alkalinity ratios below about 0.3 and CH₄ contents typically in the range of 50–70% (v/v) in biogas. The review consolidates typical feedstock characteristics and biochemical methane potential (BMP) ranges, as well as outlines common reactor types with their advantages and limitations, linking operational choices to energy yield in combined heat and power (CHP) and biomethane pathways. Reported pretreatment effects span approximately 20–100% higher methane yields; for example, 18–37% increases after mechanical size reduction, around 20–30% gains at 120–121 °C for thermal treatments, and in some cases nearly a two-fold increase for more severe thermal or combined methods. Priorities are set for adaptive control, micronutrient management, biomass-retention strategies, and standardised monitoring, providing a coherent route from kinetic understanding to dependable energy performance and explaining how substrate composition, pretreatment, operating parameters, and kinetic constraints jointly determine methane and energy yield, with particular emphasis on early-warning indicators. Full article