Search Results (1,086)

The transportation sector is a major consumer of primary energy and is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable transportation requires identifying and quantifying factors influencing transport-related CO₂ emissions. This research aims to establish an adaptable, precise, and transparent forecasting structure for transport CO₂ emissions of the United States. For this reason, we proposed a multi-stage method that incorporates explainable Machine Learning (ML) and Feature Selection (FS), guaranteeing interpretability in comparison to conventional black-box models. Due to high multicollinearity among 24 initial variables, hierarchical feature clustering and multi-step FS were applied, resulting in five key predictors: Total Primary Energy Imports (TPEI), Total Fossil Fuels Consumed (FFT), Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled (AVMT), Air Passengers-Domestic and International (APDI), and Unemployment Rate (UR). Four ML methods—Support Vector Regression, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, ElasticNet, and Multilayer Perceptron—were employed, with ElasticNet outperforming the others with RMSE = 45.53, MAE = 30.6, and MAPE = 0.016. SHAP analysis revealed AVMT, FFT, and APDI as the top contributors to CO₂ emissions. This framework aids policymakers in making informed decisions and setting precise investments. Full article

Objective: Hearing rehabilitation using hearing aids keeps increasing in the general population. Patient-related outcome measures are essential to evaluate benefits. Although the IOI-HA is routinely used in France, its translated version from 2002 has never been validated. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the French version of the IOI-HA questionnaire. Design: Controlled, prospective, monocentric study performed between February 2024 and January 2025. The forward–backward technique was used for translation of the questionnaire. Study Sample: 100 patients fitted with hearing aids completed the questionnaire. Thirty-five patients were retested 15 days after first completion. Results: Internal consistency, assessed by Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.863. Mean IOI-HA item scores ranged from 3.3 to 4.57. All seven items had a high degree of consistency with the total score, except for item Q1 which had a moderate score (0.45). Cronbach’s alpha after item deletion confirmed internal consistency. Intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from 0.622 (Q7) to 0.767 (Q5) and were all statistically significant (p < 0.001), revealing high reliability over time. No significant correlation was found between item scores and age, unilateral or bilateral hearing aid use or accompanying symptoms (tinnitus, dizziness). Conclusions: The French translation of the IOI-HA questionnaire, published in 2002, is a valid and reliable questionnaire evaluating hearing aid satisfaction. This validated questionnaire can now be used in daily clinical practice. Full article

This research develops a dual physics-based machine learning system to forecast fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions for a 100 m oil tanker across six operational scenarios: Original, Paint, Advanced Propeller, Fin, Bulbous Bow, and Combined. The combination of hydrodynamic calculations with Monte Carlo simulations provides a solid foundation for training machine learning models, particularly in cases where dataset restrictions are present. The XGBoost model demonstrated superior performance compared to Support Vector Regression, Gaussian Process Regression, Random Forest, and Shallow Neural Network models, achieving near-zero prediction errors that closely matched physics-based calculations. The physics-based analysis demonstrated that the Combined scenario, which combines hull coatings with bulbous bow modifications, produced the largest fuel consumption reduction (5.37% at 15 knots), followed by the Advanced Propeller scenario. The results demonstrate that user inputs (e.g., engine power: 870 kW, speed: 12.7 knots) match the Advanced Propeller scenario, followed by Paint, which indicates that advanced propellers or hull coatings would optimize efficiency. The obtained insights help ship operators modify their operational parameters and designers select essential modifications for sustainable operations. The model maintains its strength at low speeds, where fuel consumption is minimal, making it applicable to other oil tankers. The hybrid approach provides a new tool for maritime efficiency analysis, yielding interpretable results that support International Maritime Organization objectives, despite starting with a limited dataset. The model requires additional research to enhance its predictive accuracy using larger datasets and real-time data collection, which will aid in achieving global environmental stewardship. Full article

Agricultural development is vital for East Africa’s economic growth, yet the region faces significant disparities and systemic barriers. A critical problem exists due to the lack of an integrated quantitative framework to systematically comparing agricultural capacities and facilitate optimal resource allocation, as existing studies often overlook combined internal and external factors. This study proposes a comprehensive multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model to assess, categorize, and strategically profile the agricultural development capacity of 18 East African countries. The method employed is an integrated Entropy-MAIRCA model, which objectively weighs six criteria (the food production index, arable land, production fluctuation, food export/import ratios, and the political stability index) and ranks countries by their distance from an ideal development state. The experiment applied this framework to 18 East African nations using official data. The results revealed significant differences, forming four distinct strategic groups: frontier, emerging, trade-dependent, and high risk. The food export index (C4) and production volatility (C3) were identified as the most influential criteria. This model’s contribution is providing a science-based, transparent decision support tool for designing sustainable agricultural policies, aiding investment planning, and promoting regional cooperation, while emphasizing the crucial role of institutional factors. Full article

In this paper, preliminary gate reliability of p-GaN HEMTs under high positive gate bias is studied. Gate robustness is of great interest both from an academic and industrial point of view; in fact, different tests and models can be explored to estimate the device lifetime, which must meet some minimum product requirements, as specified by international standards (AEC Q101, JESD47, etc.). However, reliability characterizations are usually time-consuming and are performed in parallel on multiple packaged devices. Therefore, it would be useful to have a faster method to screen out weaker gate trials, already on-wafer, before reaching the packaging step. For this purpose, a room-temperature stress procedure is presented and described in detail. Then, this screening test is applied to devices with a reference gate process, and, as a result, high gate leakage degradation is observed. Afterwards, a different process implementing a dielectric layer between p-GaN and gate metal is evaluated, highlighting the improved behavior during the stress test. However, it is also observed that devices with this process suffer from very high drain leakage, and this effect is then studied and understood through TCAD (technology computer-aided design) simulations. Finally, the effect of a surface treatment performed on the p-GaN is analyzed, showing improved gate pre-reliability while maintaining low drain leakage. Full article

Background/Objectives: Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most significant diseases globally and in Portugal. Despite the availability of international guidelines, there is a lack of tailored, evidence-based recommendations specifically for Portuguese physiotherapists to manage their knee osteoarthritis patients with non-pharmacological and non-surgical interventions. This study aimed to develop a clinical practice guideline that integrates the latest international evidence with local clinical practice data to enhance patient outcomes. Methods: To achieve the objective, a comprehensive search was conducted in November 2024 across major health-related databases, to identify robust and recent evidence regarding the efficacy of non-pharmacological and non-surgical interventions, as well as their usage in the national context. Two key sources were identified: An umbrella and a mixed-methods study. Data from both sources were independently reviewed and integrated through a comparative analysis to identify interventions with robust scientific support and high local acceptability. Recommendations were then formulated and categorized into gold (strong), silver (moderate), and bronze (weak) levels based on evidence quality and clinical relevance. A decision-making flowchart was developed to support guideline implementation and clinical usage. Results: The integrated analysis identified three gold-level interventions, namely Nutrition/Weight Loss, Resistance Exercise, and Self-care/Education. Five silver-level recommendations were Aerobic Exercise, Balneology/Spa, Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy, Electrical Stimulation, and Manual Therapy. Similarly, five bronze-level recommendations comprised Kinesio Taping, Stretching, Ultrasound Therapy, Thermal Agents, and Walking Aids. Conclusions: This clinical practice guideline provides a context-specific, evidence-based framework for Portuguese physiotherapists managing knee osteoarthritis. By bridging international evidence with local clinical practice, the guideline aims to facilitate optimal patient care and inform future research and guideline updates. Full article

In West Africa, there is a very close link between the phenomenon of trafficking and migrant smuggling. This article will analyze the pressure elements and the causes that drive sub-Saharan people to migrate, placing themselves in the hands of criminal networks that end up exploiting them—women and minors sexually, and men through forced labor. The main corridors departing from West Africa and the characteristics of the criminal groups exercising criminal governance will also be addressed. This research has used both primary and secondary sources, as well as empirical fieldwork consisting of interviews with security force officials, international humanitarian aid organizations, and academic experts on migration issues related to trafficking and smuggling. Our research reveals that the origin of migration is multifactorial. The violence experienced in West Africa, but also the misgovernance, the lack of opportunities for a very young population with limited prospects, and the human insecurity affecting the entire region, are the main reasons that compel people to migrate. In these migration processes, the safety of migrants is compromised as they are forced to start their journey through clandestine means, which exposes them to trafficking networks and thus to violence and exploitation. It is along the migration routes where trafficking and migrant smuggling converge. Full article

During the process of flexible aerial refueling, the flexible structure of the hose drogue assembly is affected by internal and external interference, such as docking maneuvering, deformation of the hose, attitude changes, and body vibrations, causing the hose to swing and the whipping phenomenon, which greatly limits the success rate and safety of aerial refueling operations. Based on a 2.4 m transonic wind tunnel, high-speed wind tunnel test technology of a flexible aerial refueling hose–drogue system was established to carry out experimental research on the coupling characteristics of aerodynamics and multi-body dynamics. Based on the aid of Videogrammetry Model Deformation (VMD), high-speed photography, dynamic balance, and other wind tunnel test technologies, the dynamic characteristics of the hose–drogue system in a high-speed airflow and during the approach of the receiver are obtained. Adopting flexible multi-body dynamics, a dynamic system of the tanker, hose, drogue, and receiver is modeled. The cable/beam model is based on an arbitrary Lagrange–Euler method, and the absolute node coordinate method is used to describe the deformation, movement, and length variation in the hose during both winding and unwinding. The aerodynamic forces of the tanker, receiver, hose, and drogue are modeled, reflecting the coupling influence of movement of the tanker and receiver, the deformation of the hose and drogue, and the aerodynamic forces on each other. The tests show that during the approach of the receiver (distance from 1000 mm to 20 mm), the sinking amount of the drogue increases by 31 mm; due to the offset of the receiver probe, the drogue moves sideways from the symmetric plane of the receiver. Meanwhile, the oscillation magnitude of the drogue increases (from 33 to 48 and from 48 to 80 in spanwise and longitudinal directions, respectively). The simulation results show that the shear force induced by the oscillation of the hose and the propagation velocity of both the longitudinal and shear waves are affected by the hose stiffness and Mach number. The results presented in this work can be of great reference to further increase the safety of aerial refueling. Full article

We present HGC-Net, a hybrid pipeline for assessing geometric consistency between stereo image pairs. Our method integrates classical epipolar geometry with deep learning components to compute an interpretable scalar score A, reflecting the degree of alignment. Unlike traditional techniques, which may overlook subtle miscalibrations, HGC-Net reliably detects both severe and mild geometric distortions, such as sub-degree tilts and pixel-level shifts. We evaluate the method on the Middlebury 2014 stereo dataset, using synthetically distorted variants to simulate misalignments. Experimental results show that our score degrades smoothly with increasing geometric error and achieves high detection rates even at minimal distortion levels, outperforming baseline approaches based on disparity or calibration checks. The method operates in real time (12.5 fps on 1080p input) and does not require access to internal camera parameters, making it suitable for embedded stereo systems and quality monitoring in robotic and AR/VR applications. The approach also supports explainability via confidence maps and anomaly heatmaps, aiding human operators in identifying problematic regions. Full article

Semen collection is an important component of conservation and animal husbandry. Semen quality is generally improved using voluntary collection methods, particularly artificial vaginas (AVs). Most commercially available AVs are tube-shaped with few species-specific design augmentations. As genitalia are highly variable across taxa, incorporating species-specific genital morphologies into AV designs may enhance collected semen quality. We compared dolphin semen quality using: (1) silicone bioinspired artificial vaginas (BAVs) that reflect the internal shape of dolphin vaginas, and (2) manual stimulation. Sperm motility and kinematic parameters of five bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) were assessed using computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA). Sperm collected using BAVs showed non-significant increases in median progressive and rapid motility, and increases in median and mean linear motility, supporting a sexual selection functional hypothesis for the biodiverse vaginal folds unique to whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Sperm concentration decreased with BAV collection, while no consistent trends were detected in volume, pH, velocity, or plasma membrane integrity. Modifications to AVs for other species that incorporate genital morphologies may also optimize collected semen quality for application to artificial insemination. Full article

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has aided the development, design, and analysis of hypersonic airbreathing propulsion technologies, such as scramjets. The complex flow field in a scramjet isolator has been the subject of intense interest and study for several decades. Many features of this flow field also occur in supersonic wind-tunnel nozzles and diffusers. Computational analysis of these topics has frequently provided immense insight into the actual functionality and performance. Research presented in this work supports scientific investigation and understanding of a less-researched topic, which is shock–shock interference and interaction with the boundary layer in supersonic internal flows, as well as the passive control of its adverse effects to prevent the onset of unstart in a scramjet isolator. This computational investigation is conducted on a backpressured isolator and a modified three-dimensional shock-tube to represent a scramjet isolator with ram effects provided by high-pressure gas and high-speed flow provided by a supersonic inflow. Computational results for the backpressured isolator have been validated against available measured time-averaged wall pressure data. The modified shock-tube provided an opportunity to study the shock–shock interference and shock–boundary-layer interaction effects that would occur in a scramjet isolator or a ram-accelerator when the high-speed flow from the inlet interacted with the shock produced due to the combustor pressure traveling and meeting in the isolator. An assessment of wall cooling effects on these phenomena is presented for both the backpressured isolator and the modified shock-tube. Full article

This paper presents the development and validation of the Transgender Health, Resilience, Inner Well-Being, Vitality, and Empowerment (THRIVE) Scale. It offers insights into the well-being of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals, by considering their unique experiences and challenges. TGD individuals often experience significant health disparities, including mental health issues, substance abuse, physical health problems, and difficulty with providers knowing about their needs. A comprehensive quality-of-life assessment could aid in identifying contributions to poor quality of life (QOL) and knowing which resources are needed to address this effectively. Assessments attempting to address these challenges often have not been studied adequately and/or have limitations of being for one-time use, surgery-focused, lengthy, emotionally taxing, and not inclusive of non-binary individuals’ specific needs. Validated among a sample of TGD individuals (N = 61), the THRIVE scale displayed good internal consistency reliability (α = 0.87), as well as convergent and divergent validity. It had significant negative correlations with measures of psychological symptoms and identity distress and positive correlations with measures of life satisfaction and well-being. The THRIVE scale represents a critical advancement in assessing the QOL of TGD individuals and could be an effective tool for individualized care, research, and conversation with these populations. Full article

In 2023, there were approximately 32 million refugees globally. Nine out of the ten countries with the highest origins of refugees were in the Global South; conversely, only three of the ten countries hosting the highest numbers of refugees were in the Global North. In this study, we introduce the conceptual framework of a global division of responsibility sharing to describe how functions of Global North countries as permanent “resettlement” countries and Global South countries as perpetual countries of “asylum” and “transit” constitute unequal burdens with unequal protections for refugees. We illustrate—theoretically and empirically—how the structural positions of state actors in a global network introduce and reify a global division in refugee flows. Empirically, we test and develop this framework with network analysis of refugee flows to countries of asylum from 1990 to 2015 in addition to employing data on monetary donations to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from 2017 to 2021. We (1) provide evidence of the structure and role of intermediary countries in refugee flows and (2) examine how UNHCR monetary aid conditions intermediary countries’ role of routing and transit. We illustrate how network constraints and monetary donations affect and constitute a global division in the management of historic and contemporary international refugee flows and explore the consequences of this global division for refugees’ access to resources and social and human rights. Full article

Digestibility, together with intake, is the main factor affecting animal productivity. It can be assessed in vivo by measuring total feed intake and faecal output (time-consuming and labour-intensive) or with the aid of substances known as markers. Internal markers such as acid insoluble ash (AIA) or undigestible neutral detergent fibre (uNDF) have been alleged to be preferable for digestibility estimations. The use of AIA and uNDF for digestibility estimation in beef cattle fed high-concentrate and barley straw diets has been rarely documented; hence, the objectives of the present paper were to compare digestibility values obtained by total faecal collection vs. AIA or uNDF (Experiment 1), to compare digestibility values obtained using Cr₂O₃ as an external marker vs. AIA or uNDF (Experiment 2), and to compare digestibility values obtained using AIA vs. uNDF in beef cattle fed high-concentrate and barley straw diets (Experiment 3). Faecal recoveries of AIA and uNDF (Experiment 1) were very variable and likely influenced by contamination of faeces and/or feedstuffs with soil and/or dust. Then, the regressions between digestibility values obtained in metabolism cages or using Cr₂O₃ as an external marker and AIA or uNDF were not significant. The use of these two latter markers for estimation of digestibility in beef cattle fed high-concentrate and barley straw diets is not recommended. Full article

Climate change, the consequences of which have been more intense than ever in the last few decades, makes the need for sustainable transportation even more imperative. The promotion of public transportation and the discouragement of private car use are among the main priorities of sustainable transport planning in modern urban areas. However, the selection of the most appropriate transport project, apart from significant opportunities, is also accompanied by significant challenges, especially under the demand of compromising—often conflicting—social, environmental, and economic criteria, as well as different stakeholders’ interests. The aim of the present paper is to provide decision analysts and policy-makers with a decision-support tool for the prioritization and optimum selection of public transport projects for an urban area within the framework of sustainability. For this purpose, a comprehensive inventory of criteria for the evaluation of urban public transport systems (alternatives), along with a standardized table with the relevant performance of the most common alternatives (i.e., metro, tram, monorail, and BRT) are provided based on international literature review. A multi-criteria decision-aiding methodology based on TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution), allowing for the direct exclusion of an alternative not meeting certain “binding” criteria from further evaluation, thus saving time, effort and cost, taking into account different stakeholders’ interests and preferences, as well as the particularities and special characteristics of the study area, is then proposed and tested through a theoretical case study. Full article