Search Results (380,026)

The current study focuses on a preliminary evaluation of the use of solid residues produced from the distillation of selected medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) as fertilizers for alkaline soils. Specifically, the residues of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), helichrysum (Helichrysum Italicum (Roth) G. Don), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and sage (Salvia officinalis L.) were added in an alkaline and calcareous soil at the rates of 0 (control), 1, 2, 4 and 8%, in three replications (treatments), and the treated soils were analyzed. The results showed that upon application of the residues, soil electrical conductivity (EC), organic C, total N and the C/N ratio significantly increased, especially at the 4 and 8% rates. The same was found for soil available P, K, B, Cu and Mn. The effects of the residues on soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and available Zn and Fe were rather inconclusive, whereas soil available N significantly decreased, which was somewhat unexpected. From the different application rates tested, it seems that all residues could improve soil fertility (except N?) when they were applied to soil at rates of 2% and above, without exceeding the 8% rate. The reasons for the latter statement are soil EC and available Mn: the doubling of EC upon application of the residues and the excessive increase in soil available Mn in treatments with 8% residues raise concerns of soil salinization and Mn phytotoxicity risks, respectively. This work provides the first step towards the potential agronomic use of solid residues from MAP distillation in alkaline soils. However, for the establishment of such a perspective, further research is needed in respect to the effect of residues on plant growth and soil properties, by means of at least pot experiments. Based on the results of the current study, the undesirable effect of residues on soil available N should be investigated in depth, since N is the most important essential element for plant growth, and possible risks of micronutrient phytotoxicities should also be studied. In addition, application rates between 2 and 4% should be studied extensively in order to recommend optimum application rates of residues to producers. Full article

The present paper investigates the adoption of green manufacturing approaches among industrial enterprises in Slovakia, emphasizing the interplay between institutional pressures and enterprise-level resources. Based on a survey of 88 enterprises from energy- and material-intensive sectors, the study evaluates how regional context and enterprise size influence the adoption of green practices. Using logistic regression and the chi-squared test, the findings reveal minimal regional variation, suggesting strong isomorphic effects of harmonised European Union environmental regulations. In contrast, enterprise size significantly correlates with the adoption of complex green practices, confirming the relevance of the resource-based view. These results highlight the dominance of internal capabilities over regional factors in green transition pathways within small post-transition economies. The study contributes to cross-national theorising by showing how resource asymmetries, rather than institutional diversity, shape environmental behaviour in uniform regulatory environments. Specifically, the paper examines how institutional pressures, enterprise-level resources, stakeholders, and legitimacy influence the adoption of green manufacturing practices in Slovak industrial enterprises. The study draws on institutional theory, the resource-based view, stakeholder theory, and legitimacy theory to explore the relationship between enterprise size, regional location, and the adoption levels of green manufacturing. Full article

Climate changes have increased interest in the circular economy, an alternative model that seeks to minimize environmental impact and maximize resource reuse. A key element of this model is individuals’ behaviors and attitudes, which determine the overall efficiency of recycling processes. The study fills the gap by investigating how selected socio-demographic factors affect attitudes and intentions toward recycling and material reuse in the Slovak Republic, by using the Perceived Characteristics of Innovating (PCI) framework. Through a two-way ANOVA, we tested the hypotheses that higher education correlates with stronger recycling attitudes and that women are more willing than men to engage in circular practices. The results show that gender differences in consumer attitudes towards the circular economy do occur, but their magnitude is often conditioned by education level. Education proved to be the strongest predictor of ecological behavior: respondents with higher education reported stronger beliefs in the importance of recycling and a greater willingness to act sustainably. The interaction between gender and education revealed that university-educated women hold the most pronounced pro-environmental attitudes, underscoring the importance of gender-sensitive educational strategies. It is recommended that environmental education and outreach focus on less-educated groups, particularly women, who have high potential to influence their communities. Full article

This paper investigates weak fault feature extraction in AUV thrusters under multi-input signal conditions. Conventional methods often rely on insufficient input signals, leading to a non-monotonic mapping between fault features and fault severity. This, in turn, makes accurate fault severity identification infeasible. To overcome this limitation, this paper increases the number of input signals by utilizing all available measurable signals. To address the problems arising from the expanded signal set, a signal denoising method that combines Feature Mode Decomposition and wavelet denoising is proposed. Furthermore, a signal enhancement technique that integrates energy operators and the Modified Bayes method. Additionally, distinct technical approaches for noise reduction and enhancement are specifically designed for different input signals. Unlike conventional methods that extract features directly from raw input signals, for fault feature extraction and fusion, this study transforms the signals into the time, frequency, and time–frequency domains, extracting diverse fault features across these domains. A sensitivity factor selection method is then employed to identify the sensitive features. These selected features are subsequently fused using Dempster–Shafer evidence theory to construct the final fault feature. Finally, fault severity identification is carried out using the classical grey relational analysis. Pool experiments using the “Beaver II” AUV prototype validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Full article

SARS-CoV-2 has an affinity for binding to the human Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor through cleavage and conformational changes at the S1–S2 boundary and the receptor binding domain of the spike protein, which is also the most variable part of SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to investigate the expression of Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), spike protein, and CD68+ markers in placental tissue to demonstrate a possible correlation with the level of systemic oxidative stress biomarkers in patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. A prospective clinical cohort study was designed to investigate the presence of CD68+ macrophages, ACE2, and spike proteins in placental tissue using immunohistochemical methods and to compare these results with oxidative stress from our previous study. Spike and CD68+ macrophages’ immunoreactivity were more pronounced in the placental tissue of patients from the SARS-CoV-2 group. Placental tissue spike protein and CD68+ immunoreactivity correlate with maternal and fetal Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive (TBARS) levels. This study has confirmed that spike protein expression in placental tissue is associated with the newborn’s stay in intensive neonatal care. Therefore, immunoreactivity analysis for the Spike antigen is important in detecting newborns at risk of early neonatal complications. Full article

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) in Oman, necessitating targeted healthcare planning and patient support. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on MS management and disease course, incidence, and outcomes of COVID-19, psychosocial and mental health effects of the pandemic, and demographic and clinical predictors of the effects related to COVID-19 among Omani PwMS. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2021. Adult (18–60 years) Omani PwMS completed a structured interview along with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5). Clinical data on relapses and disease-modifying therapies and adherence were analyzed. The data was statistically analyzed. (3) Results: Of 104 PwMS (73.1% female), 22.1% contracted COVID-19, with fatigue being the most reported symptom (87%). Female sex (p = 0.042), younger age (18–34 vs. 35–45 years; p = 0.014), diagnosis of COVID-19 (p = 0.037), and low current mental well-being scores (p = 0.021) predicted greater COVID-19-related effects. (4) Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to study the mental resilience of this subgroup of PwMS and provide them with targeted support during crises. Full article

Deer tick virus (DTV) is a Tick-Borne Orthoflavivirus endemic to the United States, transmitted to humans through bites from the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, which is also the primary vector of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., the causative agent of Lyme disease. Human infection with DTV can result in acute febrile illness followed by central nervous system complications, such as encephalitis and meningoencephalitis. Currently, there are mouse models established for investigating the pathogenesis and clinical outcomes of DTV that mimic human infections, but the strains of mice utilized are refractory to infection with B. burgdorferi s.l. Here, we describe the pathogenesis and clinical outcomes of DTV infection in C3H/HeJ mice. Neurological clinical signs, mortality, and weight loss were observed in all DTV-infected mice during the investigation. Infected animals demonstrated consistent viral infection in their organs. Additionally, neuropathology of brain sections indicated the presence of meningoencephalitis throughout the brain. This data, along with the clinical outcomes for the mice, indicates successful infection and showcases the neuroinvasive nature of the virus. This is the first study to identify C3H/HeJ mice as an appropriate model for DTV infection. As C3H/HeJ mice are already an established model for B. burgdorferi s.l. infection, this model could serve as an ideal system for investigating disease progression and pathogenesis of co-infections. Full article

Magnetorheological fluids (MRFs) are multiphase materials whose viscosity can be controlled via magnetic fields. However, particle sedimentation undermines their long-term stability. This review examines stabilization strategies based on the interaction between ultrasonic waves and time-varying magnetic fields, analyzed through advanced mathematical models. The propagation of acoustic waves in spherical and cylindrical domains is studied, including effects such as cavitation, acoustic radiation forces, and viscous attenuation. The Biot–Stoll poroelastic model is employed to describe saturated granular media, while magnetic field modulation is investigated as a means to balance gravitational settling. The analysis highlights how acousto-magnetic coupling supports the design of programmable and self-stabilizing intelligent fluids for complex applications. Full article

Excess caloric intake and insufficient physical activity are the two major drivers underlying the global obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus epidemics. However, circadian misalignment of caloric intake and physical activity, as commonly experienced by nightshift workers, can also have detrimental effects on body weight and glucose homeostasis. We have previously reported that combined restriction of eating and voluntary wheel running to the inactive phase (i.e., a rat model for circadian misalignment) shifted liver and muscle clock rhythms by ~12 h and prevented the reduction in the amplitude of the muscle clock oscillation otherwise induced by light-phase feeding. Here, we extended on these findings and investigated how a high-fat diet (HFD) affects body composition and liver and muscle clock gene rhythms in male Wistar rats while restricting both eating and exercise to either the inactive or active phase. To do this, we used four experimental conditions: sedentary controls with no wheel access on a non-obesogenic diet (NR), sedentary controls with no wheel access on an HFD (NR-H), and two experimental groups on an HFD with simultaneous access to a running wheel and HFD time-restricted to either the light phase (light-run-light-fed + HFD, LRLF-H) or the dark phase (dark-run-dark-fed + HFD. DRDF-H). Consumption of an HFD did not alter the daily running distance of the time-restricted groups but did increase the running intensity in the LRLF-H group compared to a previously published LRLF chow fed group. However, no such increase was observed for the DRDF-H group. LRLF-H ameliorated light phase-induced disturbances in the soleus clock more effectively than under chow conditions and had a protective effect against HFD-induced changes in liver clock gene expression. Together with (our) previously published results, these data suggest that eating healthy and being active at the wrong time of the day can be as detrimental as eating unhealthy and being active at the right time of the day. Full article

Fibromyalgia has unclear etiopathogenesis, no curative treatment, and a severe impact on the quality of life. Gratitude practices have been shown to enhance the quality of life in chronic diseases. This systematic review, performed by searching five electronic databases, following the PRISMA guidelines, is the first aiming to evaluate the impact of gratitude in fibromyalgia. Data from eligible studies was extracted and a narrative synthesis was performed. Six articles (four observational studies and two randomized clinical trials) were included. Higher levels of gratitude are associated with reduced symptom severity, an enhanced quality of life, improved well-being, and the improvement of pain-related outcomes in fibromyalgia patients. Gratitude is related to reduced stress, anxiety, and depression; better sleep patterns; and less functional impairment in FM patients. Higher levels of gratitude contribute to a better quality of life, general well-being, and higher functioning capacity in fibromyalgia patients. Based on the results gathered in this systematic review, we propose that gratitude should be investigated as a therapeutic adjuvant in the management of fibromyalgia. Full article

This study introduces xylitol, a natural compound, as a multifunctional additive to enhance the performance of alkali-activated slag/fly ash materials (AASFMs). A systematic investigation was conducted to elucidate xylitol’s mechanism in modifying AASFM properties, including fresh behavior, hydration kinetics, compressive strength, and autogenous shrinkage. The experimental findings demonstrated that xylitol significantly delayed early-age hydration while promoting more extensive hydration at later stages. Specifically, the initial and final setting times of AASFM pastes were extended by 640% and 370%, respectively, and paste flowability increased by 30%. At a 0.2% dosage, xylitol markedly reduced porosity and refined the microstructure of AASFMs, leading to improved mechanical properties. The 3-day and 28-day compressive strengths were enhanced by 39.8% and 39.7%, respectively, while autogenous shrinkage was suppressed by 61.4%. These results demonstrate the multifunctional potential of xylitol in AASFMs, serving as an effective retarder, plasticizer, strength enhancer, and shrinkage reducer. Notably, the refined pore structure induced by xylitol may also mitigate the risks of the alkali–silica reaction, though further durability validation is warranted. Full article

In this work we investigate the integration possibility of a thermistor paste from ESL (ElectroScience Laboratory, now Vibrantz) to see if it is adapted for Vibrantz Low Temperature Cofired Ceramics (LTCC) L8 and A6M-E materials. An alumina-based sample is used as a reference circuit throughout this study. Square, two-squares-in-parallel and two-squares-in-series thermistors are tested, placed internally and externally. Resistive values are measured in a range from 25 °C to 300 °C. The variation in the resistive values among similar thermistors is significant, with a maximum standard deviation of 67%. However, in all cases, there is a positive linear relationship between resistance and temperature. The Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR) value is calculated before and after annealing. In general, the L8 and Al₂O₃ samples exhibit higher TCR values than the A6M-E sample. Additionally, when placed internally, the TCR value decreases approximately 30% for both tested LTCC materials. An Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) material analysis has also been conducted on the samples, revealing that the main chemical components are oxide, silicon, calcium, and ruthenium but also some barium and titanium, which indicates SiO₂, TiO₂, BaTiO₃ and RuO₂ oxides in the thermistor paste. The possibility to implement thermistors internally and externally on Vibrantz LTCC without delamination problems is endorsed by this study. Full article

Background: Varicella remains a prevalent vaccine-preventable disease, but breakthrough infections are increasingly reported. However, long-term, population-based studies investigating the temporal and demographic characteristics of breakthrough varicella remain limited. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed surveillance data from Jinhua City, China, from 2016 to 2024. Varicella case records were obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention (CISDCP), while vaccination data were retrieved from the Zhejiang Provincial Immunization Program Information System (ISIS). Breakthrough cases were defined as infections occurring more than 42 days after administration of the varicella vaccine. Differences in breakthrough interval were analyzed across subgroups defined by dose, sex, age, population category, and vaccination type. A bivariate cubic regression model was used to assess the combined effect of initial vaccination age and dose interval on the breakthrough interval. Results: Among 28,778 reported varicella cases, 7373 (25.62%) were classified as breakthrough infections, with a significant upward trend over the 9-year period (p < 0.001). Most cases occurred in school-aged children, especially those aged 6–15 years. One-dose recipients consistently showed shorter breakthrough intervals than two-dose recipients (M = 62.10 vs. 120.10 months, p < 0.001). Breakthrough intervals also differed significantly by sex, age group, population category, and vaccination type (p < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed a negative correlation between the initial vaccination age, the dose interval, and the breakthrough interval (R² = 0.964, p < 0.001), with earlier and closely spaced vaccinations associated with longer protection. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that a two-dose varicella vaccination schedule, when initiated at an earlier age and administered with a shorter interval between doses, provides more robust and longer-lasting protection. These results offer strong support for incorporating varicella vaccination into China’s National Immunization Program to enhance vaccine coverage and reduce the public health burden associated with breakthrough infections. Full article

Non-synchronous vibration (NSV), flutter, or rotating stall can cause severe blade vibrations and limit the operating range of compressors and fans. To enhance the understanding of these phenomena, this study investigated the corresponding mechanisms in modern composite ultra-high-bypass-ratio (UHBR) fans based on the ECL5/CATANA test campaign. Extensive steady and unsteady instrumentation such as stereo-PIV, fast-response pressure probes, and rotor strain gauges were used to derive the aerodynamic and structural characteristics of the rotor at throttled operating conditions. The study focused on the analysis of the transition region from transonic to subsonic speeds where two distinct phenomena were observed. At transonic design speed, rotating stall was encountered, while NSV was observed at 90 speed. At the intermediate 95 speedline, a peculiar behavior involving a single stalled blade was observed. The results emphasize that rotating stall and NSV exhibit different wave characteristics: rotating stall comprises lower wave numbers and higher propagation speeds at around 78 rotor speed, while small-scale disturbances propagate at 57 rotor speed and lock-in with blade eigenmodes, causing NSV. Both phenomena were observed in a narrow range of operation and even simultaneously at specific conditions. The presented results contribute to the understanding of different types of operating range-limiting phenomena in modern UHBR fans and serve as a basis for the validation of numerical simulations. Full article

Background: Small airway dysfunction (SAD) plays a critical role in the management of severe asthma, particularly in patients at risk of requiring biological therapies (BTs). Short-term studies have shown that switching to single-inhaler triple therapy (SITT) with extrafine beclomethasone–formoterol–glycopyrronium improves outcomes and helps achieve quiet asthma, a state marked by symptom control, no exacerbations or oral steroids, reduced inflammation, and better small airway function. This study investigated whether, over one year, patients could maintain this state as Steady Quiet Asthma (SQA) and whether baseline measures could predict this sustained response. Methods: Twenty-six patients with severe asthma and SAD were transitioned from open triple-inhaler therapy to a closed, single-inhaler triple therapy containing extrafine beclomethasone–formoterol–glycopyrronium. Assessments at baseline (T0) and at one-year follow-up (T12) included clinical evaluations, spirometry, and impulse oscillometry, with a focus on Fres as a predictor for the need for BT. When prescribed, biologic therapies included mepolizumab, benralizumab, and dupilumab. Results: Of the 26 patients, 9 (34.6%) achieved SQA and did not require biologic therapy at the one-year follow-up, while 17 patients (65.4%) initiated biologic treatment. At T0, patients who required biologics had significantly higher median Fres (21 (19.47; 24.58) vs. 17.61 (15.82; 20.63); p = 0.049) compared to those who remained biologic-free. They also exhibited higher residual volume to total lung capacity ratio (%RV/TLC) values and lower forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratios (FEV₁/FVC). At T12, patients spared from BT showed significant reductions in Fres (p = 0.014) and improvements in small airway function (difference in airway resistance between 5 Hz and 20 Hz (R5–20), forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC (%FEF25–75), and better asthma control (ACT). In contrast, patients on BT demonstrated less favorable changes in these parameters. Conclusions: Baseline Fres, FEV1/FVC ratio, and %FEV25–75 are valuable predictors of achieving Steady Quiet Asthma (SQA) and sparing biologic therapy. These findings support the use of SITT in severe asthma and highlight the importance of early functional assessments to guide personalized management. Full article