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Keywords = logistics efficiency

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22 pages, 986 KB  
Article
Navigating Complexity of 3PL-Led Low-Carbon Supply Chains: A Two-Stage Dynamic Coordination Mechanism for Sustainability and Resilience Under Information Asymmetry
by Jinde Jiang, Junding Yang, Wenping Liu, Yingjing Gu, Jing Gu and Yiling Zhu
Systems 2026, 14(9), 1042; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14091042 (registering DOI) - 24 Aug 2026
Abstract
To address the issue where information asymmetry in third-party logistics (3PL)-led low-carbon supply chain coordination undermines coordination efficiency, thereby threatening the sustainability and resilience of supply chain cooperation, this paper develops a Stackelberg dynamic game model with the 3PL as the leader. This [...] Read more.
To address the issue where information asymmetry in third-party logistics (3PL)-led low-carbon supply chain coordination undermines coordination efficiency, thereby threatening the sustainability and resilience of supply chain cooperation, this paper develops a Stackelberg dynamic game model with the 3PL as the leader. This model is constructed within the context where consumers’ low-carbon preferences influence product demand, and a government carbon cap policy is implemented. By comparing decentralized and centralized equilibria, we verify that centralized collaboration achieves dual gains: higher carbon reduction levels and greater overall supply chain profits, which strengthens sustainability and resilience. To address efficiency losses from three types of information asymmetry, we propose a two-stage dynamic coordination mechanism adapted to evolving cooperation transparency. At the initial stage with opaque information, a bargaining-power-weighted profit-sharing contract is adopted, where negotiation weights are quantified by enterprise scale, resource control and industry influence. After data transparency improves, the system switches to a Nash bargaining framework supported by blockchain carbon data sharing to realize stable long-term collaboration. Numerical cases and sensitivity analysis demonstrate that manufacturer cost information asymmetry is the primary constraint on coordination efficiency. The proposed dynamic coordination scheme effectively mitigates systemic complexity, balancing economic benefits and carbon reduction targets. This study provides practical pathways for supply chain participants to navigate complex low-carbon environments and advance sustainable, resilient supply chain operation. Full article
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40 pages, 24153 KB  
Article
A Multidimensional Comparative Assessment of Diesel and Battery-Electric Shunting Locomotives in In-Plant Railway Operations: A Case Study from the Seza Cement Plant
by Burak Samet Özgen, Cevher Kürşat Macit, Burak Tanyeri and Ukbe Usame Uçar
Processes 2026, 14(17), 2689; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14172689 (registering DOI) - 24 Aug 2026
Abstract
This single-site industrial case study compares a leased diesel shunting locomotive with a battery-electric shunting locomotive used for the same class of in-plant railway tasks at the Seza Cement Plant. The evidence base comprises plant leasing and fuel records, equipment specifications, site-reported electricity [...] Read more.
This single-site industrial case study compares a leased diesel shunting locomotive with a battery-electric shunting locomotive used for the same class of in-plant railway tasks at the Seza Cement Plant. The evidence base comprises plant leasing and fuel records, equipment specifications, site-reported electricity indicators, operator-reported operational observations, direct CO2 calculations, and documented occupational safety and health (OSH) functions; it is not a controlled or statistically replicated time–motion experiment. The diesel system incurred a monthly lease cost of USD 10,000 and consumed approximately 1800 L/month, equivalent to 21,600 L/year. Cross-checking the direct CO2 calculation with 2.692 and 2.683 kg CO2/L factors gives 58.1 and 58.0 t CO2/year, respectively. The approximately 24-month payback is treated as a plant-reported investment indicator and evaluated through a normalized sensitivity model because disaggregated costs for locomotive purchase, charging infrastructure, battery replacement, and historical maintenance are not available in the case-study dataset. Operational evidence is reported descriptively: the 20–40% reduction in task time is an operator-reported range rather than a statistical mean; the 7–9 min value refers to the complete 10-wagon weighing maneuver; and 25 loaded wagons (approximately 1450 t) represents the maximum documented field movement rather than a manufacturer-rated capacity. A force-balance check shows that this maximum movement is feasible only if total equivalent resistance remains below approximately 5.41 N/kN, using the 77 kN catalog tractive effort as an upper bound. The battery-electric locomotive produces no local exhaust emissions at the point of use and incorporates SIL 2 remote-control functions, a deadman function, emergency-stop controls, camera support, lighting, and warning systems; these features indicate risk-control capability but do not constitute a measured accident-rate reduction. The study therefore contributes facility-scale, evidence-bounded information for low-speed, repetitive industrial shunting within a defined operating area rather than a general proof of battery-electric superiority across railway applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Energy Systems)
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38 pages, 2906 KB  
Review
On the Methodological Harmonization of the Life Cycle Assessment of Woody Biomass-to-Energy Conversion Pathways—A Review
by Baibhaw Kumar and Heriberto Cabezas
Energies 2026, 19(17), 3950; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19173950 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026
Abstract
Woody biomass is often promoted as a low-carbon energy source in global decarbonization efforts. However, LCA (life cycle assessment) evaluations of woody biomass-to-energy systems show very different environmental performance. Variations in technology and methodology across investigations can cause these inconsistencies. This review paper [...] Read more.
Woody biomass is often promoted as a low-carbon energy source in global decarbonization efforts. However, LCA (life cycle assessment) evaluations of woody biomass-to-energy systems show very different environmental performance. Variations in technology and methodology across investigations can cause these inconsistencies. This review paper analyzes methodologies of LCAs of woody biomass conversion routes such as combustion, combined heat and power, gasification, pyrolysis, torrefaction-assisted systems, and new bioenergy with carbon capture configurations. A systematic literature review was conducted using Scopus, SpringerLink, and ScienceDirect, identifying 4272 records, of which 98 studies were retained for detailed analysis following the application of defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Functional unit selection, from biomass mass per unit to power or heat per unit, is highly variable, affecting comparability. Forest carbon stock fluctuations, infrastructure, and end-of-life treatment are inconsistently included in cradle-to-grave system boundaries. Static GWP100 methods are often used in biogenic carbon removal without considering temporal carbon dynamics. The importance of pretreatment steps like drying, pelletizing, and torrefaction cannot be overstated, even though they have a direct impact on the quality of the fuel, the efficiency of transportation, and the effectiveness of the conversion process downstream. The large range of stated emission levels for comparable technologies is further influenced by logistics assumptions, plant scale, and allocation mechanisms in cogeneration systems. The review synthesizes these methodological differences and proposes a harmonization methodology to increase woody biomass LCA transparency and comparability. By identifying important sources of outcome variability, this study helps policymakers, project developers, and industry stakeholders evaluate biomass energy investments and bring clarity to environmental decisions. Full article
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20 pages, 287 KB  
Article
Digital Transformation, Innovation Capability, and Operational Efficiency of Logistics Enterprises: Empirical Evidence Based on Annual Reports of A-Share Listed Companies in China
by Xinghua Wang, Shupeng Zhao and Jiefang Yuan
Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8615; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178615 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026
Abstract
Promoting digital transformation is one of the important directions for the logistics industry to break through the bottleneck of development and achieve high-quality development. This study takes the logistics enterprises listed in China’s A-share market from 2017 to 2024 as the research sample [...] Read more.
Promoting digital transformation is one of the important directions for the logistics industry to break through the bottleneck of development and achieve high-quality development. This study takes the logistics enterprises listed in China’s A-share market from 2017 to 2024 as the research sample and uses the two-way fixed-effect model and intermediary-effect model to systematically investigate the impact of digital transformation on the operational efficiency of logistics enterprises and its mechanism. The research draws the following conclusions. First, digital transformation is positively associated with the operational efficiency of logistics enterprises and can pass a variety of robustness tests. Second, the mechanism test shows that innovation capability plays an important intermediary role between digital transformation and the operational efficiency of logistics enterprises. Third, the heterogeneity analysis found that for small-scale enterprises and enterprises in the eastern region, the positive impact is more prominent. Therefore, the actual effect of digital transformation is highly dependent on the enterprise’s own attributes and external environment. Policy making needs to be tailored to local conditions and accurately classified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Management)
26 pages, 2576 KB  
Article
Forecasting Future Military Ground Vehicle Requirements from Commercial Automotive Trends
by Andrew Miller and Vikram Mittal
Future Transp. 2026, 6(5), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/futuretransp6050176 - 22 Aug 2026
Viewed by 31
Abstract
Commercial automotive technologies are advancing rapidly in areas such as electrification, connectivity, digital transformation, and autonomous systems. As military organizations increasingly incorporate commercial technologies, it is important to understand how commercial trends align with future battlefield requirements. This paper presents a framework for [...] Read more.
Commercial automotive technologies are advancing rapidly in areas such as electrification, connectivity, digital transformation, and autonomous systems. As military organizations increasingly incorporate commercial technologies, it is important to understand how commercial trends align with future battlefield requirements. This paper presents a framework for forecasting military ground vehicle requirements through 2040 by integrating commercial automotive technology trends with observations from contemporary warfare. This analysis identified automotive technology trajectories through a synthesis of published bibliometric studies covering major automotive research domains from 2016 to 2026. Military operational requirements were derived from battlefield narratives published by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and open-source vehicle loss data reported by Oryxspioenkop during the Russia–Ukraine War. The automotive and military analyses were then aligned to identify areas of convergence between commercial technology development and future battlefield requirements. The results indicate that future battlefields will be characterized by persistent surveillance, precision fires, contested logistics, contested electromagnetic environments, high attrition, and rapid battlefield adaptation. Future military vehicles will increasingly leverage commercial technologies to improve autonomous operations, predictive sustainment, fuel efficiency, resilient communications, and signature management while incorporating military-specific capabilities where required. The resulting framework provides a structured methodology for linking commercial automotive innovation with military vehicle modernization, acquisition planning, and future capability development. Full article
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20 pages, 4306 KB  
Article
Mechanism-Base Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Modeling of Cefquinome Against Streptococcus suis Serotype 2 Under Different Inoculum and Susceptibility Conditions
by Aktham H. Mestareehi
Med. Sci. 2026, 14(4), 505; https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14040505 (registering DOI) - 21 Aug 2026
Viewed by 91
Abstract
Background: Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is a major zoonotic pathogen responsible for severe systemic infections in pigs and humans, including septicemia, meningitis, and high mortality outcomes. Cefquinome, a fourth-generation β-lactam antibiotic widely used in veterinary medicine, is commonly applied for the treatment [...] Read more.
Background: Streptococcus suis serotype 2 is a major zoonotic pathogen responsible for severe systemic infections in pigs and humans, including septicemia, meningitis, and high mortality outcomes. Cefquinome, a fourth-generation β-lactam antibiotic widely used in veterinary medicine, is commonly applied for the treatment of S. suis infections. However, optimized dosing strategies remain insufficiently defined, particularly under conditions of varying bacterial burden, inoculum size, and reduced susceptibility or resistance phenotypes. These factors may significantly alter pharmacodynamic responses and compromise the predictive value of conventional MIC-based approaches. Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of cefquinome against S. suis serotype 2 using an integrated ex vivo serum time-kill experiments and semi-mechanistic PK/PD modeling. A secondary objective was to evaluate optimized dosing regimens across different inoculum levels and susceptibility phenotypes, including a cefquinome-resistant mutant. Methods: Cefquinome pharmacokinetics following intramuscular administration at 2 and 4 mg/kg in piglets were described using a two-compartment model. Dose proportionality, exposure linearity, and clearance parameters were assessed. Ex vivo serum time-kill experiments were conducted using a parental strain and a cefquinome-resistant mutant (M1) under normal-inoculum (NI), high-inoculum (HI), and mutant/resistant (MS) conditions. A semi-mechanistic PK/PD model incorporating logistic bacterial growth, sigmoidal Emax killing, nutrient limitation, and a time-delay function was developed to describe dynamic bacterial responses. Model parameters (k0, kmax, EC50) were estimated using nonlinear least-squares regression (Scientist v2.0), and simulations were performed by integrating time-varying PK input functions. Results: Cefquinome demonstrated linear pharmacokinetics with dose-proportional increases in Cmax and AUC between 2 and 4 mg/kg, with comparable clearance across doses. Ex vivo studies revealed time-dependent antibacterial activity with a pronounced inoculum effect. Higher bacterial burdens significantly reduced bactericidal efficiency and promoted regrowth during declining drug exposure. No tested concentrations achieved ≥3-log10 killing in HI or MS conditions, whereas the NI group achieved a maximal reduction of 3.5-log10 CFU/mL. MIC values in serum and medium were consistent (0.03, 0.06, and 0.24 µg/mL for NI, HI, and MS, respectively), indicating minimal protein binding influence. The semi-mechanistic model accurately described observed bacterial dynamics (R2 > 0.99; MSC > 1.5), capturing delayed drug effects, inoculum-dependent growth suppression, and regrowth phenomena. Growth rates were reduced under serum conditions, reflecting nutrient limitation. Importantly, inoculum size exerted a stronger impact on pharmacodynamic outcomes than resistance phenotype, as reflected by reductions in kmax and increases in EC50 under HI conditions. Although %T>MIC exceeded conventional β-lactam targets (>40%) in most regimens, MIC-based indices poorly correlated with observed dynamic killing responses. Conclusions: Cefquinome exhibited time-dependent antibacterial activity against S. suis serotype 2, strongly modulated by inoculum size and reduced susceptibility. The developed semi-mechanistic PK/PD model provided robust prediction of bacterial time-kill behavior and outperformed MIC-based metrics in guiding dose optimization. Simulation results support 2 mg/kg every 24 h for normal infections and 2 mg/kg every 12 h for high-inoculum or less susceptible infections, emphasizing the value of model-informed dosing strategies for optimizing β-lactam therapy. Full article
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45 pages, 11067 KB  
Article
A Multi-Chain Blockchain Framework for Trusted Data Management and Efficient Traceability in Fruit and Vegetable Supply Chains
by Weiqiang Chen, Zhiyao Zhao, Haisheng Li, Jiping Xu, Chongxuan Liu and Xin Zhang
Computers 2026, 15(8), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers15080549 - 21 Aug 2026
Viewed by 65
Abstract
Fruit and vegetable supply chains generate heterogeneous data across production, storage, logistics, and sales, creating challenges for trusted data sharing, privacy protection, and real-time traceability across distributed supply-chain information systems. Conventional single-chain blockchains suffer from limited scalability, data redundancy, and low retrieval efficiency, [...] Read more.
Fruit and vegetable supply chains generate heterogeneous data across production, storage, logistics, and sales, creating challenges for trusted data sharing, privacy protection, and real-time traceability across distributed supply-chain information systems. Conventional single-chain blockchains suffer from limited scalability, data redundancy, and low retrieval efficiency, making them inadequate for high-frequency full-process information management. This study proposes a multi-chain blockchain framework for trusted full-process information management of fruit and vegetable supply chains. The framework integrates traceability, enterprise, notary, and regulatory chains to support hierarchical data management and privacy isolation. A reputation-based notary node election mechanism and a threshold-signature scheme based on Shamir secret sharing are designed to enhance cross-chain security and distributed regulatory consensus. To improve retrieval efficiency, a Cuckoo-Augmented Merkle Tree (CMerkle) and a skip-list-based block index are developed. Simulation results show that all malicious nodes were restricted by the 19th round, signature aggregation required 70.16 ms in a 500-node setting, and CMerkle achieved retrieval speedups of 14.7 and 153 times at data scales of 500 and 10,000 records, respectively. The framework supports trusted data governance, real-time traceability, privacy-preserving sharing, and regulatory decision support in blockchain-enabled supply-chain information systems. Full article
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32 pages, 11049 KB  
Article
Analysis of Smart Port Practices Across the Globe to Evaluate the Status of Bangladeshi Ports and Future Perspectives
by Khandakar Akhter Hossain
Future Transp. 2026, 6(4), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/futuretransp6040174 - 20 Aug 2026
Viewed by 100
Abstract
Maritime routes ensure connectivity between nations, carrying a vast flow of goods across borders, while ports serve as the critical junctions within this network, managing a wide spectrum of commodities from raw materials to finished goods. Ports also generate employment across numerous sectors [...] Read more.
Maritime routes ensure connectivity between nations, carrying a vast flow of goods across borders, while ports serve as the critical junctions within this network, managing a wide spectrum of commodities from raw materials to finished goods. Ports also generate employment across numerous sectors and underpin a broad range of allied industries. A seaport is a maritime facility equipped with docks, cranes, and storage infrastructure for international trade, where ships load and unload cargo, containers, and passengers. Key functions of seaports include customs processing, warehousing, and vessel services, with major global hubs such as Shanghai, PSA Singapore, DP World, and Rotterdam handling immense volumes of cargo each year. In contrast, Bangladesh’s ports, Chittagong, Mongla, and Payra, play a vital role in sustaining regional commerce. Today, ports are widely recognized as essential capital infrastructure and prime movers of economic activity. Smart ports are automated facilities that leverage advanced digital technologies, including sensors, big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), augmented reality (AR), digital twins, the Internet of Things (IoT), and various automation systems, to optimize overall operational efficiency. These tools streamline cargo movement while embedding sustainable practices to protect the environment. Beyond operational gains, smart ports deliver faster, more advanced services to all stakeholders involved in port operations, including shipping companies, customs agencies, local communities, and other relevant parties. Renewable energy sources, electric vehicle charging stations, onshore power supply, and smart logistics infrastructure are among the defining sustainability features of smart ports in the present-day context. This study examines the current status and future development trajectory of Bangladesh’s sea ports in relation to the broader global imperative toward smart port transformation. Full article
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39 pages, 4817 KB  
Article
Rapid Growth of the Western Australian Lithium Industry: Insights for Future Development Projects
by Hayden Bradbury, Allan Trench and Dirk G. Baur
Mining 2026, 6(3), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/mining6030065 - 20 Aug 2026
Viewed by 114
Abstract
Lithium, as a Li-ion battery constituent, is pivotal for the transition to clean energy. Western Australia (WA) has become a global leader in hard-rock lithium mining, realising 10-fold growth from 2010 to 2024 and with royalty receipts to the WA government surpassing $1 [...] Read more.
Lithium, as a Li-ion battery constituent, is pivotal for the transition to clean energy. Western Australia (WA) has become a global leader in hard-rock lithium mining, realising 10-fold growth from 2010 to 2024 and with royalty receipts to the WA government surpassing $1 billion AUD. Given the sector’s economic significance, we analyse key performance metrics including resource/reserve build, production growth, cumulative capital deployed, capital intensity, and development timelines for the new-generation lithium mines. Several enabling factors supported the rapid build-out of capacity. These include an efficient mine permitting process to manage environmental impacts and competing land use issues, a stable royalty regime, energy and logistics infrastructure, availability of a skilled workforce, and mining services capability. Contrary to the standard industry narrative that new mineral projects are constrained by legislative delay, the new lithium projects achieved development timelines of 7 years or less from first resource to production. This has broader implications for critical mineral projects where success is likely to depend less on strategic classification and more on project quality, financing, and regional capability. Full article
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69 pages, 1275 KB  
Article
A Digital Twin-Driven Sensing and Fuzzy Decision Framework for Safety Monitoring of Autonomous Mobile Robot Systems in Intralogistics
by Sylwia Werbińska-Wojciechowska, Robert Giel and Olena Stryhunivska
Sensors 2026, 26(16), 5284; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26165284 - 20 Aug 2026
Viewed by 295
Abstract
The increasing use of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in internal logistics systems improves operational efficiency. However, it also introduces challenges related to safety, reliability, sensor-based monitoring and human–robot interaction. This study proposes a sensor-driven Digital Twin and fuzzy decision-support framework for operational risk [...] Read more.
The increasing use of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in internal logistics systems improves operational efficiency. However, it also introduces challenges related to safety, reliability, sensor-based monitoring and human–robot interaction. This study proposes a sensor-driven Digital Twin and fuzzy decision-support framework for operational risk monitoring in AMR-based transportation systems. The proposed approach integrates Digital Twin technology with fuzzy logic methods to support continuous sensing, operational data acquisition, and data-driven risk evaluation in autonomous logistics environments. In the proposed framework, the Digital Twin acts as a continuous monitoring and early-warning environment. It enables continuous observation of system states, robot condition, navigation performance, traffic intensity and operational disturbances. To support decision-making under uncertainty, the fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (fuzzy AHP) is applied to determine the relative importance of selected safety and reliability indicators. These indicators include condition monitoring parameters, mean time between failures, sensor-related disturbances and task completion performance. Subsequently, a hierarchical Mamdani fuzzy inference system is used to evaluate the operational risk level of the transportation system based on aggregated KPI values derived from Digital Twin data. The applicability of the proposed approach is illustrated through a case study involving multiple AMRs operating in a dynamic intralogistics environment. The results indicate that the integration of sensor-based Digital Twin monitoring with fuzzy decision-support mechanisms improves operational risk visibility and supports more effective risk identification and management in Industry 4.0 intralogistics systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sensors and Robotics)
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48 pages, 24461 KB  
Article
Engineering Allogeneic FE002-Cart Chondroprogenitor Spheroids for Large Knee Chondral Defects: Investigating Microenvironmental Cues for Functional Control, GMP Formulation, and Logistical Viability
by Lee Ann Applegate, Farid Hadjab, Sandra Jaccoud, Alexandre Porcello, Virginie Philippe, Nathalie Hirt-Burri, Corinne Scaletta, Brigitte M. Jolles, Dominique P. Pioletti, Robin Martin and Alexis E. Laurent
Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(8), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18081032 - 20 Aug 2026
Viewed by 199
Abstract
Background: The clinical translation of cell-based therapies for knee articular cartilage repair is fundamentally restricted by the severe biological unpredictability of autologous cell sources, inherent manufacturing bottlenecks, and the rapid phenotypic dedifferentiation of cells expanded in conventional 2D monolayers. To overcome these translational [...] Read more.
Background: The clinical translation of cell-based therapies for knee articular cartilage repair is fundamentally restricted by the severe biological unpredictability of autologous cell sources, inherent manufacturing bottlenecks, and the rapid phenotypic dedifferentiation of cells expanded in conventional 2D monolayers. To overcome these translational hurdles, this study engineered a scaffold-free, 3D formulation of highly characterized allogeneic FE002-Cart chondroprogenitor spheroids. Methods: We systematically investigated the specific microenvironmental cues and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) formulation parameters required to direct functional chondrogenesis. The structural and biochemical performance of this allogeneic formulation was benchmarked against multiple primary adult autologous chondrocyte types. Finally, we evaluated the phenotypic resilience of the microtissues in simulated osteoarthritic (OA) environments and investigated both short-term liquid storage and advanced terminal preservation strategies to establish off-the-shelf logistical viability. Results: Precise microenvironmental regulation proved to be a critical biological prerequisite. The synergistic combination of physiological hypoxia (2% O2) and stringent glucocorticoid limitation (10 nM dexamethasone) induced robust glycosaminoglycan (GAG) deposition and a > 200-fold upregulation of ACAN and COL2, while suppressing the terminal hypertrophic drift observed in adult chondrocytes. Benchmarking revealed that the allogeneic FE002-Cart formulation substantially mitigates the profound morphological and biochemical unpredictability inherent to adult autologous cell sources. Furthermore, the scaffold-free spheroid geometry yielded a 10-fold increase in GAG production per cell compared to traditional matrix-seeded (MACI) platforms. Transitioning to a GMP-compatible manufacturing process revealed extreme cellular sensitivities; excipients within standard pharmaceutical-grade dexamethasone severely aborted chondrogenic differentiation, emphasizing the necessity of rigorous raw-material qualification. Functionally, the 3D architecture acted as a protective physical shield, sustaining high cellular viability when subjected to severe inflammatory stress and 100% OA patient synovial fluid. Logistically, the viable spheroids maintained matrix integrity and inter-spheroid fusion potential for up to 7 days at ambient temperature in transport medium. Finally, advanced spheroid preservation via lyophilization and high-dose gamma irradiation eliminated biological viability but successfully transitioned the microtissues into highly organized, terminally irradiated matrices capable of heterologous in vitro structural merging. Conclusions: These findings define the critical biological thresholds for manufacturing, demonstrate the enhanced in vitro biosynthetic efficiency of 3D allogeneic microtissues compared to specific autologous and matrix-dependent baselines, and establish a highly practical, off-the-shelf logistical framework for the regenerative treatment of large knee chondral defects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Gene and Cell Therapy)
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25 pages, 2364 KB  
Article
From Evaluation to Implementation: A Delphi Consensus Framework with Domain-Weighted Decision Models for Robotic Surgery Adoption
by Kenneth Chen, Tsi Yu Poon, Wai Chye Cheong, May Anne Cheong, Yvonne Ying Ru Ng, Alvin Yuanming Lee, Ye Xin Koh, Meihuan Chang, Kenny Wei-Tsen Loh, Christine Gaik Yie Neoh, Shirlena Tieu Kwee Wong, Pin Sun Chang, Shu Hui Yeang, An Lui Wang, Kelvin Ghim Chuan Tan, Wai Ching Lee, Jeremy Chon Wai Aw, Carol Siow Yen Ang, Emile John Kwong Wei Tan, Brian Kim Poh Goh, Song Tar Toh, John Shyi Peng Yuen and Henry Sun Sien Hoadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Healthcare 2026, 14(16), 2637; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14162637 - 20 Aug 2026
Viewed by 204
Abstract
Background: Adoption of surgical robotic systems is accelerating globally, driven by advances in clinical capability, ergonomics, and workflow efficiency. However, robotic surgery programs introduce complex organizational challenges related to patient safety, workforce capability, infrastructure readiness, governance, vendor dependency, procurement, and long-term sustainability. Hospitals [...] Read more.
Background: Adoption of surgical robotic systems is accelerating globally, driven by advances in clinical capability, ergonomics, and workflow efficiency. However, robotic surgery programs introduce complex organizational challenges related to patient safety, workforce capability, infrastructure readiness, governance, vendor dependency, procurement, and long-term sustainability. Hospitals often lack structured, leadership-oriented frameworks to support systematic, context-appropriate evaluation, adoption, and governance of these technologies. Objective: To develop a multidisciplinary, consensus-based framework to support leadership-level evaluation, organizational readiness assessment, adoption, and governance of surgical robotic systems. Methods: A two-round modified Delphi study was conducted at Singapore General Hospital involving eleven stakeholder groups spanning clinical, perioperative, technical, operational, governance, and executive domains. Department-level consensus responses were generated. In Round 1, stakeholders completed role-specific questionnaires comprising Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. Items rated as low importance were excluded, while items of moderate importance were refined through thematic analysis. In Round 2, refined and newly generated items were re-evaluated. Items achieving ≥70% agreement for high importance within each stakeholder group were retained. Results: A total of 417 consensus-derived items were identified and organized into nine thematic domains encompassing patient safety and risk management, technical capability and surgical performance, workflow integration, training and credentialing, governance and sustainability, vendor support, infrastructure, logistics, and operational readiness. The framework was operationalized through category-specific interpretive scoring rubrics and three domain-weighted decision models reflecting clinician, safety, and procurement perspectives. Conclusions: This study presents a leadership-oriented, multi-stakeholder framework to support the risk-aware evaluation, adoption, implementation, and governance of surgical robotic systems. By integrating considerations across institutional readiness, comparative robotic platform assessment, and program governance, the framework provides a structured approach to decision-making throughout the robotic surgery lifecycle. While it may serve as a useful starting point for institutions seeking to establish or expand robotic surgery programs, the framework was developed and evaluated within a single academic tertiary healthcare institution. Further validation across diverse healthcare settings, including community hospitals, non-academic institutions, specialty centers, and resource-constrained environments, is required before broader adoption can be recommended. Full article
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17 pages, 12213 KB  
Article
N/P-Dependent DNA Complexation, Transfection, and Cytotoxicity of Imine-Linked Low-Molecular-Weight PEI Polyplexes
by Vera-Maria Platon, Vlad Ghizdovat, Iolanda Augustin, Ramona Lungu, Constantin Volovat, Diana-Ioana Panaite, Madalina Raluca Ostafe, Cristian Constantin Volovat, Dragos-Ioan Rusu, Lacramioara Ochiuz, Maricel Agop, Andiana Roxana Blidari and Simona Ruxandra Volovat
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(16), 7444; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27167444 - 20 Aug 2026
Viewed by 130
Abstract
Gene delivery with cationic polymers requires balancing DNA compaction, colloidal stability, and intracellular release, yet for imine-linked low-molecular-weight polyethyleneimine (PEI) vectors, quantitative relationships connecting the N/P ratio with the full property–transfection cascade remain undefined. Here, two amphiphilic non-viral vectors were prepared by linking [...] Read more.
Gene delivery with cationic polymers requires balancing DNA compaction, colloidal stability, and intracellular release, yet for imine-linked low-molecular-weight polyethyleneimine (PEI) vectors, quantitative relationships connecting the N/P ratio with the full property–transfection cascade remain undefined. Here, two amphiphilic non-viral vectors were prepared by linking a hydrophobic benzene–siloxane core (TAS) to hyperbranched PEI (800 or 2000 Da) through reversible imine bonds and complexed with DNA across a broad N/P range (10–600). Polyplexes were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential, agarose gel electrophoresis, transfection via green fluorescent protein (GFP) imaging and luciferase assay in HeLa cells. Both vectors formed spherical nano-entities (AFM diameters ~30 nm for TAS-PEI800; ~100 nm for TAS-PEI2000). TAS-PEI2000 achieved complete DNA retardation at N/P ≈ 30 versus N/P ≈ 150 for TAS-PEI800, consistent with its higher charge density (ζ = +37.59 vs. +18.35 mV). Transfection efficiency was superior for TAS-PEI2000 across most N/P ratios; however, TAS-PEI2000 displayed an optimal transfection efficiency at N/P ≈ 100 (ζ ≈ 3.84 mV), beyond which efficiency declined, indicating a binding–release trade-off. Cell viability remained >77% across the N/P range for TAS-PEI800, but dropped below 25% at N/P ≥ 400 for TAS-PEI2000. A phenomenological logistic model identified characteristic transition thresholds (θ ≈ 60 for TAS-PEI800; θ ≈ 40 for TAS-PEI2000), capturing the onset of cooperative self-assembly; however, the post-optimum decline observed for TAS-PEI2000 requires additional inhibitory terms. These findings demonstrate that PEI molecular weight governs both the N/P threshold required for efficient transfection and the width of the therapeutic window, thereby providing structure–activity descriptors for the rational design of imine-linked polyplex systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Pharmacology)
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22 pages, 783 KB  
Article
Digital Hesitancy Among Nurses and Physicians in Anesthesia and Intensive Care: A Cross-Sectional Study from Romania
by Corina Vernic, Ovidiu Bedreag, Dorina Cristina Sulițanu, Ion Petre, Liliana Ioana Muntean and Sorin Ursoniu
Nurs. Rep. 2026, 16(8), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep16080290 - 19 Aug 2026
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Abstract
Background and Objectives: Digitalization studies often emphasize perceived benefits while overlooking professionals who cannot determine whether digital tools are useful. This study quantified digital hesitancy among anesthesia and intensive-care professionals, examined its relationship with professional role and experience, and compared it with reported [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Digitalization studies often emphasize perceived benefits while overlooking professionals who cannot determine whether digital tools are useful. This study quantified digital hesitancy among anesthesia and intensive-care professionals, examined its relationship with professional role and experience, and compared it with reported barriers and technology use. Methods: A single-centre cross-sectional survey included 161 professionals (80.1% of 201 eligible departmental staff): 55 nurses and 106 physicians. A four-item Uncertainty Index measured inability to appraise digital benefits in patient safety, clinical decisions, management, and education. Barrier Burden and Resource-Efficiency indices were also calculated. Group differences were assessed using nonparametric tests, and predictors of high uncertainty were examined by multivariable logistic regression. Results: Nurses had substantially higher uncertainty than physicians (mean Uncertainty Index 1.60 vs. 0.49, difference 1.11, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.42; p < 0.001), particularly regarding educational and clinical benefits. Reported barriers were similar across professional groups, with technical problems being the most common. Any reported prior use of training simulators, irrespective of frequency or recency, was markedly lower among nurses than physicians (1.8% vs. 47.2%; absolute gap 45.4 percentage points, 95% CI 35.2 to 55.5; p < 0.001). After adjustment, physician status remained strongly associated with lower odds of high uncertainty, whereas overall seniority was not significant. In an exploratory within-nurse analysis, uncertainty was higher among more experienced nurses, reaching its highest level among those with more than 20 years of practice (Spearman ρ = 0.49, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.68; p < 0.001); the seniority bands were small (n = 7 to 18), so this gradient is hypothesis-generating. Conclusions: Digital hesitancy was concentrated among nurses and was distinct from shared technical barriers; within nurses it was higher at greater seniority. Because patient-safety outcomes and intervention effects were not measured, targeted simulator-based training and role-specific feedback should be regarded as hypotheses for prospective evaluation alongside, rather than established alternatives to, generic infrastructure improvements. Full article
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Article
Spatial Inequality and Infrastructure-Based Carbon Lock-In in Green Logistics: Evidence from China
by Hao Zhang, Zhonghua Xu, Peng Wang and Jie He
Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8502; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168502 - 19 Aug 2026
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Abstract
The logistics industry remains a critical bottleneck for decarbonization due to its extensive physical networks and high-carbon path dependencies. To address the spatial heterogeneity and transition constraints in the logistics industry of China, this study proposes a Performance–Topology–Mechanism (PTM) framework. Analyzing panel data [...] Read more.
The logistics industry remains a critical bottleneck for decarbonization due to its extensive physical networks and high-carbon path dependencies. To address the spatial heterogeneity and transition constraints in the logistics industry of China, this study proposes a Performance–Topology–Mechanism (PTM) framework. Analyzing panel data from 30 Chinese provinces, we integrate a Super-SBM model with the Global Malmquist–Luenberger (GML) index, Dagum Gini decomposition, and a panel Tobit model to decode the spatiotemporal dynamics of green innovation performance (GIP) and its underlying spatial lock-in mechanisms. The results reveal a steady but spatially uneven increase in the national GIP (from 0.4526 to 0.5724), characterized by a leading East and a lagging West/Northeast. GML decomposition indicates this growth is predominantly driven by outward shifts in the technological frontier rather than efficiency improvements, highlighting the weak spatial conversion of green technologies into transport optimization. Topological tracing demonstrates that inter-regional disparities have become the dominant source of spatial inequality, with their contribution rising from 60% to 75%. Spatial autocorrelation further exposes a deepening core–periphery polarization and persistent low-performance spatial lock-in. Crucially, the mechanism analysis identifies a pronounced infrastructure-based carbon lock-in. While economic capacity and green patents stimulate GIP, road network density exerts a significant negative effect, reflecting a systemic path dependence on high-carbon road freight. The findings suggest that decarbonizing transport logistics requires shifting from singular technological investments toward multimodal transport restructuring, overcoming physical network dependencies, and promoting the regional diffusion of green innovations. These findings provide an empirical basis for differentiated green-logistics policies, coordinated low-carbon transport infrastructure planning, and cross-regional diffusion of green technologies. Full article
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